1
Step 1Open 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.
Back to all templates
Healthchecks
Development256MB+ RAM
Cron job monitoring service
monitoringcronalerts
Deploy Healthchecks in 3 Steps
1
Connect Your VPS
Add your server credentials to Server Compass
2
Select Healthchecks
Choose from our template library
3
Deploy & Configure
Fill in settings and click Deploy
No Docker knowledge required
Step-by-step deployment guide
Deploy Healthchecks on a VPS with Server Compass
Use the Healthchecks template in Server Compass to deploy a self-hosted cron job monitoring service with PostgreSQL on your VPS, then verify the Healthchecks web UI in a browser.
About 10 minutesBrowser verified
2
Step 2Choose an app template
Click New App and choose the template deployment path so Server Compass can load the built-in catalog.
3
Step 3Search for Healthchecks
Use the template picker search to find Healthchecks in the Server Compass template catalog.
4
Step 4Select the Healthchecks template
Choose the Healthchecks template. Server Compass fills the Healthchecks service, PostgreSQL service, site root URL, Django secret key, and database password.
5
Step 5Review the Healthchecks settings
Confirm the app name and compose services. In this run, the app was named healthchecks-demo and used host port 8000.
6
Step 6Deploy Healthchecks
Review the generated environment values, keep the database password masked, confirm the web port is available, and click Deploy Now.
7
Step 7Watch the deployment progress
Keep the deployment modal open while Server Compass uploads the compose file, pulls the Healthchecks and PostgreSQL images, starts the containers, and verifies the stack.
8
Step 8Confirm Healthchecks is running
After deployment finishes, return to the Apps tab and confirm the Healthchecks app is marked Running with its application URL available.
9
Step 9Open Healthchecks in the browser
Click Open Application or open the application URL in a browser. The Healthchecks web UI confirms the deployed monitoring service is reachable and ready for final setup.
After Healthchecks Opens
- Create a superuser before production use.
- Store the administrator credentials, Django secret key, and database password in a secure password manager.
- Keep generated secrets masked in screenshots and docs.
- Add a domain, HTTPS, and SMTP settings before monitoring real jobs.
- Create checks for cron jobs, backups, and scheduled workers.
- Back up the Healthchecks PostgreSQL data volume.
Healthchecks deployment questions
What does the Healthchecks template deploy?
It deploys the Healthchecks container with PostgreSQL 16 and generated site root, Django secret, and database password values.
Which port did the tutorial use?
The tutorial used host port 8000, which maps to the Healthchecks web UI on container port 8000.
Why does the browser verification stop at the login screen?
A fresh Healthchecks deployment is considered reachable when the web UI loads. Superuser creation, SMTP, and check setup are environment-specific.
Should this become a blog post?
No. The deployment guide should live on the Healthchecks template detail page and be linked from the reusable template deployment docs page.
CLI Deployment
Deploy Healthchecks Yourself
Want full control? Here's how to deploy Healthchecks yourself using Docker Compose.
1
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
2
Initialize Project Folder
Create a folder to house your Docker Compose configuration.
terminal
# Create and navigate to project directory
mkdir -p ~/apps/healthchecks
cd ~/apps/healthchecks3
Create Docker Configuration
Define your services in a docker-compose.yml file:
docker-compose.yml
services:
healthchecks:
image: healthchecks/healthchecks:latest
ports:
- "8000:8000"
environment:
- DB=postgres
- DB_HOST=db
- DB_PORT=5432
- DB_NAME=healthchecks
- DB_USER=healthchecks
- DB_PASSWORD=<your-db-password>
- SECRET_KEY=<your-secret-key>
- SITE_ROOT=<your-site-root>
- ALLOWED_HOSTS=*
restart: unless-stopped
depends_on:
- db
db:
image: postgres:16-alpine
environment:
- POSTGRES_USER=healthchecks
- POSTGRES_PASSWORD=<your-db-password>
- POSTGRES_DB=healthchecks
volumes:
- postgres_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data
restart: unless-stopped
volumes:
postgres_data:
Required Settings
PORTHost port(default: 8000)SITE_ROOTSite URLSECRET_KEYSecret keyDB_PASSWORDDB password4
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 8000/tcp
sudo ufw reload
# Access your app at:
# http://your-server-ip:8000Skip the Terminal
Don't want to type commands? We've got you.
Skip the terminal and deploy Healthchecks with a visual interface. Configure everything with clicks, not commands.
- 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 Healthchecks with Server Compass, complete these steps to finish setup
1
Create superuser
2
Create checks for your cron jobs
Need help? Check out our documentation for detailed guides.
Healthchecks FAQ
Common questions about self-hosting Healthchecks
How do I deploy Healthchecks with Server Compass?
Simply download Server Compass, connect to your VPS, and select Healthchecks 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 Healthchecks?
Healthchecks 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 Healthchecks data?
Yes! Server Compass provides volume mapping that allows you to import existing data. You can also use standard Healthchecks backup and restore procedures.
How do I update Healthchecks to the latest version?
Server Compass makes updates easy. Simply click the Update button in your deployment dashboard, and the latest Healthchecks image will be pulled and deployed with zero downtime.
Is Healthchecks free to self-host?
Healthchecks 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.
Related Templates
View all Development
PocketBase
Open-source backend in a single file with realtime database, auth, and file storage
Appwrite
Open-source backend-as-a-service - self-hosted Firebase alternative
Parse Server
Open-source backend framework with dashboard
Supabase
Full Supabase self-hosted with Kong, GoTrue Auth, Realtime, and Studio
Ready to Self-Host Healthchecks?
Download Server Compass and deploy Healthchecks to your VPS in under 3 minutes. No Docker expertise required.
Download Server Compass