Deployment Guide

Deploy in 6 steps

No config files, no environment variables to manually edit. The Setup Wizard covers everything in your browser.

Fork & Deploy to Vercel (or Render)

Click the deploy button in the GitLab repository to automatically clone and deploy the project. Alternatively, fork the repo and connect it to Render.

Go to the GitLab repository and click the 'Deploy to Vercel' button in the README

Vercel will ask you to connect your GitHub/GitLab account — follow the prompts

Alternatively, fork the repo and create a new Web Service on Render (free tier available)

Wait 5–10 minutes for the first deployment to complete

Both Vercel and Render have generous free tiers. No credit card required to start.

Add Redis Storage

Redis is required for storing your configuration, API keys, and cached data. It's free via the Vercel Marketplace.

In your Vercel dashboard, go to your project → Integrations → Browse Marketplace

Search for 'Redis' and select the Upstash provider

Choose Region: Sydney, Plan: Free (256MB, 500K commands/month)

Connect it to your Commute Compute® project and redeploy

If using Render instead of Vercel, you'll need to set up Upstash Redis separately (also free) and add the connection URL as an environment variable.

Register for API Keys

You'll need a couple of free API keys to power the live data feeds. Register early — the transit key can take 24–48 hours to be approved.

Transport Victoria OpenData API — register at opendata.transport.vic.gov.au (free, required for live departures)

Google Places API — get a key from Google Cloud Console (free $200/month credit, highly recommended)

BOM Weather data — accessed automatically, no key needed

⏰ Register for the Transport Victoria API key right away — approval takes 24–48 hours. Everything else is instant.

Run the Setup Wizard

Open your deployment URL and navigate to the Setup Wizard. This guided interface walks you through all configuration — no files or environment variables to edit.

Open your-deployment-url.vercel.app/setup-wizard.html in your browser

Enter your home address, work address, and target arrival time

Paste in your API keys when prompted

Configure preferences: coffee stop, sleep hours, morning routine duration

Flash Your E-Ink Display (Optional)

If you have a TRMNL or Inkplate device, flash the custom CCFirm firmware. If you just want to use the browser dashboard, skip this step entirely.

Open your-deployment-url.vercel.app/flasher/ in Chrome or Edge

Connect your TRMNL device via USB and follow the browser-based flasher

Alternatively, use PlatformIO CLI for Inkplate devices

Or skip hardware entirely — the web dashboard works in any browser

Pair & Go

For hardware displays, pair via Bluetooth. The device receives your server URL and immediately starts showing your personalised commute dashboard.

Power on your flashed device — it enters pairing mode automatically

Use the web-based BLE provisioning tool to pair (Chrome/Edge required)

The device connects to WiFi, fetches your dashboard, and displays it

Dashboard refreshes every 60 seconds with live data

First-time setup takes about 60–90 minutes total (excluding the 24–48 hour wait for Transport Victoria API key approval).

What you'll need

Required (Free)

✓ Vercel or Render account
✓ Transport Victoria API key
✓ A web browser