Getting Started
Choose the best path for your team based on setup needs, infrastructure, and privacy considerations.
Choose a deployment path
Both options cover the core CrowdCAD workflow. Lite Mode lowers the barrier to getting started, while self-hosted deployments add shared operations, customization, and organization-managed administration.
Lite Mode
Lite Mode gives teams access to the core CrowdCAD workflow with a faster start and lower technical overhead.
- Available on crowdcad.org: Yes
- Requires your own deployment: No
- Core dispatch workflow: Included
- CrowdCAD server-side storage: Not used for Lite sessions
- Shared events: Not included
- Multiple dispatchers: Not included
- Venue maps: Not included
- Custom venues: Not included
- Interface customization: Not included
- Administrative control: Limited
- Best fit: Teams that want a faster starting point with lower setup overhead, or that want to try out the workflow before managing their own deployment
- Technical overhead: Lower
Self-Hosted
Self-hosting includes the full CrowdCAD workflow with support for shared operations, advanced configuration, and organization-managed administration.
- Available on crowdcad.org: No
- Requires your own deployment: Yes
- Core dispatch workflow: Included
- CrowdCAD server-side storage: Organization-managed
- Shared events: Included
- Multiple dispatchers: Included
- Venue maps: Included
- Custom venues: Included
- Interface customization: Included
- Administrative control: Organization-managed
- Best fit: Teams that need shared operations, deeper customization, and centralized administration
- Technical overhead: Higher
Important checks before production use
- • Review privacy and data-handling expectations for your operating context.
- • Confirm your team's retention, access, and governance requirements.
- • Use the FAQ for common adoption questions.