Obsidian

Application1024MB+ RAM

Note-taking app accessible via web browser with vault sync

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notesmarkdownknowledge-management

Deploy Obsidian in 3 Steps

Connect Your VPS

Add your server credentials to Server Compass

Select Obsidian

Choose from our template library

Deploy & Configure

Fill in settings and click Deploy

No Docker knowledge required

Video Tutorials

Learn How to Deploy Obsidian

All tutorials

Self Host Obsidian Sync Alternative on VPS — Own Your Notes Forever

Learn how to self-host an Obsidian Sync alternative on your own VPS so you can sync your notes across all devices without paying for a subscription.

Watch tutorial

Command Line Setup

Install Obsidian Manually

Set up Obsidian yourself using Docker Compose and the command line.

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-ip

First time? Make sure Docker is installed on your VPS. Run: curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh

Set Up the Deployment Folder

Initialize a project folder on your server.

terminal

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

Set Up the Stack Definition

Use this Docker Compose configuration for your deployment:

docker-compose.yml

services:
  obsidian:
    image: lscr.io/linuxserver/obsidian:latest
    security_opt:
      - seccomp:unconfined
    ports:
      - "3000:3000"
    environment:
      - PUID=1000
      - PGID=1000
      - TZ=UTC
    volumes:
      - obsidian_config:/config
    shm_size: "1gb"
    restart: unless-stopped

volumes:
  obsidian_config:

Configuration Options

PORTHTTP port to expose(default: 3000)

TIMEZONEServer timezone(default: UTC)

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 -f

Set Up Firewall Rules

Allow the application port through your server's firewall.

terminal

# Allow the application port through firewall
sudo ufw allow 3000/tcp
sudo ufw reload

# Access your app at:
# http://your-server-ip:3000

Skip the Terminal

Let Server Compass do the heavy lifting.

No terminal needed. Deploy Obsidian through a visual dashboard with automatic configuration.

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 Obsidian with Server Compass, complete these steps to finish setup

Access Obsidian via HTTPS

Create or open a vault

Need help? Check out our documentation for detailed guides.

Obsidian FAQ

Common questions about self-hosting Obsidian

How do I deploy Obsidian with Server Compass?

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

Obsidian 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 Obsidian data?

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

How do I update Obsidian to the latest version?

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

Is Obsidian free to self-host?

Obsidian 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.