{ "slug": "install/docker", "title": "Install with Docker", "description": "Deploy Cuitty on a single VM using Docker Compose. Recommended for solo developers and small teams.", "url": "https://cuitty.com/docs/install/docker", "markdown_url": "https://cuitty.com/docs/install/docker.md", "json_url": "https://cuitty.com/docs/install/docker.json", "frontmatter": { "title": "Install with Docker", "description": "Deploy Cuitty on a single VM using Docker Compose. Recommended for solo developers and small teams.", "order": 1, "section": "Install", "updatedAt": "2026-04-27" }, "headings": [ { "depth": 1, "slug": "install-with-docker-compose", "text": "Install with Docker Compose" }, { "depth": 2, "slug": "reference-compose-file", "text": "Reference compose file" }, { "depth": 2, "slug": "backups", "text": "Backups" }, { "depth": 2, "slug": "upgrades", "text": "Upgrades" }, { "depth": 2, "slug": "see-also", "text": "See also" } ], "body_markdown": "# Install with Docker Compose\n\nDocker Compose is the fastest way to run Cuitty in production-like conditions on a single VM. The reference compose file lives at the root of the `cuitty` repo.\n\n## Reference compose file\n\n```yaml\nversion: \"3.9\"\n\nservices:\n postgres:\n image: postgres:16\n environment:\n POSTGRES_USER: cuitty\n POSTGRES_PASSWORD: ${POSTGRES_PASSWORD}\n POSTGRES_DB: cuitty\n volumes:\n - pgdata:/var/lib/postgresql/data\n healthcheck:\n test: [\"CMD-SHELL\", \"pg_isready -U cuitty\"]\n interval: 5s\n timeout: 3s\n retries: 12\n\n spicedb:\n image: authzed/spicedb:latest\n command: serve --grpc-preshared-key ${SPICEDB_PRESHARED_KEY}\n ports:\n - \"50051:50051\"\n\n portal:\n image: ghcr.io/cuitty/portal:latest\n depends_on:\n postgres: { condition: service_healthy }\n spicedb: { condition: service_started }\n ports:\n - \"7700:7700\"\n environment:\n DATABASE_URL: postgres://cuitty:${POSTGRES_PASSWORD}@postgres:5432/cuitty\n SPICEDB_URL: spicedb:50051\n SPICEDB_TOKEN: ${SPICEDB_PRESHARED_KEY}\n BETTER_AUTH_SECRET: ${BETTER_AUTH_SECRET}\n\nvolumes:\n pgdata:\n```\n\nCreate a `.env` file with `POSTGRES_PASSWORD`, `SPICEDB_PRESHARED_KEY`, and a 32-byte random `BETTER_AUTH_SECRET`. Then:\n\n```bash\ndocker compose up -d\n```\n\n## Backups\n\nThe portal stores nothing important on its own filesystem — every byte that matters lives in the `postgres` and `libsql` volumes. Snapshot the named volumes nightly with `pg_dump` and a `tar` of the libSQL data directory.\n\n## Upgrades\n\n```bash\ndocker compose pull portal\ndocker compose up -d portal\n```\n\nThe portal runs migrations on startup. Always snapshot first.\n\n## See also\n\n- [Install on Kubernetes](/docs/install/kubernetes)\n- [Install on bare metal](/docs/install/bare-metal)\n- [Install on cloud providers](/docs/install/cloud)", "body_html": "

Install with Docker Compose

\n

Docker Compose is the fastest way to run Cuitty in production-like conditions on a single VM. The reference compose file lives at the root of the cuitty repo.

\n

Reference compose file

\n
version: \"3.9\"\n\nservices:\n  postgres:\n    image: postgres:16\n    environment:\n      POSTGRES_USER: cuitty\n      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: ${POSTGRES_PASSWORD}\n      POSTGRES_DB: cuitty\n    volumes:\n      - pgdata:/var/lib/postgresql/data\n    healthcheck:\n      test: [\"CMD-SHELL\", \"pg_isready -U cuitty\"]\n      interval: 5s\n      timeout: 3s\n      retries: 12\n\n  spicedb:\n    image: authzed/spicedb:latest\n    command: serve --grpc-preshared-key ${SPICEDB_PRESHARED_KEY}\n    ports:\n      - \"50051:50051\"\n\n  portal:\n    image: ghcr.io/cuitty/portal:latest\n    depends_on:\n      postgres: { condition: service_healthy }\n      spicedb: { condition: service_started }\n    ports:\n      - \"7700:7700\"\n    environment:\n      DATABASE_URL: postgres://cuitty:${POSTGRES_PASSWORD}@postgres:5432/cuitty\n      SPICEDB_URL: spicedb:50051\n      SPICEDB_TOKEN: ${SPICEDB_PRESHARED_KEY}\n      BETTER_AUTH_SECRET: ${BETTER_AUTH_SECRET}\n\nvolumes:\n  pgdata:
\n

Create a .env file with POSTGRES_PASSWORD, SPICEDB_PRESHARED_KEY, and a 32-byte random BETTER_AUTH_SECRET. Then:

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docker compose up -d
\n

Backups

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The portal stores nothing important on its own filesystem — every byte that matters lives in the postgres and libsql volumes. Snapshot the named volumes nightly with pg_dump and a tar of the libSQL data directory.

\n

Upgrades

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docker compose pull portal\ndocker compose up -d portal
\n

The portal runs migrations on startup. Always snapshot first.

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See also

\n", "links_out": [ "/docs/install/kubernetes", "/docs/install/bare-metal", "/docs/install/cloud" ] }