Step 4 – Build and Run dstack components

Build the dstack components, start the core services, and verify everything in the UI.

Heads-up: This step assumes you finished Step 3 (kernel headers, Rust, WireGuard, .env, and the systemd unit).

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1 – Clone the Sources

git clone https://github.com/Dstack-TEE/meta-dstack.git
cd meta-dstack

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2 – Visual Walk-through

2.1 Connect to Your Server

Action
SSH into the host	step1.png
Accept the fingerprint	step2.png
Confirm WireGuard installed	step4.0.png

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2.2 Prepare the Build Environment

Action
Install Rust (rustup)	step4.1.png
Finish rustup setup	step4.2.png
Clone meta-dstack	step4.3.png
Generate local build config	step4.4.png

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2.3 Build dstack Binaries

Inside the repo:

./build.sh hostcfg          # host configuration
./build.sh dl <domain>      # gateway helper
./build.sh guest            # guest agent

Command
./build.sh hostcfg	step5.png
./build.sh dl …	step6.png
./build.sh guest	step7.png

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3 – Start Core Services

# 1. Key-management service
./target/release/dstack-kms --config kms.toml
# 2. Gateway
./target/release/dstack-gateway --config gateway.toml
# 3. Virtual-machine manager
./target/release/dstack-vmm --config vmm.toml

Action
Start kms	step9.png
Start gateway	step10.png
Start vmm	step11.png
Open VMM UI	step12.0.png
Verify components	step12.1.png
Ready to deploy	step12.2.png

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✅ Next Step: Deploy Your First Application

By now you’ve successfully built and started all the core dstack components. Your dstack cluster is now ready to deploy confidential applications.

To continue with deploying your first application, visit:

dstack Deployment Walkthrough