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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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SearXNG
Application256MB+ RAM
Privacy-respecting metasearch engine
searchprivacymetasearch
Deploy SearXNG in 3 Steps
1
Connect Your VPS
Add your server credentials to Server Compass
2
Select SearXNG
Choose from our template library
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Deploy & Configure
Fill in settings and click Deploy
No Docker knowledge required
Step-by-step deployment guide
Deploy SearXNG on a VPS with Server Compass
Use the SearXNG template in Server Compass to deploy a self-hosted privacy-respecting metasearch engine on your VPS, then verify the SearXNG web UI 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 SearXNG
Use the template picker search to find SearXNG in the Server Compass template catalog.
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Step 4Select the SearXNG template
Choose the SearXNG template. Server Compass fills in the SearXNG web service, base URL, and mapped browser port.
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Step 5Review the SearXNG settings
Confirm the app name and compose services. In this run, the app was named searxng-demo and used host port 8080.
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Step 6Deploy SearXNG
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, pulls the SearXNG image, starts the container, and verifies the stack.
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Step 8Confirm SearXNG is running
After deployment finishes, return to the Apps tab and confirm the SearXNG app is marked Running with its application URL available.
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Step 9Open SearXNG in the browser
Open the application URL in a browser. The SearXNG web UI confirms the site is reachable.
After SearXNG Opens
- Add a domain and HTTPS before exposing SearXNG publicly.
- Review SearXNG engine settings and rate limits before production use.
- Restrict access with a reverse proxy or private network if the instance should only serve your team.
SearXNG deployment questions
What does the SearXNG template deploy?
It deploys the SearXNG web application so users can search across multiple engines without tracking by default.
Which port did the tutorial use?
The tutorial used host port 8080, which maps to the SearXNG web service on container port 8080.
Why does the guide stop at the search web UI?
The tutorial verifies the clean SearXNG search page because engine tuning, HTTPS, and access-control choices depend on the production setup.
Should this become a blog post?
No. The deployment guide should live on the SearXNG template detail page and be linked from the reusable template deployment docs page.
Do It Yourself
Deploy SearXNG via Command Line
Prefer the command line? Follow this step-by-step guide to deploy SearXNG 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/searxng
cd ~/apps/searxng3
Set Up Container Configuration
Set up the container stack using this Docker Compose configuration:
docker-compose.yml
services:
searxng:
image: searxng/searxng:latest
ports:
- "8080:8080"
environment:
- SEARXNG_BASE_URL=<your-base-url>
volumes:
- searxng_data:/etc/searxng
cap_drop:
- ALL
cap_add:
- CHOWN
- SETGID
- SETUID
restart: unless-stopped
volumes:
searxng_data:
Configuration Variables
PORTHost port(default: 8080)BASE_URLBase URL4
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 8080/tcp
sudo ufw reload
# Access your app at:
# http://your-server-ip:8080Skip the Terminal
Prefer a visual interface? Use Server Compass.
Deploy SearXNG 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 SearXNG with Server Compass, complete these steps to finish setup
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Test search functionality
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Configure search engines in settings
Need help? Check out our documentation for detailed guides.
SearXNG FAQ
Common questions about self-hosting SearXNG
How do I deploy SearXNG with Server Compass?
Simply download Server Compass, connect to your VPS, and select SearXNG 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 SearXNG?
SearXNG requires a minimum of 256MB 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 SearXNG data?
Yes! Server Compass provides volume mapping that allows you to import existing data. You can also use standard SearXNG backup and restore procedures.
How do I update SearXNG to the latest version?
Server Compass makes updates easy. Simply click the Update button in your deployment dashboard, and the latest SearXNG image will be pulled and deployed with zero downtime.
Is SearXNG free to self-host?
SearXNG 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 SearXNG?
Download Server Compass and deploy SearXNG to your VPS in under 3 minutes. No Docker expertise required.
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