# OpenSEO Documentation: Where to Find Complete Guides and API References

> Find complete OpenSEO documentation including guides and API references. Access self-hosting, configuration, and development details at openseo.so/docs or the GitHub repo.

- Repository: [Every App/open-seo](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo)
- Tags: api-reference
- Published: 2026-07-26

---

**OpenSEO's complete documentation is available in the `every-app/open-seo` repository and at the official website `openseo.so/docs`, covering self-hosting guides, API configuration, and development workflows.**

The open-seo documentation is structured across multiple locations within the repository to serve different use cases, from quick-start deployment to detailed contributor guidelines. This guide maps every documentation resource available for the OpenSEO project, an open-source SEO platform that provides MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers and agent skills for technical SEO workflows.

## Repository Documentation Structure

The `every-app/open-seo` repository organizes documentation into two primary locations: the root-level [`README.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/README.md) for immediate orientation and the `docs/` folder for comprehensive technical references.

### Project Overview and Quick Start

Start with [`README.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/README.md) at the repository root for a high-level project description, hosted version availability, and main SEO workflow explanations. This file includes cost information and serves as the entry point to deeper documentation resources.

### Technical Reference Guides

The `docs/` folder contains specialized markdown files for specific deployment scenarios and development tasks:

- **[`docs/SELF_HOSTING_DOCKER.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/SELF_HOSTING_DOCKER.md)** – Containerized deployment instructions
- **[`docs/SELF_HOSTING_CLOUDFLARE.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/SELF_HOSTING_CLOUDFLARE.md)** – Edge computing deployment on Cloudflare Workers
- **[`docs/DATAFORSEO_API_KEY.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/DATAFORSEO_API_KEY.md)** – API authentication setup
- **[`docs/LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT.md)** – Development environment configuration
- **[`docs/CONTRIBUTING.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/CONTRIBUTING.md)** – Code style, testing, and PR workflows

## Self-Hosting Documentation

OpenSEO provides platform-specific guides for running your own instance, whether through containerization or serverless edge deployment.

### Docker Deployment Guide

For container-based self-hosting, reference [`docs/SELF_HOSTING_DOCKER.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/SELF_HOSTING_DOCKER.md) in the repository. This guide covers prerequisites, environment variable configuration via `.env` files, telemetry control settings, image pinning strategies, and troubleshooting steps.

Start a Docker-based instance using the standard compose workflow:

```bash

# Copy the example environment file and start the container

cp .env.example .env
docker compose up -d

```

*See the full step-by-step guide in **[`docs/SELF_HOSTING_DOCKER.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/SELF_HOSTING_DOCKER.md)**.*

### Cloudflare Workers Deployment

For serverless deployment on Cloudflare's edge network, consult [`docs/SELF_HOSTING_CLOUDFLARE.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/SELF_HOSTING_CLOUDFLARE.md). This documentation explains Cloudflare Access configuration, KV bindings setup, and deployment commands required to run OpenSEO on Cloudflare Workers.

## Development and API Configuration

Setting up a local development environment or configuring external APIs requires specific documentation files that detail environment setup and credential management.

### Local Development Environment

The [`docs/LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT.md) file provides instructions for installing dependencies, running the Vite development server, and using the MCP server locally. This guide assumes a Node.js environment with `pnpm` as the package manager.

Run the development server locally:

```bash
pnpm install          # install dependencies

pnpm dev              # start Vite dev server (http://localhost:5173)

```

Refer to [`docs/LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT.md) for additional setup steps, including DataForSEO API key configuration.

### DataForSEO API Key Configuration

Before running OpenSEO, you must configure the DataForSEO API authentication documented in [`docs/DATAFORSEO_API_KEY.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/DATAFORSEO_API_KEY.md). This file specifies the format for the Base64-encoded `email:password` string and explains where to place this credential in your environment variables.

## External Documentation Resources

Beyond the repository files, OpenSEO maintains a hosted documentation site at `https://openseo.so/docs`. This external resource provides searchable end-user documentation, API reference materials, and example usage patterns for the MCP and agent skills. The website offers a more navigable interface compared to the markdown files while containing the same technical accuracy.

When referencing implementation details, the source files in the `main` branch remain the authoritative source via GitHub blob URLs, ensuring you can view the exact version-controlled documentation.

## Summary

- **Primary documentation** resides in the `every-app/open-seo` repository, split between [`README.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/README.md) (overview) and the `docs/` folder (technical details).
- **Self-hosting options** include Docker ([`docs/SELF_HOSTING_DOCKER.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/SELF_HOSTING_DOCKER.md)) and Cloudflare Workers ([`docs/SELF_HOSTING_CLOUDFLARE.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/SELF_HOSTING_CLOUDFLARE.md)).
- **Development setup** requires [`docs/LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT.md) for environment configuration and [`docs/DATAFORSEO_API_KEY.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/DATAFORSEO_API_KEY.md) for API authentication.
- **Contributing guidelines** are documented in [`docs/CONTRIBUTING.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/CONTRIBUTING.md), covering code style and PR workflows.
- **Hosted version** of the documentation is available at `https://openseo.so/docs` for easier browsing.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Where is the OpenSEO documentation hosted?

OpenSEO maintains documentation in two locations: the GitHub repository `every-app/open-seo` contains markdown files in [`README.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/README.md) and the `docs/` folder, while `https://openseo.so/docs` provides a searchable, hosted version of the same content. The repository version represents the source of truth that is version-controlled in the `main` branch.

### How do I set up OpenSEO for local development?

Clone the repository and follow [`docs/LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT.md), which instructs you to run `pnpm install` followed by `pnpm dev` to start the Vite development server on `http://localhost:5173`. You will also need to configure your DataForSEO API key according to [`docs/DATAFORSEO_API_KEY.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/DATAFORSEO_API_KEY.md) before the application can access SEO data.

### What files do I need to read for self-hosting OpenSEO?

For Docker deployment, read [`docs/SELF_HOSTING_DOCKER.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/SELF_HOSTING_DOCKER.md) for container setup, environment configuration, and troubleshooting. For Cloudflare Workers deployment, consult [`docs/SELF_HOSTING_CLOUDFLARE.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/SELF_HOSTING_CLOUDFLARE.md) for KV bindings and edge deployment instructions. Both files assume you have already configured your DataForSEO credentials using the guide in [`docs/DATAFORSEO_API_KEY.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/DATAFORSEO_API_KEY.md).

### How do I configure the DataForSEO API key?

Create a Base64-encoded string of your `email:password` credentials and place it in your environment variables as specified in [`docs/DATAFORSEO_API_KEY.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/DATAFORSEO_API_KEY.md). This file explains the exact format required and where the environment variable should be set for both local development and production deployments.