# Create a computer

> Create a computer and confirm it is ready to run commands

> Nevia is in beta and open to selected teams. Public launch in Dec 2026. The CLI installs with `curl -fsSL https://get.nevia.cloud | sh`, and the MCP server is at https://api.nevia.cloud/mcp. A person signs in once in the browser.
> Setup, sign-in and requesting access: [SKILL.md](https://nevia.cloud/SKILL.md). When Nevia fits and when it doesn't: [why.md](https://nevia.cloud/why.md).

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://nevia.cloud/llms.txt). This page's HTML version: https://nevia.cloud/docs/computers/create

You need the [CLI installed and signed in](https://nevia.cloud/docs/get-started/quickstart.md) and a
[selected workspace](https://nevia.cloud/docs/workspaces/select.md) with the admin or editor role.
The examples name the computer `demo`, which must be free in the workspace.

## Create

Create a computer with the platform defaults:

```bash
nevia new demo
```

During the beta, computers run curated images. `--image` picks one. Without it,
`nevia new` uses the platform default.

The platform does not run an image's startup command. Start workloads with
`nevia exec`. See [`nevia new`](https://nevia.cloud/docs/reference/cli/new.md) for all options.

`-e KEY=value` sets an env var. `-e secrets.NAME` and `-e variables.NAME` pull
values from the workspace. See [Give computers secrets and variables](https://nevia.cloud/docs/workspaces/secrets-and-variables.md)
and [Computer environment variables](https://nevia.cloud/docs/reference/computer-env.md).

## Check the result

Inspect the computer with [`nevia status`](https://nevia.cloud/docs/reference/cli/status.md):

```bash
nevia status demo
```

The output shows state `ready` when creation finishes. If creation is still
running, repeat the command or [track the operation](https://nevia.cloud/docs/guides/operations.md).
If creation failed, the output includes an `error`.

When ready, `url` shows the computer's address. To serve a program, declare a
port with `-p 443:8080` on `nevia new`, or later with `nevia set demo -p 443:8080`.
Then start a program that listens on that port. See
[Publish a computer on an HTTPS URL](https://nevia.cloud/docs/computers/publish.md) and
[Computer ports and URLs](https://nevia.cloud/docs/reference/computer-ports-and-urls.md).

Commands start in your home directory. That directory lives on the persistent
disk, which exists when the deployment has a storage pool. Keep files there to
survive a branch or checkpoint. See
[Computer lifecycle states](https://nevia.cloud/docs/reference/computer-lifecycle.md).

Next, [run a command](https://nevia.cloud/docs/computers/exec.md).