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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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Outline
Application512MB+ RAM
Team knowledge base and wiki
wikiknowledge-baseteamcollaboration
Deploy Outline in 3 Steps
1
Connect Your VPS
Add your server credentials to Server Compass
2
Select Outline
Choose from our template library
3
Deploy & Configure
Fill in settings and click Deploy
No Docker knowledge required
Step-by-step deployment guide
Deploy Outline on a VPS with Server Compass
Use the Outline template in Server Compass to deploy a self-hosted beautiful wiki and knowledge base for teams on your VPS, then verify the Outline sign-in screen 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.
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Step 3Search for Outline
Use the template picker search to find Outline in the Server Compass template catalog.
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Step 4Select the Outline template
Choose the Outline template. Server Compass fills the Outline image, PostgreSQL and Redis services, database settings, and required secret value.
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Step 5Review the Outline settings
Confirm the app name and compose services. In this run, the app was named outline-demo and used host port 3000.
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Step 6Deploy Outline
Review the generated environment values, keep the database password masked, 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 Outline and PostgreSQL and Redis images, starts the containers, and verifies the stack.
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Step 8Confirm Outline is running
After deployment finishes, return to the Apps tab and confirm the Outline app is marked Running with its application URL available.
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Step 9Open Outline in the browser
Click Open Application or open the application URL in a browser. The Outline sign-in screen confirms the deployed app is reachable and ready for SSO configuration.
After Outline Opens
- Configure a supported SSO provider before inviting users.
- Keep the database password masked in screenshots and docs.
- Add a domain and HTTPS before inviting users or publishing content publicly.
- Create roles and permissions before publishing editorial workflows.
- Back up the PostgreSQL data volume before storing production documentation.
Verified Result
The Outline app loaded successfully in a browser and displayed the sign-in screen.
Outline deployment questions
What does the Outline template deploy?
It deploys Outline 2 with a PostgreSQL 16 database and a persistent database volume.
Which port did the tutorial use?
The tutorial used host port 3000, which maps to the Outline web server on container port 3000.
Why does the browser verification stop at the sign-in screen?
A fresh Outline deployment is considered reachable when the sign-in screen loads. Continuing further requires SSO configuration, so the public guide verifies the safe pre-sign-in screen.
Should this become a blog post?
No. The deployment guide should live on the Outline template detail page and be linked from the reusable template deployment docs page.
Do It Yourself
Deploy Outline via Command Line
Prefer the command line? Follow this step-by-step guide to deploy Outline manually on your VPS.
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Start a Secure Shell Session
Open your terminal and connect to your server. Replace the IP address with your VPS IP.
terminal
# SSH into your server
ssh root@your-server-ip
# Using a custom SSH key
ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa root@your-server-ipFirst time? Need Docker? Install it: curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh
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Prepare Your Workspace
Set up a clean directory for your application.
terminal
# Create and navigate to project directory
mkdir -p ~/apps/outline
cd ~/apps/outline3
Set Up Container Configuration
Set up the container stack using this Docker Compose configuration:
docker-compose.yml
services:
outline:
image: outlinewiki/outline:latest
ports:
- "3000:3000"
environment:
- SECRET_KEY=<your-secret-key>
- UTILS_SECRET=<your-utils-secret>
- DATABASE_URL=postgres://outline:<your-db-password>@db:5432/outline
- PGSSLMODE=disable
- REDIS_URL=redis://redis:6379
- URL=<your-url>
- FILE_STORAGE=local
volumes:
- outline_data:/var/lib/outline/data
restart: unless-stopped
depends_on:
- db
- redis
db:
image: postgres:16-alpine
environment:
- POSTGRES_USER=outline
- POSTGRES_PASSWORD=<your-db-password>
- POSTGRES_DB=outline
volumes:
- postgres_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data
restart: unless-stopped
redis:
image: redis:7-alpine
restart: unless-stopped
volumes:
outline_data:
postgres_data:
Configuration Variables
PORTHost port(default: 3000)URLPublic URLSECRET_KEYSecret keyUTILS_SECRETUtils secretDB_PASSWORDDB password4
Bring Up the Application
Launch your application stack in the background.
terminal
# Start the containers in detached mode
docker compose up -d
# Check if containers are running
docker compose ps
# View logs
docker compose logs -f5
Configure Firewall
Configure your firewall to permit external connections.
terminal
# Allow the application port through firewall
sudo ufw allow 3000/tcp
sudo ufw reload
# Access your app at:
# http://your-server-ip:3000Skip the Terminal
Prefer a visual interface? Use Server Compass.
Deploy Outline with a beautiful UI instead. No SSH, no YAML editing, no terminal commands. Just click, configure, and deploy in under 3 minutes.
- Visual configuration UI
- One-click deployment
- Automatic SSL setup
- Zero-downtime updates
- Built-in monitoring
- One-click rollbacks
Download Server Compass$29 one-time • Lifetime license
After Deployment
After deploying Outline with Server Compass, complete these steps to finish setup
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Configure SSO provider
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Create workspaces and documents
Need help? Check out our documentation for detailed guides.
Outline FAQ
Common questions about self-hosting Outline
How do I deploy Outline with Server Compass?
Simply download Server Compass, connect to your VPS, and select Outline 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 Outline?
Outline 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 Outline data?
Yes! Server Compass provides volume mapping that allows you to import existing data. You can also use standard Outline backup and restore procedures.
How do I update Outline to the latest version?
Server Compass makes updates easy. Simply click the Update button in your deployment dashboard, and the latest Outline image will be pulled and deployed with zero downtime.
Is Outline free to self-host?
Outline 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.
Ready to Self-Host Outline?
Download Server Compass and deploy Outline to your VPS in under 3 minutes. No Docker expertise required.
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