# Where to Find OpenSEO Documentation: A Complete Guide to Official Resources

> Find official OpenSEO documentation easily. Explore the README, docs folder, and hosted guides at openseo.so/docs for a complete overview.

- Repository: [Every App/open-seo](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo)
- Tags: getting-started
- Published: 2026-08-08

---

**OpenSEO's main documentation lives in the repository's README.md file and the `docs/` folder, with additional hosted guides available at [openseo.so/docs](https://openseo.so/docs).**

If you're looking to self-host, integrate the MCP server, or contribute to the every-app/open-seo project, you'll need to navigate multiple documentation sources. This guide maps every official resource with direct links to source files and practical setup commands.

---

## Primary Documentation Locations

OpenSEO splits its documentation between **in-repository markdown files** and a **public website**. The in-repo docs are version-controlled and always reflect the latest `main` branch state.

### Repository README: Your Starting Point

The [`README.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/README.md) file at the repository root provides the **high-level overview** every new user needs. According to the open-seo source code, this file contains:

- Project description and hosted version details
- Main SEO workflows and cost structure
- Quick-start instructions and links to deeper documentation

View the source: [README.md](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/README.md)

### The `docs/` Folder: Comprehensive Technical Guides

The `docs/` directory contains **seven specialized guides** covering deployment, configuration, and development:

| File | Purpose | Key Topics |
|------|---------|-----------|
| [`SELF_HOSTING_DOCKER.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/SELF_HOSTING_DOCKER.md) | Docker deployment | Prerequisites, `.env` setup, telemetry, image pinning |
| [`SELF_HOSTING_CLOUDFLARE.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/SELF_HOSTING_CLOUDFLARE.md) | Cloudflare Workers | Access configuration, KV bindings, deployment commands |
| [`DATAFORSEO_API_KEY.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/DATAFORSEO_API_KEY.md) | API authentication | Base64 encoding format for `email:password` |
| [`LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT.md) | Dev environment | `pnpm dev`, dependency installation, MCP server |
| [`CONTRIBUTING.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md) | Contributor workflow | Code style, testing, PR process, linting |

Browse all docs: [docs/](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/tree/main/docs)

### Official Website Documentation

The hosted documentation at [openseo.so/docs](https://openseo.so/docs) provides:

- Searchable end-user reference
- MCP and agent skills documentation
- API usage examples

---

## Quick Reference: Essential Setup Commands

These snippets demonstrate how to interact with OpenSEO after consulting the appropriate documentation source.

### Start a Docker Self-Hosted Instance

From [`docs/SELF_HOSTING_DOCKER.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/SELF_HOSTING_DOCKER.md):

```bash

# Copy the example environment file and start the container

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

```

Full guide: [SELF_HOSTING_DOCKER.md](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/SELF_HOSTING_DOCKER.md)

### Run Local Development Server

From [`docs/LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT.md):

```bash
pnpm install          # install dependencies

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

```

Additional setup (DataForSEO API key): [LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT.md](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/LOCAL_DEVELOPMENT.md)

### Connect to the MCP Server

From the README and MCP setup guides:

```ts
import { createMCPClient } from '@every-app/sdk';

const client = createMCPClient({
  baseUrl: 'http://localhost:3001',   // or your deployed URL
  apiKey: process.env.DATAFORSEO_API_KEY,
});

await client.project.list(); // example MCP call

```

---

## Key Source Files for Documentation

Understanding the repository structure helps locate relevant documentation context. These files work alongside the markdown guides:

| File/Directory | Documentation Relevance |
|---------------|------------------------|
| [`package.json`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/package.json) | Available scripts (`dev`, `build`, `deploy`), dependency list |
| `src/` | Core application code (MCP server implementation, React UI, database schema) |
| `drizzle-pg/` | Postgres migration scripts referenced in self-hosting guides |
| [`drizzle.config.ts`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/drizzle.config.ts) | Database configuration for SQLite/D1 deployments |

---

## Summary

- **Start with [`README.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/README.md)** for project overview and quick links
- **Use `docs/` folder** for detailed deployment, configuration, and development guides
- **Visit [openseo.so/docs](https://openseo.so/docs)** for searchable hosted documentation
- **Check version-controlled sources** to ensure you're reading current information from the `main` branch
- **Reference [`package.json`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/package.json) and `src/`** when documentation points to implementation details

---

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Where can I find the main overview of OpenSEO?

The main overview is in [[`README.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/README.md)](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/README.md) at the repository root. It covers project description, hosted version information, cost structure, and links to all specialized documentation.

### How do I self-host OpenSEO using Docker?

See [[`docs/SELF_HOSTING_DOCKER.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/SELF_HOSTING_DOCKER.md)](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/SELF_HOSTING_DOCKER.md) for complete instructions. The guide covers prerequisites, environment variable configuration via `.env`, telemetry control, image version pinning, and troubleshooting steps.

### What documentation exists for setting up the DataForSEO API key?

[[`docs/DATAFORSEO_API_KEY.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/DATAFORSEO_API_KEY.md)](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/DATAFORSEO_API_KEY.md) explains how to format the required Base64-encoded `email:password` string and where to place it in your environment configuration.

### Is there a guide for contributing to OpenSEO?

Yes—[[`docs/CONTRIBUTING.md`](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/CONTRIBUTING.md)](https://github.com/every-app/open-seo/blob/main/docs/CONTRIBUTING.md) covers code style requirements, testing procedures, pull request workflow, and linting commands (`pnpm lint`, `pnpm format:check`).