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Rocket.Chat logo

Rocket.Chat

Application1024MB+ RAM

Team collaboration platform with chat, video, and file sharing

chatcollaborationslack-alternative

Deploy Rocket.Chat in 3 Steps

1

Connect Your VPS

Add your server credentials to Server Compass

2

Select Rocket.Chat

Choose from our template library

3

Deploy & Configure

Fill in settings and click Deploy

No Docker knowledge required
Step-by-step deployment guide

Deploy Rocket.Chat on a VPS with Server Compass

Use the Rocket.Chat template in Server Compass to deploy a self-hosted open-source team chat platform with MongoDB replica set on your VPS, then verify the Rocket.Chat web UI in a browser.

About 7 minutesBrowser verified
1
Step 1

Open 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.

Server Compass Apps tab before creating a Rocket.Chat app
2
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
3
Step 3

Search for Rocket.Chat

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

Searching for Rocket.Chat in the Server Compass template picker
4
Step 4

Select the Rocket.Chat template

Choose the Rocket.Chat template. Server Compass fills the Rocket.Chat image, host port, public URL and persistent MongoDB data volume.

Rocket.Chat template selected in Server Compass
5
Step 5

Review the Rocket.Chat settings

Confirm the app name and compose services. In this run, the app was named rocketchat-demo and used host port 3000.

Reviewing Rocket.Chat project settings and compose services
6
Step 6

Deploy Rocket.Chat

Review the generated environment values, confirm the port is available, and click Deploy Now.

Reviewing Rocket.Chat environment variables and port before deployment
7
Step 7

Watch the deployment progress

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

Server Compass deploying the Rocket.Chat template on the VPS
8
Step 8

Confirm Rocket.Chat is running

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

Rocket.Chat template running in the Server Compass Apps tab
9
Step 9

Open Rocket.Chat in the browser

Open the application URL in a browser. The Rocket.Chat web UI confirms the site is reachable.

The deployed Rocket.Chat web UI loaded in a browser

After Rocket.Chat Opens

  • Complete the Rocket.Chat setup wizard and create the first admin account before production use.
  • Configure channels, HTTPS, email, and user access before production use.
  • Add a domain and HTTPS before exposing the Rocket.Chat setup wizard to users.
  • Back up the Rocket.Chat MongoDB volume before relying on it for production chat.

Verified Result

The Rocket.Chat web UI loaded successfully in a browser.

Rocket.Chat deployment questions

What does the Rocket.Chat template deploy?

It deploys Rocket.Chat with a MongoDB replica set and persistent database storage.

Which port did the tutorial use?

The tutorial used host port 3000, which maps to the Rocket.Chat web server on container port 3000.

Why does the guide stop at the first-run web UI?

The tutorial verifies the clean first-run web UI because real users, channels, integrations, and access rules depend on the production server.

Should this become a blog post?

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

Terminal Deployment

Rocket.Chat CLI Deployment

Deploy Rocket.Chat the traditional way with SSH and Docker Compose.

1

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-ip

First time? Need Docker? Install it: curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh

2

Prepare Your Workspace

Set up a clean directory for your application.

terminal
# Create and navigate to project directory
mkdir -p ~/apps/rocketchat
cd ~/apps/rocketchat
3

Set Up Container Configuration

Set up the container stack using this Docker Compose configuration:

docker-compose.yml
services:
  rocketchat:
    image: rocket.chat:latest
    ports:
      - "3000:3000"
    environment:
      - ROOT_URL=<your-root-url>
      - MONGO_URL=mongodb://mongodb:27017/rocketchat?replicaSet=rs0
      - MONGO_OPLOG_URL=mongodb://mongodb:27017/local?replicaSet=rs0
    restart: unless-stopped
    depends_on:
      - mongodb

  mongodb:
    image: mongo:7
    command: mongod --replSet rs0 --oplogSize 128
    volumes:
      - mongodb_data:/data/db
    restart: unless-stopped

  mongo-init:
    image: mongo:7
    command: mongosh --host mongodb --eval "rs.initiate({_id:'rs0',members:[{_id:0,host:'mongodb:27017'}]})"
    depends_on:
      - mongodb
    restart: "no"

volumes:
  mongodb_data:
Deployment Settings
PORTHost port(default: 3000)
ROOT_URLPublic URL
4

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 -f
5

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:3000
Skip the Terminal

Prefer a visual interface? Use Server Compass.

Server Compass makes deploying Rocket.Chat effortless. Visual setup, one-click deploy, done.

  • 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 Rocket.Chat with Server Compass, complete these steps to finish setup

1

Complete setup wizard

2

Create channels and users

Need help? Check out our documentation for detailed guides.

Rocket.Chat FAQ

Common questions about self-hosting Rocket.Chat

How do I deploy Rocket.Chat with Server Compass?

Simply download Server Compass, connect to your VPS, and select Rocket.Chat 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 Rocket.Chat?

Rocket.Chat 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 Rocket.Chat data?

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

How do I update Rocket.Chat to the latest version?

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

Is Rocket.Chat free to self-host?

Rocket.Chat 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 Rocket.Chat?

Download Server Compass and deploy Rocket.Chat to your VPS in under 3 minutes. No Docker expertise required.

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