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Forgejo

Development256MB+ RAM

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Deploy Forgejo in 3 Steps

1

Connect Your VPS

Add your server credentials to Server Compass

2

Select Forgejo

Choose from our template library

3

Deploy & Configure

Fill in settings and click Deploy

No Docker knowledge required
Step-by-step deployment guide

Deploy Forgejo on a VPS with Server Compass

Use the Forgejo template in Server Compass to deploy a self-hosted Git service with PostgreSQL on your VPS, then verify the Forgejo initial configuration screen in a browser.

About 10 minutesBrowser verified
1
Step 1

Open the server Apps tab

Select the tutorial-vps VPS, open the Apps tab, and start a new app deployment. Keep sensitive server details hidden before capturing or sharing screenshots.

Server Compass Apps tab before creating a Forgejo app
2
Step 2

Choose an app template

Click New App and choose the template deployment path so Server Compass can load the built-in catalog.

Choosing to deploy an app from a Server Compass template
3
Step 3

Search for Forgejo

Use the template picker search to find Forgejo in the Server Compass template catalog.

Searching for Forgejo in the Server Compass template picker
4
Step 4

Select the Forgejo template

Choose the Forgejo template. Server Compass fills the Forgejo service, PostgreSQL service, persistent Git data and database volumes, and the required database password.

Forgejo template selected in Server Compass
5
Step 5

Review the Forgejo settings

Confirm the app name and compose services. In this run, the app was named forgejo-demo and used host port 3001.

Reviewing Forgejo project settings and compose services
6
Step 6

Deploy Forgejo

Review the generated environment values, keep the database password masked, confirm the web and SSH ports are available, and click Deploy Now.

Reviewing Forgejo environment variables and port before deployment
7
Step 7

Watch the deployment progress

Keep the deployment modal open while Server Compass uploads the compose file, pulls the Forgejo and PostgreSQL images, starts the containers, and verifies the stack.

Server Compass deploying the Forgejo template on the VPS
8
Step 8

Confirm Forgejo is running

After deployment finishes, return to the Apps tab and confirm the Forgejo app is marked Running with its application URL available.

Forgejo template running in the Server Compass Apps tab
9
Step 9

Open Forgejo in the browser

Click Open Application or open the application URL in a browser. The Forgejo initial configuration screen confirms the deployed Git service is reachable and ready for final setup.

The deployed Forgejo initial configuration screen loaded in a browser

After Forgejo Opens

  • Complete the Forgejo installation wizard and create the first administrator account.
  • Store the administrator credentials in a secure password manager.
  • Keep the database password masked in screenshots and docs.
  • Add a domain and HTTPS before inviting users or pushing repositories over the public internet.
  • Configure SSH clone URLs and user SSH keys before using Git over SSH.
  • Back up both the Forgejo data volume and the PostgreSQL data volume before hosting production repositories.

Verified Result

The Forgejo app loaded successfully in a browser and displayed the initial configuration screen.

Forgejo deployment questions

What does the Forgejo template deploy?

It deploys the official Forgejo container with PostgreSQL 16, a persistent Forgejo data volume, a persistent database volume, web access on port 3000, and Git SSH access on port 2222 by default.

Which port did the tutorial use?

The tutorial used host port 3001, which maps to the Forgejo web UI on container port 3000.

Why does the browser verification stop at the initial configuration screen?

A fresh Forgejo deployment is considered reachable when the initial configuration screen loads. Completing the wizard creates real administrator credentials, so the public guide stops before account creation.

Should this become a blog post?

No. The deployment guide should live on the Forgejo template detail page and be linked from the reusable template deployment docs page.

Terminal Deployment

Forgejo CLI Deployment

Deploy Forgejo the traditional way with SSH and Docker Compose.

1

Access Your VPS via Terminal

Open a terminal session and log into your VPS. Replace the placeholder with your actual IP.

terminal
# Connect via SSH
ssh root@your-vps-ip

# Alternative with key file
ssh -i /path/to/key root@your-vps-ip

First time? Make sure Docker is installed on your VPS. Run: curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh

2

Set Up Project Folder

Create a workspace for your deployment files.

terminal
# Create and navigate to project directory
mkdir -p ~/apps/forgejo
cd ~/apps/forgejo
3

Create the Compose File

Configure your containers with this Docker Compose setup:

docker-compose.yml
services:
  forgejo:
    image: codeberg.org/forgejo/forgejo:7
    ports:
      - "3000:3000"
      - "2222:22"
    environment:
      - USER_UID=1000
      - USER_GID=1000
      - FORGEJO__database__DB_TYPE=postgres
      - FORGEJO__database__HOST=db:5432
      - FORGEJO__database__NAME=forgejo
      - FORGEJO__database__USER=forgejo
      - FORGEJO__database__PASSWD=<your-db-password>
    volumes:
      - forgejo_data:/data
    restart: unless-stopped
    depends_on:
      db:
        condition: service_healthy

  db:
    image: postgres:16-alpine
    environment:
      - POSTGRES_USER=forgejo
      - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=<your-db-password>
      - POSTGRES_DB=forgejo
    volumes:
      - postgres_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data
    restart: unless-stopped
    healthcheck:
      test: ["CMD-SHELL", "pg_isready -U forgejo"]
      interval: 10s
      timeout: 5s
      retries: 5

volumes:
  forgejo_data:
  postgres_data:
Deployment Settings
PORTWeb port(default: 3000)
SSH_PORTSSH port(default: 2222)
DB_PASSWORDDB password
4

Deploy Your Stack

Spin up the containers and verify the deployment.

terminal
# Start all services
docker compose up -d

# List running containers
docker compose ps

# Watch the logs
docker compose logs -f
5

Update Firewall Settings

Allow incoming traffic on the application port.

terminal
# Allow the application port through firewall
sudo ufw allow 3000/tcp
sudo ufw reload

# Access your app at:
# http://your-server-ip:3000
Skip the Terminal

Skip the terminal. Use Server Compass instead.

Server Compass makes deploying Forgejo effortless. Visual setup, one-click deploy, done.

  • Beautiful interface
  • One-click deploys
  • Let's Encrypt SSL
  • Zero downtime
  • Container monitoring
  • Easy rollbacks
Download Server Compass$29 one-time • Lifetime license

After Deployment

After deploying Forgejo with Server Compass, complete these steps to finish setup

1

Complete installation wizard

2

Create admin account

3

Create repos

Need help? Check out our documentation for detailed guides.

Forgejo FAQ

Common questions about self-hosting Forgejo

How do I deploy Forgejo with Server Compass?

Simply download Server Compass, connect to your VPS, and select Forgejo 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 Forgejo?

Forgejo 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 Forgejo data?

Yes! Server Compass provides volume mapping that allows you to import existing data. You can also use standard Forgejo backup and restore procedures.

How do I update Forgejo to the latest version?

Server Compass makes updates easy. Simply click the Update button in your deployment dashboard, and the latest Forgejo image will be pulled and deployed with zero downtime.

Is Forgejo free to self-host?

Forgejo 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 Forgejo?

Download Server Compass and deploy Forgejo to your VPS in under 3 minutes. No Docker expertise required.

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