1
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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Keycloak
Development1024MB+ RAM
Open-source identity and access management
authidentityssooauth
Deploy Keycloak in 3 Steps
1
Connect Your VPS
Add your server credentials to Server Compass
2
Select Keycloak
Choose from our template library
3
Deploy & Configure
Fill in settings and click Deploy
No Docker knowledge required
Step-by-step deployment guide
Deploy Keycloak on a VPS with Server Compass
Use the Keycloak template in Server Compass to deploy a self-hosted identity and access management server with Postgres on your VPS, then verify the Keycloak 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.
3
Step 3Search for Keycloak
Use the template picker search to find Keycloak in the Server Compass template catalog.
4
Step 4Select the Keycloak template
Choose the Keycloak template. Server Compass fills the Keycloak web service, bootstrap admin username, bootstrap admin password, and Postgres password.
5
Step 5Review the Keycloak settings
Confirm the app name and compose services. In this run, the app was named keycloak-demo and used host port 3001.
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Step 6Deploy Keycloak
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 Keycloak image, starts the container, and verifies the stack.
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Step 8Confirm Keycloak is running
After deployment finishes, return to the Apps tab and confirm the Keycloak app is marked Running with its application URL available.
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Step 9Open Keycloak in the browser
Open the application URL in a browser. The Keycloak web UI confirms the stack is reachable.
After Keycloak Opens
- Sign in to the admin console with the bootstrap admin account and rotate the password before production use.
- Configure HTTPS, realms, clients, identity providers, SMTP, and production mode before exposing Keycloak to users.
- Add a domain and HTTPS before exposing Keycloak to users.
- Back up the Keycloak Postgres volume before relying on it for production identity data.
Keycloak deployment questions
What does the Keycloak template deploy?
It deploys Keycloak with a Postgres database service.
Which port did the tutorial use?
The tutorial verified Keycloak on host port 3001, which maps to the Keycloak web service on container port 8080.
Why does the guide stop at the first-run web UI?
The tutorial verifies the clean Keycloak web UI because realms, clients, users, and identity providers depend on the production server.
Should this become a blog post?
No. The deployment guide should live on the Keycloak template detail page and be linked from the reusable template deployment docs page.
DIY Deployment
Self-Host Keycloak with Docker
Take the DIY route and deploy Keycloak on your own server using Docker.
1
Access Your VPS Terminal
Use your terminal to securely access your server. You'll need your server's IP address.
terminal
# Connect via SSH
ssh root@your-vps-ip
# Alternative with key file
ssh -i /path/to/key root@your-vps-ipFirst time? Make sure Docker is installed on your VPS. Run: curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh
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Set Up the Deployment Folder
Initialize a project folder on your server.
terminal
# Create and navigate to project directory
mkdir -p ~/apps/keycloak
cd ~/apps/keycloak3
Set Up the Stack Definition
Use this Docker Compose configuration for your deployment:
docker-compose.yml
services:
keycloak:
image: quay.io/keycloak/keycloak:latest
ports:
- "8080:8080"
environment:
- KC_BOOTSTRAP_ADMIN_USERNAME=admin
- KC_BOOTSTRAP_ADMIN_PASSWORD=<your-admin-password>
- KC_DB=postgres
- KC_DB_URL=jdbc:postgresql://db:5432/keycloak
- KC_DB_USERNAME=keycloak
- KC_DB_PASSWORD=<your-db-password>
command: start-dev
restart: unless-stopped
depends_on:
db:
condition: service_healthy
db:
image: postgres:16-alpine
environment:
- POSTGRES_USER=keycloak
- POSTGRES_PASSWORD=<your-db-password>
- POSTGRES_DB=keycloak
volumes:
- postgres_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data
restart: unless-stopped
healthcheck:
test: ["CMD-SHELL", "pg_isready -U keycloak"]
interval: 10s
timeout: 5s
retries: 5
volumes:
postgres_data:
Configurable Options
PORTHost port(default: 8080)ADMIN_USERAdmin user(default: admin)ADMIN_PASSWORDAdmin passwordDB_PASSWORDDB password4
Start the Containers
Bring up your containers in detached mode.
terminal
# Start all services
docker compose up -d
# List running containers
docker compose ps
# Watch the logs
docker compose logs -f5
Set Up Firewall Rules
Allow the application port through your server's firewall.
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
Let Server Compass do the heavy lifting.
Forget SSH and YAML files. Deploy Keycloak visually with Server Compass in just a few clicks.
- 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 Keycloak with Server Compass, complete these steps to finish setup
1
Log in to admin console
2
Create realms and clients
Need help? Check out our documentation for detailed guides.
Keycloak FAQ
Common questions about self-hosting Keycloak
How do I deploy Keycloak with Server Compass?
Simply download Server Compass, connect to your VPS, and select Keycloak 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 Keycloak?
Keycloak requires a minimum of 1024MB RAM. We recommend a VPS with at least 2048MB RAM for optimal performance. Any modern Linux server with Docker support will work.
Can I migrate my existing Keycloak data?
Yes! Server Compass provides volume mapping that allows you to import existing data. You can also use standard Keycloak backup and restore procedures.
How do I update Keycloak to the latest version?
Server Compass makes updates easy. Simply click the Update button in your deployment dashboard, and the latest Keycloak image will be pulled and deployed with zero downtime.
Is Keycloak free to self-host?
Keycloak 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.
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