Windmill is an open-source developer infrastructure platform that allows you to quickly build production-grade multi-step automations and internal apps from minimal Python, TypeScript, Go, Bash, SQL scripts.

Features

Multi-Language Support: Write scripts in Python, TypeScript, Go, Bash, SQL
Auto-Generated UIs: Automatic UI generation from scripts
Visual Workflow Builder: Build complex workflows with code execution
Scheduling: Built-in cron-based scheduling
Webhooks: Trigger scripts via HTTP webhooks
Version Control: Built-in Git sync and audit logs
Multi-Tenant: Workspace-based multi-tenancy

Quick Start

Copy .env.example to .env:
```
cp .env.example .env
```
IMPORTANT: Edit .env and change:
- WINDMILL_SUPERADMIN_EMAIL - Your admin email
- WINDMILL_SUPERADMIN_PASSWORD - A strong password
- POSTGRES_PASSWORD - A strong database password
Start Windmill:
```
docker compose up -d
```
Wait for services to be ready
Access Windmill UI at http://localhost:8000
Log in with your configured superadmin credentials

Default Configuration

Service	Port	Description
Windmill Server	8000	Web UI and API
PostgreSQL	5432	Database (internal)
Windmill LSP	3001	Language Server (dev profile)

Default Credentials (Change these!):

Email: admin@windmill.dev
Password: changeme

Environment Variables

Key environment variables (see .env.example for full list):

Variable	Description	Default
`WINDMILL_VERSION`	Windmill image version	`main`
`WINDMILL_PORT_OVERRIDE`	Host port for UI	`8000`
`WINDMILL_BASE_URL`	Base URL	`http://localhost:8000`
`WINDMILL_SUPERADMIN_EMAIL`	Superadmin email	`admin@windmill.dev`
`WINDMILL_SUPERADMIN_PASSWORD`	Superadmin password	Must change!
`POSTGRES_PASSWORD`	Database password	`changeme`
`WINDMILL_NUM_WORKERS`	Number of workers	`3`
`WINDMILL_LICENSE_KEY`	Enterprise license	(empty)
`TZ`	Timezone	`UTC`

Resource Requirements

Minimum:

CPU: 1 core
RAM: 1GB
Disk: 5GB

Recommended:

CPU: 3+ cores (1 for server, 2+ for workers)
RAM: 3GB+
Disk: 20GB+

Volumes

postgres_data: PostgreSQL database data
windmill_server_data: Windmill server data
windmill_worker_data: Worker execution data

Using Windmill

Creating a Script

Access the UI at http://localhost:8000
Create a workspace or use default
Go to "Scripts" and click "New Script"

Write your script (Python example):

def main(name: str = "world"):
    return f"Hello {name}!"

Save and run

Creating a Workflow

Go to "Flows" and click "New Flow"
Use the visual editor to add steps
Each step can be a script, flow, or approval
Configure inputs and outputs between steps
Deploy and run

Using the API

Example: List scripts

curl -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN" \
  http://localhost:8000/api/w/workspace/scripts/list

Scheduling

Open any script or flow
Click "Schedule"
Set cron expression or interval
Save

Profiles

dev: Include LSP service for code intelligence (port 3001)

To enable dev profile:

docker compose --profile dev up -d

Security Considerations

Change Default Credentials: Always change superadmin credentials
Database Password: Use a strong PostgreSQL password
Docker Socket: Mounting Docker socket grants container control
SSL/TLS: Use reverse proxy with HTTPS in production
License Key: Keep enterprise license key secure if using

Upgrading

To upgrade Windmill:

Update WINDMILL_VERSION in .env

Pull and restart:

docker compose pull
docker compose up -d

Check logs:
```
docker compose logs -f windmill-server
```

Troubleshooting

Service won't start:

Check logs: docker compose logs windmill-server
Verify database: docker compose ps postgres
Ensure Docker socket is accessible

Cannot login:

Verify credentials in .env
Check server logs for authentication errors
Try resetting password via CLI

Workers not processing:

Check worker logs: docker compose logs windmill-worker
Verify database connection
Increase WINDMILL_NUM_WORKERS if needed

References

Official Website: https://windmill.dev
Documentation: https://docs.windmill.dev
GitHub: https://github.com/windmill-labs/windmill
Community: https://discord.gg/V7PM2YHsPB

License

Windmill is licensed under AGPLv3. See LICENSE for more information.