Welcome to Confluent Cloud: New Customer Onboarding Guide – Confluent

Introduction

Welcome to Confluent Cloud! This guide is designed specifically for new customers who want to get up and running quickly. Below, you’ll find step-by-step instructions for account setup, cluster deployment, first topic creation, and connecting your first client—all with helpful tips along the way.

step 1: account setup and login

Check your inbox for the Confluent Cloud welcome email and click the verification link.
Log in at https://confluent.cloud with your registered email and password.
On first login, you’ll arrive at the main Dashboard where you can create and manage resources.

step 2: creating your first kafka cluster

From the Dashboard, click “Add cluster”.
Select your preferred cloud provider (AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure).
Pick a cloud region close to your users or applications for best performance.
Choose Basic for pilot/testing usage (ideal for getting started).
Standard/Dedicated is for production at scale.
Enter a cluster name (example: “dev-demo-cluster”).
Click Create cluster and wait a few minutes for setup to complete.

Tip: The free trial credits automatically apply to eligible clusters!

step 3: creating your first topic

Click your newly created cluster to open the cluster overview.
Click Topics in the sidebar.
Click Create topic.
Enter a topic name (e.g., first-steps).
Leave other settings as default (unless you’re familiar with partitions and retention).
Click Create.

Tip: Topics are like channels for organizing and streaming your real-time data.

step 4: setting up authentication (API keys)

In your cluster page, go to API Access.
Click Create key.
Select a service account (recommended for apps) or your user account.
Choose scope (Cluster is common).
Download and securely save the API key and secret.

Important: You’ll need these credentials anytime you connect to Confluent Cloud using a producer, consumer, or data connector.

step 5: connecting a simple client

Below is a Python example. You can find code examples for other languages here.

python

from confluent_kafka import Producer

conf = {
    'bootstrap.servers': '<broker-server>',
    'security.protocol': 'SASL_SSL',
    'sasl.mechanism': 'PLAIN',
    'sasl.username': '<api-key>',
    'sasl.password': '<api-secret>'
}
p = Producer(conf)
p.produce('first-steps', value='Hello, Confluent Cloud!')
p.flush()

Tip: Get your cluster’s broker details from the Cluster settings page.

step 6: next steps & resources

Explore connectors: In the sidebar, click Connectors to integrate with other data systems (databases, cloud storage, SaaS).
Learn & experiment: Try sending and reading more messages from your topic. Browse built-in metrics for data flow and cluster health.
Invite teammates: Go to Management > Users & Accounts and add team members for collaborative work and access control.

frequently asked new customer questions

Q: How do I use my free trial credits?
A: When creating your first eligible cluster, free credits are automatically applied. Your usage dashboard will show how much remains.

Q: Can I delete test clusters or topics?
A: Yes! Click the options menu (three dots) next to a cluster or topic and select “Delete.”

Q: Is my data secure by default?
A: Yes. All connections require authentication, and all data is encrypted in transit.

Q: I get a connection/authentication error. What do I check?
A: Confirm your API key/secret are correct, your client uses the right security settings, and you’re connecting to the correct cluster endpoint.

need more help?

Visit our Getting Started documentation
Ask a question in the Confluent Community
Use the Zendesk chat widget to connect with support

Welcome aboard! We’re excited to help you succeed with real-time data streaming.