---
type: guide
title: First-Run Bootstrap
description: How a fresh HIPCTF instance is initialized by the very first administrator.
tags: [guide, bootstrap, first-admin, onboarding, tester]
timestamp: 2026-07-21T15:05:00Z
---

# When this flow runs

A brand-new deployment shows a non-dismissible modal asking the operator
to create the very first admin user. This is gated by the
`initialized` flag returned from `GET /api/v1/bootstrap`:

| `initialized` | User experience                                              |
|---------------|---------------------------------------------------------------|
| `false`       | Every route is redirected to `/bootstrap` until an admin is created. |
| `true`        | The setup route becomes a 404 and the modal can never appear again.   |

The `authGuard` enforces the redirect on the client side; the backend
independently rejects `/api/v1/setup/create-admin` with `404 NOT_FOUND`
once any admin row exists, so the flow is safe even if the SPA is
bypassed.

# How to access (tester steps)

1. Start the stack against an empty database:
   ```
   npm run db:reset && npm run dev
   ```
2. Open the browser at `http://localhost:3000/`.
3. The app redirects to `/bootstrap` and shows the
   **"Welcome to HIPCTF — Create the first administrator"** modal.
4. Fill in the three fields and submit:
   - **Username** — 3–32 chars, letters/digits/`.`/`-`/`_` only. Helper
     text is shown via `data-testid="setup-username-error"` when the
     pattern fails.
   - **Password** — must satisfy the policy shown directly below the
     field (default: 12 chars with upper, lower, digit, symbol).
   - **Confirm Password** — must equal the password above (verified by
     the group-level `passwordMatchValidator`; mismatch shows
     `data-testid="setup-confirm-error"`).
5. Click **Create admin** (`data-testid="setup-submit"`).

# Expected behavior

* On success the modal disappears, the app stores the access token via
  `AuthService.setSession`, calls `BootstrapService.markInitialized()`,
  and navigates to `/admin` (see [Admin Shell & User Management](/guides/admin-shell.md)).
* On `USERNAME_TAKEN` the form shows a red alert:
  `"Username already exists"`. The **Retry** button is intentionally
  hidden because the username must be changed first.
* On any other failure (network, `WEAK_PASSWORD`, `VALIDATION_FAILED`,
  `RATE_LIMITED`) the alert shows `"Setup failed, please retry"` and a
  **Retry** link (`data-testid="setup-retry"`) re-submits the same
  payload.

The modal **cannot** be dismissed by the user:

* Clicking the backdrop is a no-op (`swallowBackdrop`).
* Pressing **Esc** is swallowed by the `keydown.escape` host listener.

# Visual elements

| Element                        | Selector                         | Purpose                                       |
|--------------------------------|----------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|
| Modal overlay                  | `.overlay`                       | Full-screen backdrop.                         |
| Modal card                     | `.modal[role="dialog"]`          | Contains the form; stops click propagation.   |
| Username input                 | `[data-testid="setup-username"]` | Reactive control with length/pattern rules.   |
| Password input                 | `[data-testid="setup-password"]` | Reactive control.                             |
| Confirm input                  | `[data-testid="setup-password-confirm"]` | Reactive control.                     |
| Submit button                  | `[data-testid="setup-submit"]`   | Disabled while submitting or invalid.         |
| Server error alert             | `[data-testid="setup-server-error"]` | Displays `serverError()`.                 |
| Retry button                   | `[data-testid="setup-retry"]`    | Re-submits; absent when the error is non-retryable. |
| Password policy hint           | `.hint`                          | Live description from `BootstrapService.passwordPolicy()`. |

# Behind the scenes (architecture map)

| Step | Where                                                  | What happens                                                            |
|------|--------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1    | `BootstrapService.load()`                              | Calls `GET /api/v1/bootstrap`, sets `initialized = false`.              |
| 2    | `authGuard`                                            | Sees `initialized() === false`, redirects to `/bootstrap`.              |
| 3    | `SetupCreateAdminComponent`                            | Renders the modal; reactive form enforces username + password policy + passwordMatch. |
| 4    | `SetupCreateAdminService.ensureCsrf()`                 | Preflights `GET /api/v1/auth/csrf` so the response sets the `csrf` cookie. |
| 5    | `POST /api/v1/setup/create-admin`                      | `SetupService.createAdmin` runs in a TypeORM transaction; creates the user with `role='admin'`; mints session via `AuthService.createSession`. |
| 6    | `setRefreshCookie`                                     | Sets the `rt` HttpOnly cookie.                                          |
| 7    | Component on success                                   | `AuthService.setSession`, `BootstrapService.markInitialized()`, navigate to `/admin`. |
| 8    | Subsequent `authGuard` checks                          | `initialized === true`; require auth instead.                          |

# What the operator sees after init

Once the first admin exists, `/api/v1/bootstrap` returns
`initialized: true`. The app now:

* Skips `/bootstrap` entirely.
* Routes unauthenticated users to `/login`.
* Routes authenticated admins to `/` (the Home shell) and renders the
  admin nav link. The first admin lands directly on the user list at
  `/admin` (see [Admin Shell & User Management](/guides/admin-shell.md)).
* Routes authenticated players to `/` without the admin nav link.

# See also

- [Setup Endpoint](/api/setup.md)
- [Frontend Structure](/architecture/frontend-structure.md)
- [Backend Module Map](/architecture/backend-modules.md)
- [Bootstrap payload source of truth](`/architecture/overview.md`)