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Set up a SaaS/Business Application

Display and teach your Business Application with Instruqt
Instruqt allows to use a dedicated browser and offer learning by doing for any SaaS or business application that is available through a browser.
In order to do so, we will follow with a guide on how to create a track from scratch from Web UI and Instruqt CLI.

Before you begin

Did you check the Build tracks page? This page introduces the concept of building your first Instruqt tracks.

Video demonstration

Not one for words? Watch this short video on how to setup virtual browsers within Instruqt.

Let's start

Pick the Web UI or the Instruqt CLI route depending on your preference:
🌐 Web UI
💻 Instruqt CLI
  1. 1.
    Go to play.instruqt.com. ↳ Instruqt shows your content.
  2. 2.
    Click Create track. Select Start from scratch from the dropdown. ↳ Instruqt creates an empty track and shows the Track dashboard page.
  3. 3.
    In the Settings section, click Edit. ↳ The Track details pop-up opens.
  4. 4.
    In the Track name field, enter the track name. ↳ As you enter the name, Instruqt automatically generates a URL in the Track URL field.
    You can manually change the track slug field if desired.
  5. 5.
    In the Time limit field, set the maximum time a user can have the track running for.
  6. 6.
    In the Description field, enter the short track description in Markdown (optional).
  7. 7.
    Click Additional settings to set your desired layout for your challenge assignment (optional).
  8. 8.
    Click Save. ↳ The Track details pop-up closes.
  9. 9.
    In the Sandbox section, click Edit. ↳ Instruqt shows the Sandbox page, which gives you the option to select Create new sandbox, or Use sandbox preset.
  10. 10.
    Click on Create new sandbox ↳ Instruqt shows the Sandbox Customisation page, which gives you option to Add a host.
  11. 11.
    If you click Add a host, you will have the option to add either a Container, a Virtual machine or a Website service. In this case, click on Website service and a Website name (identifier that's gonna be used as a Hostname) and a Website URL (to the desired SaaS/Business Application) will be required. After filling the fields, click on Save host.
    Website service host can be combined with any other host type.
  12. 12.
    Once you have added all the hosts you need, click Back to track. ↳ Instruqt shows the Track dashboard page.
  13. 13.
    In the Challenges section, click Add new. ↳ The New challenge pop-up opens.
  14. 14.
    In the Name field, enter the challenge name.
  15. 15.
    In the Description field, enter the short challenge description (optional).
  16. 16.
    Pick the Assignment challenge type.
  17. 17.
    Click Save. ↳ The New challenge pop-up closes.
  18. 18.
    In the Challenges section, click your newly created challenge. ↳ The Edit challenge page opens.
  19. 19.
    Click Tabs, followed by Add new tab.
  20. 20.
    Select the Virtual Browser type, which will allow to display the website configured previously.
  21. 21.
    In the Tab name field, enter the name of the tab.
  22. 22.
    In the Select your host list, select one of the hosts available.
    Virtual Browser tab type can only be linked to a Website Service host.
  23. 23.
    Click Save.
  24. 24.
    Click Assignment, and enter the assignment text in Markdown.
  25. 25.
    Click Save changes.
  26. 26.
    Click Back to track. ↳ Instruqt shows the Track dashboard page.
  1. 1.
    Type the following command to create a track:
    instruqt track create
  2. 2.
    Enter the track title:
    ==> Track title: TRACK_TITLE
  3. 3.
    Enter option 1 to select From scratch:
    ==> Start with an empty track or use a template:
    [1] From scratch
    For full flexibility, start with an empty track
    [2] From a template
    To get started quickly, start from one of our templates
    Please select your method: 1
    ↳ Instruqt CLI creates the track and shows this output:
    ==> Creating track TEAM/TRACK_NAME
    ==> Creating track files
    Created track directory and configuration files:
    TRACK_NAME
    ├── config.yml
    └── track.yml
    OK
    TEAM and TRACK_TITLE will contain your team and track title.
  4. 4.
    Change into the track directory:
    cd TRACK_NAME
  5. 5.
    Modify the config.yml file:
    version: "3"
    virtualbrowsers:
    - name: NAME
    url: URL
    NAME and URL will be the website hostname and url respectively.
  6. 6.
    Create a challenge:
    instruqt challenge create --title CHALLENGE_TITLE
    ↳ Instruqt CLI creates the challenge and shows the following output:
    ==> Creating challenge
    ==> Reading track definition
    OK
    ==> Creating challenge files
    Created challenge directory and template:
    TRACK_NAME
    └── 01-CHALLENGE_TITLE
    ├── assignment.md
    ├── check-shell
    ├── cleanup-shell
    ├── setup-shell
    └── solve-shell
    OK
  7. 7.
    Modify the assignment.md file:
    ---
    slug: CHALLENGE_TITLE
    type: challenge
    title: CHALLENGE_TITLE
    teaser: A short description of the challenge.
    notes:
    - type: text
    contents: Replace this text with your own text
    tabs:
    - title: TAB_TITLE
    type: browser
    hostname: NAME
    difficulty: basic
    timelimit: 600
    ---
    Replace this text with the desired assignment content
    CHALLENGE_TITLE: should match the title defined in the previous challenge creation step. TAB_TITLE: define a title for the tab. NAME: this field should match the hostname previously defined in the config.yml file.
  8. 8.
    Push the track to Instruqt:
    instruqt track push
Need help? Check out this video guide for creating tracks from scratch using the CLI.
Well done! Now you can play your track to see if everything works as expected.