Get a License Key
Obtain the free license token a standalone KubeMQ server needs to start, and pass it to Docker, Compose, or Helm.
A standalone KubeMQ server requires a license token to start. Getting one is free — about 2-3 minutes the first time, since it includes creating a free account. This page explains what the token is, where to get one, and how to pass it to the server.
Why a license key is required
When KubeMQ runs outside Kubernetes — for example, a single Docker container on your laptop or a CI runner — the server validates a license token on startup.
Without a valid KUBEMQ_TOKEN, a standalone server will not start: it logs a
licensing error and exits immediately. Set the token before you run the container.
The token is read from the KUBEMQ_TOKEN environment variable (or, equivalently,
the --key command-line flag). It is free to obtain and ties your running server to
your KubeMQ account.
Get your token
Create an account or sign in
Register or log in at the KubeMQ account portal:
Copy your license token
Once signed in, locate your license key and copy its value. This is the string you
will pass to the server as KUBEMQ_TOKEN.
Pass it to the server
Provide the token wherever you start KubeMQ — see the methods below.
Pass the token to the server
The same license value works across every way you run KubeMQ. In the examples below,
replace YOUR_LICENSE_KEY with the token you copied.
Pass the token with -e KUBEMQ_TOKEN=…. The docker run command already shows
YOUR_LICENSE_KEY as a placeholder:
docker run -d \ --name kubemq \ -p 50000:50000 \ -p 9090:9090 \ -p 8080:8080 \ -e KUBEMQ_TOKEN=YOUR_LICENSE_KEY \ europe-docker.pkg.dev/kubemq/images/kubemq:nextAdd the token to the environment section of your service:
services:
kubemq:
image: europe-docker.pkg.dev/kubemq/images/kubemq:next
container_name: kubemq
ports:
- "50000:50000"
- "9090:9090"
- "8080:8080"
environment:
- KUBEMQ_TOKEN=YOUR_LICENSE_KEYOn Kubernetes, the same license value is supplied to the chart with --set key=…:
helm install kubemq-cluster kubemq/kubemq \
--set key=YOUR_LICENSE_KEYOne license, two surfaces
A single license value reaches KubeMQ through two different surfaces:
| Surface | How the key is supplied | Mechanism |
|---|---|---|
| Standalone server | -e KUBEMQ_TOKEN=YOUR_LICENSE_KEY (or the --key flag) | The server validates the token on startup. |
| Kubernetes deployment | Helm --set key=YOUR_LICENSE_KEY / KubemqCluster.spec.key | The chart passes the key into the cluster resource. |
Under Kubernetes, the server skips its own license check — licensing is handled
by the operator. The chart still needs the key value, so supply it via
--set key=… or KubemqCluster.spec.key.
Next steps
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