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Step 1Open the server Apps tab
Select your VPS, open the Apps tab, and start a new app deployment. Keep sensitive server details hidden before capturing or sharing screenshots.
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Fathom Analytics
Application256MB+ RAM
Lightweight, privacy-focused analytics
analyticsprivacyweb-analytics
Deploy Fathom Analytics in 3 Steps
1
Connect Your VPS
Add your server credentials to Server Compass
2
Select Fathom Analytics
Choose from our template library
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Deploy & Configure
Fill in settings and click Deploy
No Docker knowledge required
Step-by-step deployment guide
Deploy Fathom Analytics on a VPS with Server Compass
Use the Fathom Analytics template in Server Compass to deploy a self-hosted privacy-focused analytics server with persistent Fathom SQLite data volume on your VPS, then verify the Fathom Analytics web UI in a browser.
About 7 minutesBrowser verified
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Step 2Choose an app template
Click New App and choose the template deployment path so Server Compass can load the built-in catalog.
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Step 3Search for Fathom Analytics
Use the template picker search to find Fathom Analytics in the Server Compass template catalog.
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Step 4Select the Fathom Analytics template
Choose the Fathom Analytics template. Server Compass fills the Fathom Analytics image, host port, published server URL, and persistent Fathom SQLite data volume.
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Step 5Review the Fathom Analytics settings
Confirm the app name and compose services. In this run, the app was named fathom-demo and used host port 8080.
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Step 6Deploy Fathom Analytics
Review the generated environment values, confirm the port is available, and click Deploy Now.
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Step 7Watch the deployment progress
Keep the deployment modal open while Server Compass uploads the compose file, pulls the Fathom Analytics image, starts the container, and verifies the stack.
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Step 8Confirm Fathom Analytics is running
After deployment finishes, return to the Apps tab and confirm the Fathom Analytics app is marked Running with its application URL available.
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Step 9Open Fathom Analytics in the browser
Open the application URL in a browser. The Fathom Analytics web UI confirms the site is reachable.
After Fathom Analytics Opens
- Create the first Fathom administrator account and configure tracked sites before production use.
- Configure domains, site tracking snippets, HTTPS, and user access before production use.
- Add a domain and HTTPS before exposing the analytics dashboard to users.
- Back up the Fathom data volume before relying on it for production analytics.
Verified Result
The Fathom Analytics web UI loaded successfully in a browser.
Fathom Analytics deployment questions
What does the Fathom Analytics template deploy?
It deploys Fathom Analytics with a persistent SQLite data volume for analytics data and configuration.
Which port did the tutorial use?
The tutorial used host port 8080, which maps to the Fathom Analytics web server on container port 8080.
Why does the guide stop at the first-run web UI?
The tutorial verifies the clean first-run web UI because real library paths, users, metadata providers, and remote access settings depend on the production server.
Should this become a blog post?
No. The deployment guide should live on the Fathom Analytics template detail page and be linked from the reusable template deployment docs page.
Command Line Setup
Install Fathom Analytics Manually
Set up Fathom Analytics yourself using Docker Compose and the command line.
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Connect to Your VPS via SSH
Fire up your terminal application and establish a connection to your remote server.
terminal
# Access your VPS
ssh root@YOUR_SERVER_IP
# With SSH key authentication
ssh -i ~/.ssh/your-private-key root@YOUR_SERVER_IPFirst time? Ensure Docker is installed first: curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh
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Initialize Project Folder
Create a folder to house your Docker Compose configuration.
terminal
# Create and navigate to project directory
mkdir -p ~/apps/fathom
cd ~/apps/fathom3
Create Docker Configuration
Define your services in a docker-compose.yml file:
docker-compose.yml
services:
fathom:
image: usefathom/fathom:latest
ports:
- "8080:8080"
environment:
- FATHOM_SERVER_ADDR=0.0.0.0:8080
- FATHOM_SECRET=<your-fathom-secret>
- FATHOM_DATABASE_DRIVER=sqlite3
- FATHOM_DATABASE_NAME=/var/lib/fathom/fathom.db
- FATHOM_DEBUG=false
- FATHOM_GZIP=true
volumes:
- fathom_data:/var/lib/fathom
restart: unless-stopped
volumes:
fathom_data:
Configuration Options
PORTHost port to expose(default: 8080)FATHOM_SECRETSecret for encrypting data and generating keys4
Execute the Deployment
Start your containers and verify they're running correctly.
terminal
# Launch the stack
docker compose up -d
# Verify container status
docker compose ps
# Follow the logs
docker compose logs --follow5
Allow Network Access
Update UFW rules to allow traffic on the application port.
terminal
# Allow the application port through firewall
sudo ufw allow 8080/tcp
sudo ufw reload
# Access your app at:
# http://your-server-ip:8080Skip the Terminal
Don't want to type commands? We've got you.
No terminal needed. Deploy Fathom Analytics through a visual dashboard with automatic configuration.
- No terminal required
- Point-and-click setup
- Auto SSL certificates
- Rolling deployments
- Health monitoring
- Instant rollbacks
Download Server Compass$29 one-time • Lifetime license
After Deployment
After deploying Fathom Analytics with Server Compass, complete these steps to finish setup
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Create the first admin user via the UI
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Configure your site domains inside Fathom
Need help? Check out our documentation for detailed guides.
Fathom Analytics FAQ
Common questions about self-hosting Fathom Analytics
How do I deploy Fathom Analytics with Server Compass?
Simply download Server Compass, connect to your VPS, and select Fathom Analytics from the templates list. Fill in the required configuration and click Deploy. The entire process takes under 3 minutes.
What are the system requirements for Fathom Analytics?
Fathom Analytics requires a minimum of 256MB RAM. We recommend a VPS with at least 1024MB RAM for optimal performance. Any modern Linux server with Docker support will work.
Can I migrate my existing Fathom Analytics data?
Yes! Server Compass provides volume mapping that allows you to import existing data. You can also use standard Fathom Analytics backup and restore procedures.
How do I update Fathom Analytics to the latest version?
Server Compass makes updates easy. Simply click the Update button in your deployment dashboard, and the latest Fathom Analytics image will be pulled and deployed with zero downtime.
Is Fathom Analytics free to self-host?
Fathom Analytics is open-source software. You only pay for your VPS hosting (typically $5-20/month) and optionally Server Compass ($29 one-time). No subscription fees or per-seat pricing.
Ready to Self-Host Fathom Analytics?
Download Server Compass and deploy Fathom Analytics to your VPS in under 3 minutes. No Docker expertise required.
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