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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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Friendica
Application512MB+ RAM
Decentralized social network with cross-platform support
socialfediverseactivitypub
Deploy Friendica in 3 Steps
1
Connect Your VPS
Add your server credentials to Server Compass
2
Select Friendica
Choose from our template library
3
Deploy & Configure
Fill in settings and click Deploy
No Docker knowledge required
Step-by-step deployment guide
Deploy Friendica on a VPS with Server Compass
Use the Friendica template in Server Compass to deploy a self-hosted federated social network with MariaDB on your VPS, then verify the Friendica 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 Friendica
Use the template picker search to find Friendica in the Server Compass template catalog.
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Step 4Select the Friendica template
Choose the Friendica template. Server Compass fills in the Friendica web service, MariaDB database, public URL, admin email, and generated database passwords.
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Step 5Review the Friendica settings
Confirm the app name and compose services. In this run, the app was named friendica-demo and used host port 8080.
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Step 6Deploy Friendica
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 Friendica image, starts the container, and verifies the stack.
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Step 8Confirm Friendica is running
After deployment finishes, return to the Apps tab and confirm the Friendica app is marked Running with its application URL available.
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Step 9Open Friendica in the browser
Open the application URL in a browser. The Friendica web UI confirms the social network is reachable.
After Friendica Opens
- Complete the Friendica installer, remove or protect the install directory as instructed, and change default credentials before production use.
- Configure HTTPS, email delivery, federation settings, registration policy, and moderation before inviting users.
- Back up the Friendica files and MariaDB volumes before relying on production social data.
Friendica deployment questions
What does the Friendica template deploy?
It deploys Friendica with MariaDB so teams or communities can run a self-hosted federated social network.
Which port did the tutorial use?
The tutorial used host port 8080, which maps to the Friendica web service on container port 80.
Why does the guide stop at the login or setup web UI?
The tutorial verifies the clean Friendica web UI because federation, email delivery, registrations, and moderation settings depend on the production instance.
Should this become a blog post?
No. The deployment guide should live on the Friendica template detail page and be linked from the reusable template deployment docs page.
CLI Deployment
Deploy Friendica Yourself
Want full control? Here's how to deploy Friendica yourself using Docker Compose.
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Remote into Your Server
Initiate a secure shell connection to your server using the command below.
terminal
# Connect to your VPS
ssh root@your-server-ip
# Or with a specific SSH key
ssh -i ~/.ssh/your-key root@your-server-ipFirst time? Docker required! Install it with: curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh
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Create the App Directory
Organize your deployment by creating a dedicated project folder.
terminal
# Create and navigate to project directory
mkdir -p ~/apps/friendica
cd ~/apps/friendica3
Write Your docker-compose.yml
Create a new docker-compose.yml file and paste this configuration:
docker-compose.yml
services:
friendica:
image: friendica:latest
ports:
- "8080:80"
environment:
- MYSQL_HOST=db
- MYSQL_DATABASE=friendica
- MYSQL_USER=friendica
- MYSQL_PASSWORD=<your-db-password>
- FRIENDICA_URL=<your-friendica-url>
- FRIENDICA_ADMIN_MAIL=<your-admin-email>
volumes:
- friendica_data:/var/www/html
restart: unless-stopped
depends_on:
db:
condition: service_healthy
db:
image: mariadb:11
environment:
- MARIADB_ROOT_PASSWORD=<your-db-root-password>
- MARIADB_DATABASE=friendica
- MARIADB_USER=friendica
- MARIADB_PASSWORD=<your-db-password>
volumes:
- mariadb_data:/var/lib/mysql
restart: unless-stopped
healthcheck:
test: ["CMD-SHELL", "healthcheck.sh --connect --innodb_initialized"]
interval: 10s
timeout: 5s
retries: 5
volumes:
friendica_data:
mariadb_data:
Required Settings
PORTHost port(default: 8080)FRIENDICA_URLURLADMIN_EMAILAdmin emailDB_PASSWORDDB passwordDB_ROOT_PASSWORDRoot password4
Launch the Containers
Start the services and tail the logs to verify startup.
terminal
# Spin up containers
docker compose up -d
# Verify deployment
docker compose ps
# Check logs for errors
docker compose logs -f5
Open Firewall Ports
Open the required port in your firewall to allow access.
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
Want the easy way? Try Server Compass.
Skip the terminal and deploy Friendica with a visual interface. Configure everything with clicks, not commands.
- Visual config editor
- Instant deployment
- Automatic HTTPS
- Smooth updates
- Live monitoring
- Quick rollbacks
Download Server Compass$29 one-time • Lifetime license
Friendica FAQ
Common questions about self-hosting Friendica
How do I deploy Friendica with Server Compass?
Simply download Server Compass, connect to your VPS, and select Friendica 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 Friendica?
Friendica requires a minimum of 512MB 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 Friendica data?
Yes! Server Compass provides volume mapping that allows you to import existing data. You can also use standard Friendica backup and restore procedures.
How do I update Friendica to the latest version?
Server Compass makes updates easy. Simply click the Update button in your deployment dashboard, and the latest Friendica image will be pulled and deployed with zero downtime.
Is Friendica free to self-host?
Friendica 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 Friendica?
Download Server Compass and deploy Friendica to your VPS in under 3 minutes. No Docker expertise required.
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