docs: document the dashboard's first-run admin setup for self-hosted

[Zaimwa9]

Thanks for submitting a PR! Please check the boxes below:

• I have read the Contributing Guide.
• I have added information to docs/ if required so people know about the feature.
• I have filled in the "Changes" section below.
• I have filled in the "How did you test this code" section below.

Changes

• The READMEs and self-hosting docs said compose bootstraps an admin and prints a password link; it doesn't. The first admin is created from the dashboard's "Welcome to Flagsmith" screen.
• initial-setup.md now covers the dashboard, createsuperuser, bootstrap (ALLOW_ADMIN_INITIATION_VIA_CLI, migrate-and-serve only) and /api/v1/users/config/init/.

How did you test this code?

Checked against the dashboard onboarding flow (#5340) and the bootstrap / migrate-and-serve entrypoint code.

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Project	Deployment	Actions	Updated
docs	Ready	Preview	Oct 16, 2026 3:09pm UTC

2 Skipped Deployments

Project	Deployment	Actions	Updated
flagsmith-frontend-preview	Ignored	Preview	Oct 16, 2026 3:09pm UTC
flagsmith-frontend-staging	Ignored	Preview	Oct 16, 2026 3:09pm UTC

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⚙️ Run configuration

• Configuration used: Organization UI
• Review profile: ASSERTIVE
• Plan: Advanced
• Run ID: 8917b921-b823-4cbe-b4b8-a1fb8729e507

📥 Commits

Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between b6d6988 and 9063640.

📒 Files selected for processing: 6

• README.md
• docs/docs/deployment-self-hosting/administration-and-maintenance/using-the-django-admin.md
• docs/docs/deployment-self-hosting/core-configuration/environment-variables.md
• docs/docs/deployment-self-hosting/core-configuration/initial-setup.md
• docs/docs/deployment-self-hosting/hosting-guides/docker.md
• frontend/README.md

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[github-actions]

Docker builds report

Image	Build Status	Security report
ghcr.io/flagsmith/flagsmith-api-test:pr-8799	Finished ✅	Skipped
ghcr.io/flagsmith/flagsmith-e2e:pr-8799	Finished ✅	Skipped
ghcr.io/flagsmith/flagsmith-api:pr-8799	Finished ✅	Results ✅
ghcr.io/flagsmith/flagsmith:pr-8799	Finished ✅	Results ✅
ghcr.io/flagsmith/flagsmith-private-cloud:pr-8799	Finished ✅	Results ✅
ghcr.io/flagsmith/flagsmith-frontend:pr-8799	Finished ✅	Results ✅

[github-actions]

✅ private-cloud · depot-ubuntu-latest-arm-16 — run #22535 (attempt 1)

Playwright Test Results (private-cloud - depot-ubuntu-latest-arm-16)

 3 passed

Details

 3 tests across 3 suites
 46.5 seconds
 9063640
 🔄 Run: #22535 (attempt 1)

🗂️ Previous results

✅ private-cloud · depot-ubuntu-latest-16 — run #22535 (attempt 1)

Playwright Test Results (private-cloud - depot-ubuntu-latest-16)

 2 passed

Details

 2 tests across 2 suites
 40.9 seconds
 9063640
 🔄 Run: #22535 (attempt 1)

✅ oss · depot-ubuntu-latest-arm-16 — run #22535 (attempt 1)

Playwright Test Results (oss - depot-ubuntu-latest-arm-16)

 1 passed

Details

 1 test across 1 suite
 35.9 seconds
 9063640
 🔄 Run: #22535 (attempt 1)

✅ oss · depot-ubuntu-latest-16 — run #22535 (attempt 1)

Playwright Test Results (oss - depot-ubuntu-latest-16)

 1 passed

Details

 1 test across 1 suite
 31 seconds
 9063640
 🔄 Run: #22535 (attempt 1)

[github-actions]

Visual Regression

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