Deploying Dokploy - Self-Hosted PaaS for Docker Applications on Ubuntu 24.04

Prerequisites

• Ubuntu 24.04 server
• Non-root sudo user
• DNS A records for two subdomains (e.g. dokploy.example.com for the dashboard, app.example.com for your app)

Install Dokploy

1. Update packages:

   $ sudo apt update
   

2. Run the installer (installs Docker if missing, sets up Swarm mode, deploys the Dokploy stack):

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

   Congratulations, Dokploy is installed! Wait 15 seconds for the server to start.
   Please go to http://YOUR-SERVER-IP:3000.

3. Add your user to the Docker group:

   $ sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
   $ newgrp docker
   

4. Verify the services:

   $ docker service ls
   ID                  NAME                MODE        REPLICAS  IMAGE
   yjuz1bv9slln        dokploy             replicated  1/1       dokploy/dokploy:latest
   icesr4uht5py        dokploy-postgres    replicated  1/1       postgres:16
   aqb1hms95ox8        dokploy-redis       replicated  1/1       redis:7
   

Access the Dashboard

Open http://SERVER_IP:3000, enter your name, email, and password, and click Register. You land on the main project view.

Note: This is HTTP on port 3000 - HTTPS for the dashboard gets set up later in "Secure the Dokploy Dashboard."

Deploy a Sample App

1. Create a project - Create Project, name it (e.g. demo-project), Create.
2. Add an application - Create Service → Application, name it (e.g. hello-app).
3. Configure the source under General:
   • Provider: GitHub (or Git for custom repos)
   • Repository URL: e.g. https://github.com/dokploy/hello-world
   • Branch: main
4. Set the build type: Nixpacks (auto-detects language/dependencies). Other options: Heroku Buildpacks, Paketo Buildpacks, or a custom Dockerfile.
5. Save, then click Deploy. Watch the Deployments tab for build progress, and Logs for runtime output:

   Server listening on port 3000
   

Add a Custom Domain with SSL

1. Open the firewall:

   $ sudo ufw allow 80/tcp
   $ sudo ufw allow 443/tcp
   $ sudo ufw enable
   $ sudo ufw status
   

2. On the app's Domains tab, click Add Domain:

   • Host: app.example.com
   • Container Port: match what your app listens on (check the logs)
   • HTTPS: enabled
   • Certificate Provider: Let's Encrypt

3. Confirm DNS resolves to your server:

   $ sudo apt install -y dnsutils
   $ dig +short app.example.com
   

   Output should match your server's public IP.

4. Visit https://app.example.com - Traefik issues the certificate on first request and renews automatically before expiry.

Secure the Dokploy Dashboard

• Settings → Web Server, set a domain (e.g. dokploy.example.com).
• Enable HTTPS with Let's Encrypt.
• Confirm https://dokploy.example.com works.
• Once confirmed, disable direct IP:port access:

  $ docker service update --publish-rm "published=3000,target=3000,mode=host" dokploy
  

Warning: Confirm the HTTPS domain works before running this - otherwise you lock yourself out of the dashboard.

Deploy a Database

• In your project, Create Service → Database → PostgreSQL, name it (e.g. app-db), Create.
• The General tab shows user, database name, password, internal port/host, and a ready-to-use Internal Connection URL. Only set External Port if you need access from outside the server.
• Click Deploy.
• (Optional) Backups tab - set frequency and an S3-compatible destination for off-server backup storage.

Connect the app: copy the Internal Connection URL into the app's Environment tab:

DATABASE_URL=INTERNAL-CONNECTION-URL

Save and redeploy.

Monitor Resources

The app's Monitoring tab graphs CPU, memory, block I/O, and network I/O in real time. Use Advanced to set CPU and memory limits per container.

Next Steps

Dokploy is running an app and a database behind HTTPS. From here you can:

• Deploy a Docker Compose stack instead of a single app for multi-service projects
• Add remote servers to Dokploy for multi-node deployments
• Configure custom Traefik middleware for auth, rate limiting, or redirects

For the full guide with additional tips, visit the original article on Vultr Docs.