# Add a CLI warning when running launcher bootstrap/rebuild without app.yml present
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/add-a-cli-warning-when-running-launcher-bootstrap-rebuild-without-app-yml-present/380001
**Category:** Feature
**Tags:** install
**Created:** [August 23, 2025, 10:53am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/add-a-cli-warning-when-running-launcher-bootstrap-rebuild-without-app-yml-present/380001 "2025-08-23T10:53:50Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Ethsim2](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Ethsim2)
#### Post date: [August 23, 2025, 10:53am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/add-a-cli-warning-when-running-launcher-bootstrap-rebuild-without-app-yml-present/380001/1 "2025-08-23T10:53:50Z")
When a fresh clone of Discourse is set up, the repository ships with standalone.yml.
The documented workflow is:
```plaintext
git clone https://github.com/discourse/discourse_docker.git /var/discourse
cd /var/discourse
./discourse-setup # creates app.yml
```
But if someone skips ./discourse-setup and instead runs
```plaintext
./launcher bootstrap app
# or
./launcher rebuild app
```
while app.yml does not exist, they get a confusing error because `app.yml` is not present, and `standalone.yml` is not automatically recognized as a starting point.
This is a common stumbling block for new admins who assume `standalone.yml` is already valid for use.
* * *
## Proposal:
- When launcher bootstrap or launcher rebuild is called and `containers/app.yml` does not exist, the CLI should print a clear warning like:
```plaintext
No containers/app.yml found.
Did you mean to run ./discourse-setup first?
Note: app.yml is generated from the sample standalone.yml file.
```
This would save new users from running into a dead end and searching Meta for answers.
* * *
Would this be a reasonable addition to `launcher`?
---
### Author:  [@Ethsim2](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Ethsim2)
#### Post date: [August 23, 2025, 11:02am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/add-a-cli-warning-when-running-launcher-bootstrap-rebuild-without-app-yml-present/380001/2 "2025-08-23T11:02:15Z")
Yes, at the moment if you run
`./launcher bootstrap app`
without first creating `app.yml`, you only see:
`ERROR: containers/app.yml does not exist or is not readable.`
That’s accurate but not very helpful, especially for two common cases:
1. **New production install**
Should run `./discourse-setup` to generate `app.yml` from `standalone.yml`.
2. **Quick test forum without outbound email**
Sometimes people just want to spin up a local/test Discourse without configuring SMTP.
The usual workflow is:
```plaintext
./launcher bootstrap app
./launcher start app
./launcher enter app
rake admin:create
```
This gives you an admin account without needing email.
* * *
**Proposal:**
Improve the error message so it guides both paths. For example:
> [@Ethsim2](#):
>
> - the CLI should print a clear warning like:
>
> ```plaintext
> No containers/app.yml found.
> Did you mean to run ./discourse-setup first?
> Note: app.yml is generated from the sample standalone.yml file.
>
> ```
---
### Author:  [@Ethsim2](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Ethsim2)
#### Post date: [August 23, 2025, 11:14am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/add-a-cli-warning-when-running-launcher-bootstrap-rebuild-without-app-yml-present/380001/3 "2025-08-23T11:14:00Z")
I’d just add that the official [backup/restore guide](https://meta.discourse.org/t/move-your-discourse-instance-to-a-different-server/15721) encourages copying `app.yml` into place on a new VPS before running `launcher`.
So the error message could maybe cover that scenario as well. Right now, someone following the guide but forgetting to copy `app.yml` first will hit the same dead end.
Perhaps something like:
```plaintext
ERROR: containers/app.yml does not exist or is not readable.
If this is your first install, run ./discourse-setup to generate app.yml
(from the sample standalone.yml).
If you are restoring to a new server, make sure you copied your existing
app.yml from the old server into /var/discourse/containers
```
That way the message points all three kinds of users in the right direction:
- brand-new admins
- people restoring a forum
- testers who don’t want to set up SMTP.
---
### Author:  [@tobiaseigen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tobiaseigen)
#### Post date: [August 29, 2025, 4:40pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/add-a-cli-warning-when-running-launcher-bootstrap-rebuild-without-app-yml-present/380001/6 "2025-08-29T16:40:10Z")
---
### Author:  [@tobiaseigen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tobiaseigen)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2025, 11:21am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/add-a-cli-warning-when-running-launcher-bootstrap-rebuild-without-app-yml-present/380001/7 "2025-09-01T11:21:36Z")