Palmr

Development512MB+ RAM

Palmr — privacy-first self-hosted file sharing with end-to-end encryption, expiring links, and team workspaces

Download Server Compass Install Palmr to VPS

developmentdevtoolspalmropen-sourceself-hosteddocker

Deploy Palmr in 3 Steps

Connect Your VPS

Add your server credentials to Server Compass

Select Palmr

Choose from our template library

Deploy & Configure

Fill in settings and click Deploy

No Docker knowledge required

Step-by-step deployment guide

Deploy Palmr on a VPS with Server Compass

Use the Palmr template in Server Compass to deploy a privacy-first self-hosted file sharing app with encrypted metadata and expiring share links, then verify the web UI in a browser.

About 10 minutesBrowser verified

Step 1

Open the server Apps tab

Select the tutorial-vps VPS, open the Apps tab, and start a new app deployment. Keep sensitive server details hidden before capturing or sharing screenshots.

Server Compass Apps tab before creating an Palmr app

Step 2

Choose an app template

Click New App and choose the template deployment path so Server Compass can load the built-in catalog.

Choosing to deploy an app from a Server Compass template

Step 3

Search for Palmr

Use the template picker search to find Palmr in the Server Compass template catalog.

Searching for Palmr in the Server Compass template picker

Step 4

Select the Palmr template

Choose the Palmr template. Server Compass fills the web service, host port mapping, encryption key, JWT secret, upload volume, and SQLite data volume.

Palmr template selected in Server Compass

Step 5

Review the Palmr settings

Confirm the app name and web UI port. In this run, the app was named palmr-demo and used host port 4194.

Reviewing Palmr project settings and compose service

Step 6

Deploy Palmr

Review the generated compose settings, confirm the Palmr web port is available, and click Deploy.

Reviewing Palmr web port before deployment

Step 7

Watch the deployment progress

Keep the deployment modal open while Server Compass uploads the compose file, pulls the Palmr image, starts the container, and verifies the stack.

Server Compass deploying the Palmr template on the VPS

Step 8

Confirm Palmr is running

After deployment finishes, return to the Apps tab and confirm the Palmr app is marked Running with its application URL available.

Palmr template running in the Server Compass Apps tab

Step 9

Open Palmr in the browser

Open the application URL in a browser. The Palmr signup or login page confirms the encrypted file sharing service is reachable.

The deployed Palmr web UI loaded in a browser

After Palmr Opens

Create the first account; it becomes the admin account.
Upload a small test file and generate a share link.
Store the encryption key and JWT secret in a password manager before production use.
Use HTTPS before sharing real uploads publicly.

Verified Result

The Palmr web interface loaded successfully from the deployed container.

Download Server Compass Docs

Palmr deployment questions

What does the Palmr template deploy?

It deploys the Palmr web app with persistent upload storage and a SQLite data volume for encrypted file sharing metadata.

Which port did the tutorial use?

The tutorial used host port 4194, which maps to Palmr container port 5487.

Does Palmr need setup after deployment?

Yes. Create the first admin account, upload a small test file, and configure share defaults before production use.

Should this become a blog post?

No. The deployment guide should live on the Palmr template detail page and be linked from the reusable template deployment docs page.

After Deployment

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

Visit http://YOUR_SERVER_IP:{{PORT}} and create the first (admin) account

Upload a small test file and generate a share link to confirm the upload + share flow works

Configure storage limits and expiration defaults under the admin settings page

(Recommended) Attach a real domain via the Domains tab — uploads are sensitive and must be served over HTTPS

Need help? Check out our documentation for detailed guides.

Palmr FAQ

Common questions about self-hosting Palmr

How do I deploy Palmr with Server Compass?

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

Palmr 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 Palmr data?

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

How do I update Palmr to the latest version?

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

Is Palmr free to self-host?

Palmr 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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Ready to Self-Host Palmr?

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