Default credentials and first login

6. First login

Open GC_BASE_URL in your browser, for example https://gate.example.com.

• Username: admin (configurable via GC_ADMIN_USER)
• Password: the value you set in GC_ADMIN_PASSWORD

The management-UI route is automatic

You do not need to create a reverse-proxy route for the admin UI itself. GateControl inspects GC_BASE_URL and injects a Caddy route that maps the hostname to the internal Node.js port. This is how the chicken-and-egg problem of "I need the UI to configure the UI" is resolved on first start.

Recommended first actions

1. Change the admin password — Settings → Profile → Change Password. From this point GC_ADMIN_PASSWORD in .env is irrelevant; the hash lives in the DB.
2. Configure SMTP (optional but useful) — Settings → SMTP. Required for route authentication that uses email OTP, for email alerts, and for the test email feature.
3. Configure email alerts (optional) — Settings → Email Alerts. Pick which event groups should trigger notifications.
4. Review security settings — Settings → Security. The defaults (password complexity, account lockout after failed logins) are reasonable; adjust to your policy.