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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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PostHog
Application2048MB+ RAM
Product analytics with session recordings and feature flags
analyticsproductsession-recordingfeature-flags
Deploy PostHog in 3 Steps
1
Connect Your VPS
Add your server credentials to Server Compass
2
Select PostHog
Choose from our template library
3
Deploy & Configure
Fill in settings and click Deploy
No Docker knowledge required
Step-by-step deployment guide
Deploy PostHog on a VPS with Server Compass
Use the PostHog template in Server Compass to deploy the official self-hosted hobby stack with PostgreSQL, Redis, ClickHouse, Redpanda, Temporal, object storage, and PostHog services on your VPS, then verify the web UI in a browser.
About 12 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 PostHog
Use the template picker search to find PostHog in the Server Compass template catalog.
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Step 4Select the PostHog template
Choose the PostHog template. Server Compass fills the host port, public domain, generated secrets, official image settings, and proxy values used by the generated hobby stack.
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Step 5Review the PostHog settings
Confirm the app name and compose services. In this run, the app was named posthog-demo and used host port 4800.
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Step 6Deploy PostHog
Review the generated environment values, 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, prepares the official PostHog hobby files, pulls the service images, starts the containers, and verifies the stack.
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Step 8Confirm PostHog is running
After deployment finishes, return to the Apps tab and confirm the PostHog app is marked Running with its application URL available.
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Step 9Open PostHog in the browser
Open the application URL in a browser. The PostHog preflight web UI confirms the site is reachable and core services are responding.
After PostHog Opens
- Create the first PostHog account and organization before production use.
- Configure product event ingestion, HTTPS, email, and user access before production use.
- Add a domain and HTTPS before exposing the analytics dashboard to users.
- Back up the PostHog PostgreSQL and ClickHouse volumes before relying on it for production analytics.
Verified Result
The PostHog preflight web UI loaded successfully in Chromium at http://167.233.138.53:4800/.
PostHog deployment questions
What does the PostHog template deploy?
It deploys the official PostHog hobby stack, including PostHog web/worker services, PostgreSQL, Redis, ClickHouse, Redpanda, Temporal, object storage, Browserless, and supporting ingestion services.
Which port did the tutorial use?
The tutorial used host port 4800, which maps to the PostHog Caddy proxy on container port 80.
Why does the guide stop at the preflight web UI?
The tutorial verifies a clean first-run deployment because real analytics events, users, projects, and access settings depend on your production server.
Should this become a blog post?
No. The deployment guide should live on the PostHog template detail page and be linked from the reusable template deployment docs page.
Manual Deployment Guide
Manual PostHog Setup
For terminal enthusiasts: deploy PostHog manually with these simple steps.
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Connect to Your Remote Server
Begin by establishing a secure connection to your server through the terminal.
terminal
# Access your VPS
ssh root@YOUR_SERVER_IP
# With SSH key authentication
ssh -i ~/.ssh/your-private-key root@YOUR_SERVER_IPFirst time? Ensure Docker is installed first: curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh
2
Set Up Your App Folder
Create a dedicated folder for your application files.
terminal
# Create and navigate to project directory
mkdir -p ~/apps/posthog
cd ~/apps/posthog3
Set Up Docker Compose
Create the following docker-compose.yml in your project directory:
docker-compose.yml
services:
posthog:
image: posthog/posthog:latest
ports:
- "8000:8000"
environment:
- DATABASE_URL=postgres://posthog:<your-db-password>@db:5432/posthog
- REDIS_URL=redis://redis:6379
- SECRET_KEY=<your-secret-key>
- SITE_URL=<your-site-url>
restart: unless-stopped
depends_on:
- db
- redis
- clickhouse
db:
image: postgres:16-alpine
environment:
- POSTGRES_USER=posthog
- POSTGRES_PASSWORD=<your-db-password>
- POSTGRES_DB=posthog
volumes:
- postgres_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data
restart: unless-stopped
redis:
image: redis:7-alpine
restart: unless-stopped
clickhouse:
image: clickhouse/clickhouse-server:latest
volumes:
- clickhouse_data:/var/lib/clickhouse
restart: unless-stopped
volumes:
postgres_data:
clickhouse_data:
Environment Configuration
PORTHost port(default: 8000)SITE_URLSite URLSECRET_KEYSecret keyDB_PASSWORDDB password4
Spin Up the Stack
Run Docker Compose to launch your application.
terminal
# Launch the stack
docker compose up -d
# Verify container status
docker compose ps
# Follow the logs
docker compose logs --follow5
Open the Application Port
Configure UFW to allow traffic to your application.
terminal
# Allow the application port through firewall
sudo ufw allow 8000/tcp
sudo ufw reload
# Access your app at:
# http://your-server-ip:8000Skip the Terminal
Make it simple with Server Compass.
Deploy PostHog without touching the command line. Server Compass gives you a clean UI for one-click deployments.
- No terminal required
- Point-and-click setup
- Auto SSL certificates
- Rolling deployments
- Health monitoring
- Instant rollbacks
Download Server Compass$29 one-time • Lifetime license
After Deployment
After deploying PostHog with Server Compass, complete these steps to finish setup
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Create admin account
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Create project
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Install tracking snippet
Need help? Check out our documentation for detailed guides.
PostHog FAQ
Common questions about self-hosting PostHog
How do I deploy PostHog with Server Compass?
Simply download Server Compass, connect to your VPS, and select PostHog 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 PostHog?
PostHog requires a minimum of 2048MB RAM. We recommend a VPS with at least 4096MB RAM for optimal performance. Any modern Linux server with Docker support will work.
Can I migrate my existing PostHog data?
Yes! Server Compass provides volume mapping that allows you to import existing data. You can also use standard PostHog backup and restore procedures.
How do I update PostHog to the latest version?
Server Compass makes updates easy. Simply click the Update button in your deployment dashboard, and the latest PostHog image will be pulled and deployed with zero downtime.
Is PostHog free to self-host?
PostHog 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 PostHog?
Download Server Compass and deploy PostHog to your VPS in under 3 minutes. No Docker expertise required.
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