Dokploy

Dokploy is an open-source platform for deploying and managing applications on your own infrastructure. This tutorial will walk you through installing it on a VPS from start to finish.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

• A Linux VPS (Ubuntu 20.04 LTS or newer recommended, though other distributions work too)
• Root or sudo access to the server
• A stable internet connection
• curl installed on your system (usually pre-installed on most Linux distributions)

Verify curl is installed

Connect to your VPS via SSH and run:

curl --version

If curl is not installed, install it with:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install curl -y

Step-by-Step Installation

Step 1: Connect to your VPS

Use SSH to connect to your VPS:

ssh root@your_vps_ip_address

Replace your_vps_ip_address with your actual VPS IP address.

Step 2: Run the installation script

Once connected, execute the official Dokploy installation script:

curl -sSL https://dokploy.com/install.sh | sh

What this command does:

• -sSL — Downloads silently with SSL verification
• The script automatically detects your system and installs Dokploy with all dependencies

The installation will take a few minutes. You'll see output indicating progress and when it completes.

Step 3: Verify the installation

After the script finishes, verify that Dokploy is running:

docker ps

You should see Dokploy-related containers running. You can also check the service status:

sudo systemctl status dokploy

Accessing Dokploy

Initial Setup

Once installed, access Dokploy through your web browser:

http://your_vps_ip_address:3000

Replace your_vps_ip_address with your VPS's IP address. Port 3000 is the default Dokploy web interface port.

Create Your Admin Account

On first access, you'll be prompted to create an admin account. Set a strong password — this is critical for securing your deployment platform.

Post-Installation Configuration

Configure a Domain (Recommended)

For production use, set up a domain name:

1. Point your domain's DNS A record to your VPS IP address
2. In Dokploy settings, configure your domain
3. Dokploy can automatically provision SSL certificates via Let's Encrypt

Firewall Rules

If you have a firewall enabled, ensure these ports are open:

• Port 3000 — Dokploy web interface
• Port 80 — HTTP traffic (for deployed apps)
• Port 443 — HTTPS traffic (for deployed apps)

For example, with UFW:

sudo ufw allow 22/tcpsudo ufw allow 80/tcpsudo ufw allow 443/tcpsudo ufw allow 3000/tcpsudo ufw enable

Set System Resources

Dokploy uses Docker. Ensure your VPS has adequate resources:

• Minimum: 1 GB RAM, 1 CPU core
• Recommended: 2 GB+ RAM, 2+ CPU cores for production

Check your system resources:

free -hnproc

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Installation fails or times out

• Ensure your VPS has internet access
• Check that curl is functioning properly
• Verify sufficient disk space: df -h

Can't access the web interface

• Confirm the port isn't blocked by firewall rules
• Check if Dokploy containers are running: docker ps
• Review logs: sudo docker logs dokploy

High resource usage

• Monitor system usage: htop or top
• Ensure you're not running too many applications simultaneously
• Consider upgrading your VPS plan if consistently resource-constrained

Next Steps

Once installed and configured:

1. Connect a Git repository to deploy your applications automatically
2. Set up environment variables for your apps
3. Configure database services (PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, etc.)
4. Enable backups for your data and configurations
5. Monitor your deployments through the Dokploy dashboard

Dokploy provides an intuitive interface for managing all these aspects once you're logged in.

Additional Resources

• Official Documentation: Visit dokploy.com for detailed guides
• Community Support: Check GitHub issues and community forums for help
• Docker Knowledge: Familiarize yourself with basic Docker concepts for advanced configurations