---
title: Local Server
description: Manage the local Twenty Docker server — start, stop, upgrade, parallel test instance, and manual SDK setup.
icon: "server"
---

## Managing the local server

Use `yarn twenty docker:*` to control the local Twenty container:

| Command | What it does |
|---------|--------------|
| `yarn twenty docker:start` | Start the server (pulls the image if needed) |
| `yarn twenty docker:start 2.2.0` | Start a specific server version |
| `yarn twenty docker:start --port 3030` | Start on a custom port |
| `yarn twenty docker:stop` | Stop the server (preserves data) |
| `yarn twenty docker:status` | Show URL, version, and login credentials |
| `yarn twenty docker:logs` | Stream server logs |
| `yarn twenty docker:reset` | Wipe data and start fresh |
| `yarn twenty docker:upgrade` | Pull the latest `twenty-app-dev` image |
| `yarn twenty docker:upgrade 2.2.0` | Upgrade to a specific version |

Data persists across restarts in two Docker volumes (`twenty-app-dev-data` for PostgreSQL, `twenty-app-dev-storage` for files). Use `reset` to wipe everything.

## Pinning the server version

When no version is passed, `docker:start` resolves the version from your app's `engines.twenty` range in `package.json` — the same range the server validates against when your app is installed. It starts the newest published `twenty-app-dev` image that satisfies the range, falling back to `latest` when the field is absent or no published version matches:

```json filename="package.json"
{
  "engines": {
    "twenty": ">=2.2.0"
  }
}
```

Pass a version explicitly to override the range for a single run: `yarn twenty docker:start 2.3.0`. If a container already exists on a different version, `docker:start` upgrades it in place (recreating the container while preserving your data volumes).

## Upgrading the server image

`yarn twenty docker:upgrade` pulls the latest image, compares digests, and only recreates the container if anything actually changed. Volumes are preserved — only the container is replaced. If a new image was pulled and the container was running, the upgrade automatically starts a new container; run `yarn twenty docker:start` afterward to wait for it to become healthy.

```bash filename="Terminal"
yarn twenty docker:upgrade            # Latest
yarn twenty docker:upgrade 2.2.0      # Specific version
```

Verify the running version with `yarn twenty docker:status` (it shows the `APP_VERSION` baked into the container).

## Running a parallel test instance

Pass `--test` to any `docker:*` command to manage a second, fully isolated instance — useful for integration tests or experiments without touching your main dev data:

| Command | What it does |
|---------|--------------|
| `yarn twenty docker:start --test` | Start the test instance (defaults to port 2021) |
| `yarn twenty docker:stop --test` | Stop it |
| `yarn twenty docker:status --test` | Show its status |
| `yarn twenty docker:logs --test` | Stream its logs |
| `yarn twenty docker:reset --test` | Wipe its data |
| `yarn twenty docker:upgrade --test` | Upgrade its image |

The test instance has its own container (`twenty-app-dev-test`), volumes (`twenty-app-dev-test-data`, `twenty-app-dev-test-storage`), and config — it runs alongside your main instance without conflicts. Combine `--test` with `--port` to override 2021.

## Manual setup (without the scaffolder)

Skip the scaffolder if you're adding the SDK to an existing project:

```bash filename="Terminal"
yarn add twenty-sdk twenty-client-sdk
```

Add the script to `package.json`:

```json filename="package.json"
{
  "scripts": {
    "twenty": "twenty"
  }
}
```

You can now run `yarn twenty dev`, `yarn twenty docker:start`, and the rest.

<Note>
Don't install `twenty-sdk` globally — pin it per project so each app uses its own version.
</Note>
