Self-host OpenPost

Run OpenPost with Docker Compose, SQLite, and local media storage. One container serves the app and runs background jobs.

What you need

• Install Docker with the Compose plugin. Run the commands below on the server that will host OpenPost.
• The published image supports linux/amd64 and linux/arm64. Docker selects the native image for the host.
• For a public instance, point a domain at the server and put an HTTPS reverse proxy in front of port 8080. Forward all app requests, including /api/v1/ and /media/. Provider callbacks and media URLs must be reachable from outside your network.

You can test locally first. Set the final public URLs before connecting social accounts.

Install with Docker Compose

Create the data directories first:

mkdir -p openpost/data/db openpost/data/media
cd openpost

Create .env with fresh secrets:

cat > .env <<EOF
OPENPOST_APP_URL=http://localhost:8080
OPENPOST_PUBLIC_URL=http://localhost:8080
OPENPOST_MEDIA_URL=http://localhost:8080/media
OPENPOST_JWT_SECRET=$(openssl rand -base64 32)
OPENPOST_ENCRYPTION_KEY=$(openssl rand -base64 32)
EOF
chmod 600 .env

For a public deployment, replace all three URLs with the real HTTPS origin before connecting providers. For example, set OPENPOST_APP_URL=https://post.example.com, OPENPOST_PUBLIC_URL=https://post.example.com, and OPENPOST_MEDIA_URL=https://post.example.com/media. Keep both generated secrets stable across restarts and restores.

Create docker-compose.yml:

services:
  openpost:
    image: ghcr.io/getopenpost/openpost:latest
    container_name: openpost
    restart: unless-stopped
    env_file: .env
    ports:
      - "8080:8080"
    volumes:
      - ./data:/data
    environment:
      OPENPOST_PORT: 8080
      OPENPOST_DATABASE_PATH: /data/db/openpost.db
      OPENPOST_MEDIA_PATH: /data/media

The example uses latest. For production, replace it with a release tag from GitHub Releases and record that tag with your backups. Read upgrades and backups before changing it.

Start it:

docker compose up -d

Check your installation

1. Run curl -fsS http://localhost:8080/api/v1/ready. Expect "status":"ready" and "database":"ok". S3 deployments also report storage readiness. If it fails, check docker compose logs --tail=100 openpost.
2. For a public instance, check the same path through your HTTPS proxy.
3. Open the app and create the first account. It becomes the instance administrator. Create a workspace and configure your social integrations.
4. Connect an account and publish a test post. Check the result in OpenPost and on the social network.

To close public signup afterward, set OPENPOST_DISABLE_REGISTRATIONS=true and recreate the container with docker compose up -d --force-recreate openpost. Existing accounts can still sign in.

Try it with Docker run

Try OpenPost locally with docker run before committing to a permanent installation. Use Docker Compose for a permanent installation.

Create .env with the URLs and secrets from the Compose setup, then run the published image. Docker selects linux/amd64 or linux/arm64 for the host:

docker volume create openpost_data
docker run -d --name openpost --restart unless-stopped \
  -p 8080:8080 --mount source=openpost_data,target=/data --env-file .env \
  -e OPENPOST_DATABASE_PATH=/data/db/openpost.db \
  -e OPENPOST_MEDIA_PATH=/data/media \
  -e OPENPOST_MEDIA_URL=http://localhost:8080/media \
  ghcr.io/getopenpost/openpost:latest

Open http://localhost:8080, create the first account, and check http://localhost:8080/api/v1/ready for "status":"ready" and "database":"ok".

Move to Docker Compose before connecting social accounts. Keep the same secrets, attach the existing openpost_data volume if you need the trial data, and replace the local URLs with the final HTTPS origin. Then configure provider integrations and backups.

Prepare for production

Use a versioned image from GitHub Releases. Back up and test a restore of the database, media, deployment files, and secrets before relying on scheduled posts. Configure email delivery before requiring email verification.

Choose a platform

Use an existing platform if it already manages your server:

For other setups, run the binary or try the Docker image.

Configure optional services

Configuration covers URLs, storage, and registration. Add AI generation or email delivery when needed.