What is Expanso and how does it work?

Expanso is a managed platform for deploying intelligent data pipelines at the edge. It processes data where it's generated - reducing bandwidth, latency, and costs. You deploy lightweight agents on your infrastructure, build pipelines using our visual builder or YAML, and control everything from a central SaaS platform.

Can I run AI/ML models directly in my data pipelines?

Yes! Expanso supports running ONNX, TensorFlow Lite, and other models as native pipeline steps. Execute low-latency inference on streaming data, enrich events with model outputs (like risk scores), and make decisions at the edge without cloud round-trips.

How many pre-built components are available?

Expanso provides 200+ pre-built components including inputs (Kafka, HTTP, files), processors (transformations, filtering, PII masking, aggregations), and outputs (S3, Snowflake, Datadog, Splunk). Browse the complete catalog in our Component Reference.

Do I need to write code to build pipelines?

No - use our drag-and-drop visual pipeline builder to create sophisticated pipelines without code. For advanced use cases, you can also write pipelines in YAML or use the Bloblang transformation language for complex data mappings.

How does Expanso help with data governance and compliance?

Expanso includes built-in governance features: automatic PII detection and masking, policy enforcement at the edge, RBAC, SSO integration, and comprehensive audit trails. Mask sensitive data before it ever leaves your network.

Deploy Your First Node

An edge node runs on your infrastructure and executes data pipelines. Let's deploy one to your network.

Generate Bootstrap Token

Open your network in Expanso Cloud
Click Add Node (in the Nodes tab)
Copy the bootstrap token displayed
Keep this window open -- you'll need the token below

Note: Bootstrap tokens are single-use and expire after 24 hours.

Install & Bootstrap

Choose the quickest path for your platform. For additional platforms (Windows, Android, Kubernetes) and advanced options like Docker Compose, see the full Installation guide.

Linux / macOS
Docker

# Install Expanso Edge
curl -fsSL https://get.expanso.io/edge/install.sh | bash

# Bootstrap the node with your token
expanso-edge bootstrap --token YOUR_BOOTSTRAP_TOKEN

docker run -d \
  --name expanso-edge \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  -e EXPANSO_EDGE_BOOTSTRAP_TOKEN=YOUR_BOOTSTRAP_TOKEN \
  ghcr.io/expanso-io/expanso-edge:nightly

Replace YOUR_BOOTSTRAP_TOKEN with the token from Step 1.

Verify Connection

Return to Expanso Cloud
Navigate to the Nodes tab in your network
Your node should appear (usually named after your hostname)
Status shows Connected (green)

Your node is connected and ready to run pipelines.

What's Next?

Next step: Build Your First Pipeline

Troubleshooting

Node not appearing?

Wait 30 seconds and refresh the page
Check daemon logs: expanso-edge logs
Verify network connectivity to cloud.expanso.io

Bootstrap failed?

Ensure token is correct (no extra spaces)
Generate a new token if expired
Check firewall allows outbound HTTPS

Node shows offline?

The daemon may have stopped -- restart with expanso-edge run
Check system resources (CPU, memory, disk)

For system requirements and all installation options, see the Installation guide.

Generate Bootstrap Token​

Install & Bootstrap​

Verify Connection​

What's Next?​

Troubleshooting​

Generate Bootstrap Token

Install & Bootstrap

Verify Connection

What's Next?

Troubleshooting