Lemmy

Application512MB+ RAM

Federated link aggregator (Reddit alternative)

Download Server Compass View Documentation

forumfediversereddit-alternativeactivitypub

Deploy Lemmy in 3 Steps

Connect Your VPS

Add your server credentials to Server Compass

Select Lemmy

Choose from our template library

Deploy & Configure

Fill in settings and click Deploy

No Docker knowledge required

Manual Deployment Guide

Manual Lemmy Setup

For terminal enthusiasts: deploy Lemmy manually with these simple steps.

SSH into Your Server

Launch your preferred terminal and connect to your VPS using SSH.

terminal

# Log into your server
ssh root@<your-server-ip>

# If using key-based auth
ssh -i ~/.ssh/my-key root@<your-server-ip>

First time? Docker not installed? Run: curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh

Create Working Directory

Prepare a directory for your application files and configuration.

terminal

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

Configure Your Containers

Create the Docker Compose configuration file with these contents:

docker-compose.yml

services:
  lemmy:
    image: dessalines/lemmy:latest
    ports:
      - "8536:8536"
    environment:
      - RUST_LOG=warn
    volumes:
      - ./lemmy.hjson:/config/config.hjson
    restart: unless-stopped
    depends_on:
      - db
      - pictrs

  lemmy-ui:
    image: dessalines/lemmy-ui:latest
    ports:
      - "1234:1234"
    environment:
      - LEMMY_UI_LEMMY_INTERNAL_HOST=lemmy:8536
      - LEMMY_UI_LEMMY_EXTERNAL_HOST=<your-domain>
    restart: unless-stopped
    depends_on:
      - lemmy

  db:
    image: postgres:16-alpine
    environment:
      - POSTGRES_USER=lemmy
      - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=<your-db-password>
      - POSTGRES_DB=lemmy
    volumes:
      - postgres_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data
    restart: unless-stopped

  pictrs:
    image: asonix/pictrs:latest
    environment:
      - PICTRS__SERVER__API_KEY=<your-pictrs-api-key>
    volumes:
      - pictrs_data:/mnt
    restart: unless-stopped

volumes:
  postgres_data:
  pictrs_data:

Environment Configuration

PORTAPI port(default: 8536)

UI_PORTUI port(default: 1234)

DOMAINDomain

DB_PASSWORDDB password

PICTRS_API_KEYPictrs key

Deploy with Docker Compose

Launch the application stack using Docker Compose.

terminal

# Deploy the application
docker compose up -d

# Check container health
docker compose ps

# Monitor logs
docker compose logs -f --tail=100

Open Required Ports

Enable external access by opening the necessary port.

terminal

# Allow the application port through firewall
sudo ufw allow 8536/tcp
sudo ufw reload

# Access your app at:
# http://your-server-ip:8536

Skip the Terminal

There's an easier way. Meet Server Compass.

Deploy Lemmy without touching the command line. Server Compass gives you a clean UI for one-click deployments.

Intuitive dashboard
Deploy in 3 minutes
Free SSL included
Blue-green deploys
Real-time logs
Version history

Download Server Compass$29 one-time • Lifetime license

After Deployment

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

Create lemmy.hjson config

Create communities

Need help? Check out our documentation for detailed guides.

Lemmy FAQ

Common questions about self-hosting Lemmy

How do I deploy Lemmy with Server Compass?

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

Lemmy 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 Lemmy data?

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

How do I update Lemmy to the latest version?

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

Is Lemmy free to self-host?

Lemmy 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.