Docker Compose Setup

Deploy DeployStack using Docker Compose for a production-ready, self-hosted installation. This method is recommended for most users as it provides a reliable, scalable setup with minimal configuration.

Overview

This guide provides step-by-step instructions to install and configure DeployStack using Docker Compose. The setup includes both frontend and backend services with persistent data storage and proper networking.

Important: Only modify settings explicitly mentioned in this guide. Altering other configurations may lead to issues.

System Requirements

• RAM: Ensure your environment has at least 4GB of RAM. Insufficient memory can cause processes to crash.
• Docker & Docker Compose: Make sure both are installed and up-to-date.
• Storage: At least 2GB of available disk space for images and persistent data.

Beggining the setup for Docker Compose

Follow these steps for a setup with docker compsoe

Step 1: Download Docker Compose File

Download the docker-compose.yml file to your working directory:

curl -o docker-compose.yml https://raw.githubusercontent.com/deploystackio/deploystack/main/docker-compose.yml

Step 2: Generate Encryption Secret

DeployStack requires a secure encryption secret for protecting sensitive data like API keys and credentials.

# Using OpenSSL (recommended)
openssl rand -hex 16

# Alternative using Node.js
node -e "console.log(require('crypto').randomBytes(16).toString('hex'))"

# Using PowerShell
-join ((1..32) | ForEach {'{0:X}' -f (Get-Random -Max 16)})

# Alternative using Node.js (if installed)
node -e "console.log(require('crypto').randomBytes(16).toString('hex'))"

Step 3: Set Environment Variables

Create a .env file in the same directory as your docker-compose.yml:

# Create .env file
cat > .env << EOF
# DeployStack Configuration
DEPLOYSTACK_ENCRYPTION_SECRET=your-generated-secret-here

# Optional: Customize ports (default: frontend=8080, backend=3000)
# FRONTEND_PORT=8080
# BACKEND_PORT=3000

# Optional: Custom app title
# VITE_APP_TITLE=My DeployStack Instance
EOF

Replace your-generated-secret-here with the secret you generated in Step 2.

Step 4: Launch DeployStack

Start the Docker containers:

docker-compose up -d

This command will:

• Pull the latest DeployStack images
• Create necessary volumes for persistent data
• Start both frontend and backend services
• Set up networking between services

Step 5: Verify Installation

Check that all services are running:

docker-compose ps

You should see both deploystack-frontend and deploystack-backend containers in "Up" status.

Step 6: Access DeployStack

Open your browser and navigate to:

• Frontend: http://localhost:8080
• Backend API: http://localhost:3000

Configuration

External Access

By default, DeployStack runs on localhost. To access it via an external domain or IP address, you need to configure the environment variables.

Understanding URLs

• Protocol: Use http or https depending on your setup
• Domain/IP: The domain name or IP address where your application is accessible
• Port: Include the port number if not using standard ports (80 for http, 443 for https)

Configuring for External Access

1. Update your .env file:

# For direct access without reverse proxy
DEPLOYSTACK_FRONTEND_URL=http://your-domain-or-ip:8080
VITE_DEPLOYSTACK_BACKEND_URL=http://your-domain-or-ip:3000

# For access via reverse proxy with SSL
DEPLOYSTACK_FRONTEND_URL=https://your-domain
VITE_DEPLOYSTACK_BACKEND_URL=https://your-domain/api

2. Restart the services:

docker-compose down
docker-compose up -d

SSL/HTTPS Setup

For HTTPS setup, we recommend using a reverse proxy like Nginx or Traefik:

# Example Nginx configuration
server {
    listen 443 ssl;
    server_name your-domain.com;
    
    # SSL configuration
    ssl_certificate /path/to/certificate.crt;
    ssl_certificate_key /path/to/private.key;
    
    # Frontend
    location / {
        proxy_pass http://localhost:8080;
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
    }
    
    # Backend API
    location /api/ {
        proxy_pass http://localhost:3000/;
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
    }
}

Data Persistence

DeployStack uses Docker volumes to persist data:

• deploystack_backend_persistent: Application database, configuration, and user uploads

Backup Your Data

Regularly backup your persistent data:

# Create backup directory
mkdir -p backups/$(date +%Y%m%d)

# Backup volume
docker run --rm -v deploystack_backend_persistent:/data -v $(pwd)/backups/$(date +%Y%m%d):/backup alpine tar czf /backup/backend_persistent.tar.gz -C /data .

Environment Variables Reference

Required Variables

Optional Variables

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Services Won't Start

# Check logs
docker-compose logs

# Check specific service
docker-compose logs backend
docker-compose logs frontend

Getting Help

If you encounter issues not covered here:

1. Search existing GitHub Issues
2. Join our Discord community
3. Create a new issue with detailed logs and system information

Need to upgrade? Check our Upgrade Guide for step-by-step instructions.