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Get Started

Getting Started with Theseus

Theseus currently supports onboarding new modular components only. There isn’t a supported path yet for migrating existing functionality out of the monolith (see Not in v1 for why).

The onboarding path

There are currently five steps to onboard onto the Theseus platform. This is still evolving as the first pilot teams go through it, so expect some of this to sharpen over time.

Plot Your RouteOutline your onboarding plan for Theseus.
What you're doing
Define your component’s capability, data ownership, dependencies, and target environments. From there, check it against the Modularity Bar and work with the Theseus team to find the right onboarding path.
Done when
Onboarding plan is outlined and aligned with the Theseus team.
See
Modularity Bar attributes (internal doc).
Modularity Bar Definition
  • Explicit boundary — API or event contract; no hidden in-process monolith dependency.
  • Independent deployment — build, release, and rollback without a monolith deploy.
  • Kubernetes-native runtime — runs through the Theseus path, not Rails-only.
  • Service-owned data — owns its schema, migrations, and storage decisions.
  • Explicit security — AuthN/AuthZ, service identity, and transport defined upfront.
  • Operational ownership — team owns SLOs, health, rollback, and support.
  • Platform portability — no code fork required across GitLab.com, Dedicated, and Self-Managed.
BuildScaffold on the chassis, then write the business logic.
What you're doing
Scaffold your service with LabBench, and build your business logic on the standard chassis using LabKit’s defaults.
Done when
You have a working skeleton wired up with LabKit, CI, and Caproni; your logic is implemented; your Runway manifest is in place.
See
Get Started.
ValidateRun it locally against a production-shaped stack.
What you're doing
Run your service locally in Caproni, and run unit, integration, and contract tests against a production-shaped stack.
Done when
You have a green test suite, and environment differences get caught before CI, not after.
See
Run locally with Caproni.
Deploy & ProveShip it through the standard path, and show it operates.
What you're doing
Deploy your component through the standard Theseus path, and demonstrate it operates reliably and consistently across your target environments.
Done when
Your component is serving real traffic through the standard Theseus path, with rollback, observability, and operational ownership confirmed.
See
Deploy to production, and for more depth on rollback and observability, Deploy a service with Runway.
Set SailAnchors aweigh!
What you're doing
Finalize your documentation and any ownership handoff, and confirm you can run things yourself, self-service.
Done when
You have a fully documented service on the paved path.

Have something already in the monolith?

There’s no supported path for that yet. See Not in v1 for why, or reach out in #proj-theseus if you’re interested. We’re collecting a list of potential customers so we know which teams to prioritize once that path exists.

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