Onboarding
The onboarding wizard (/onboarding) guides new users through initial setup after signing up. A progress tracker along the bottom of the page shows every station on the line — Create Account → Name Layout → Choose Plan → Install Server → Ready to Drive! — and most users are done in a few minutes.
Onboarding Steps
Step 1 — Create Account
Sign up at DEJA Cloud using Google, GitHub, or email and password. After signing in, the onboarding wizard starts automatically.
Step 2 — Name Your Railroad
Give your railroad a name — a unique layout ID is created for you automatically from the name.
Your layout ID scopes all data in DEJA.js — locomotives, turnouts, effects, routes, signals, and commands are all tied to this ID.
Step 3 — Choose Plan
Pick the plan that fits your layout. Hobbyist is free forever and needs no credit card; Engineer and Conductor both start with a 30-day free trial.
| Hobbyist (free) | Engineer ($1.99/mo) | Conductor ($19.99/mo) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Locomotives | 5 | 25 | Unlimited |
| Turnouts, signals & effects | 5 each | 25 each | Unlimited |
| Sounds | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Sensors & routes | 5 each | 25 each | Unlimited |
| IO devices | 2 | 10 | Unlimited |
| Layouts | 1 | 3 | Unlimited |
| Remote monitoring | — | ✅ | ✅ |
| Tour App | — | ✅ | ✅ |
| Support | Docs | Tickets, 72hr | Priority, 24hr |
You can change plans at any time from the Cloud app's Settings page. Plan deep links such as /onboarding?plan=engineer preselect a plan in the wizard.
Step 4 — Install the DEJA Server
The final step connects your railroad to the real world. It has two parts:
-
Run the installer on the machine connected to your DCC-EX EX-CommandStation (a Raspberry Pi, Mac, or Linux box):
curl -fsSL https://install.dejajs.com | bash -
Paste your server token when prompted. The wizard displays a personal server token — copy it, and paste it into the installer when it asks. The token links the server to your account and layout automatically. Tokens expire after 1 hour; refresh the page to generate a new one.
While the installer runs, the wizard rotates through setup tips & tricks, and celebrates the moment your server comes online: "Your Railroad is Connected!" From there you're ready to drive trains.
You can click Skip for Now to explore the Cloud app first and install the server later. The install command and a fresh token are always available on the Connect page and the Setup Complete page.
After Onboarding
After completing the wizard you are taken to the Setup Complete page, where you can:
- Add your first locomotive to the roster — just enter the DCC address programmed into your locomotive decoder
- Access the server install command and token again
- Browse quick links to documentation sections
Changing Your Plan
Upgrade, downgrade, or cancel at any time from the Settings page. Manage in Stripe opens the Stripe Billing Portal for payment methods, invoices, or cancellation. Paid plans begin with a 30-day free trial — you aren't charged until it ends, and cancelling before then costs nothing.