Kroki

Application512MB+ RAM

Unified API for creating diagrams from text (PlantUML, Mermaid, GraphViz)

Download Server Compass View Documentation

diagramsapiplantumlmermaid

Deploy Kroki in 3 Steps

Connect Your VPS

Add your server credentials to Server Compass

Select Kroki

Choose from our template library

Deploy & Configure

Fill in settings and click Deploy

No Docker knowledge required

Do It Yourself

Deploy Kroki via Command Line

Prefer the command line? Follow this step-by-step guide to deploy Kroki manually on your VPS.

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

Set Up Project Folder

Create a workspace for your deployment files.

terminal

# Create and navigate to project directory
mkdir -p ~/apps/kroki
cd ~/apps/kroki

Create the Compose File

Configure your containers with this Docker Compose setup:

docker-compose.yml

services:
  kroki:
    image: yuzutech/kroki
    ports:
      - "8000:8000"
    environment:
      - KROKI_MERMAID_HOST=mermaid
      - KROKI_BPMN_HOST=bpmn
    restart: unless-stopped
    depends_on:
      - mermaid
      - bpmn

  mermaid:
    image: yuzutech/kroki-mermaid
    restart: unless-stopped

  bpmn:
    image: yuzutech/kroki-bpmn
    restart: unless-stopped

Configuration Variables

PORTHost port to expose(default: 8000)

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

Update Firewall Settings

Allow incoming 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:8000

Skip the Terminal

Skip the terminal. Use Server Compass instead.

Deploy Kroki with a beautiful UI instead. No SSH, no YAML editing, no terminal commands. Just click, configure, and deploy in under 3 minutes.

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 Kroki with Server Compass, complete these steps to finish setup

Test the API with a simple diagram

Integrate with your documentation tools

Need help? Check out our documentation for detailed guides.

Kroki FAQ

Common questions about self-hosting Kroki

How do I deploy Kroki with Server Compass?

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

Kroki 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 Kroki data?

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

How do I update Kroki to the latest version?

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

Is Kroki free to self-host?

Kroki 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.