Getting Started

Portway ships as a container image, as .deb and .rpm packages, and as Linux and Windows archives. Each release targets x64 and arm64. Endpoint and environment configuration is identical for every installation method.

1. Install ​

Each installation guide ends at a running instance. The steps below apply to every method.

2. Record the access token ​

If the console is enabled (Console:Enabled, default true): the first start creates no token. Tokens are created in the console under Access Tokens and are displayed once.

If the console is disabled: the first start generates a full-access token and writes it to tokens/{SERVER_NAME}.txt:

{
  "Username": "SERVER-NAME",
  "Token": "your-bearer-token-here",
  "AllowedScopes": "*",
  "AllowedEnvironments": "*",
  "AllowedTenants": {},
  "ExpiresAt": "Never",
  "CreatedAt": "2026-01-01 00:00:00"
}

3. Sign in to the console ​

The first start logs an account name (admin- plus eight characters) and a one-time password. The console at /ui requires a new password at first sign-in. Accounts and recovery: Console Accounts.

4. Add an environment ​

Environments and endpoints are configured in the console or in files. The console writes the same files. File changes are loaded without a restart.

Console: Environments → Add Environment. The form sets the name (e.g. prod), server name and connection string, and adds the name to the routable environments.

Files: the global file lists the routable environments:

{
  "Environment": {
    "ServerName": "localhost",
    "AllowedEnvironments": ["prod"]
  }
}

The environment file contains the connection string of prod:

{
  "ServerName": "SQLSERVER01",
  "ConnectionString": "Server=SQLSERVER01;Database=ProductionDB;Trusted_Connection=True;TrustServerCertificate=true;"
}

Provider detection, headers and authentication: Environments.

5. Add an endpoint ​

Console: Endpoints → Add Endpoint → SQL. The form sets the name (Products), schema (dbo), object name (Products), allowed columns and environments.

Files: one entity.json per endpoint, here for the dbo.Products table:

{
  "DatabaseObjectName": "Products",
  "DatabaseSchema": "dbo",
  "PrimaryKey": "ProductId",
  "AllowedColumns": ["ProductId", "ProductName", "Price", "Stock"],
  "AllowedEnvironments": ["prod"]
}

Folder layout and routes: Folders and Routes.

6. Call the API ​

GET /api/prod/Products
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN

The API reference at /docs lists the endpoint and accepts the token for test calls.