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Step 1Open 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.
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Vaultwarden
Application128MB+ RAM
Lightweight Bitwarden-compatible password manager
passwordsecuritybitwarden-compatible
Deploy Vaultwarden in 3 Steps
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Connect Your VPS
Add your server credentials to Server Compass
2
Select Vaultwarden
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 Vaultwarden on a VPS with Server Compass
Use the Vaultwarden template in Server Compass to deploy a lightweight Bitwarden-compatible password manager on your VPS, then verify the web vault loads in a browser.
About 10 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 Vaultwarden
Use the template picker search to find Vaultwarden in the Server Compass template catalog.
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Step 4Select the Vaultwarden template
Choose the Vaultwarden template. Server Compass fills the Vaultwarden service, persistent data volume, web port, admin token, and signup setting.
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Step 5Review the Vaultwarden settings
Confirm the app name and compose service. In this run, the app was named vaultwarden-demo and used host port 8080.
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Step 6Deploy Vaultwarden
Review the generated environment values, keep the admin token masked, confirm the web 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 Vaultwarden image, starts the container, and verifies the stack.
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Step 8Confirm Vaultwarden is running
After deployment finishes, return to the Apps tab and confirm the Vaultwarden app is marked Running with its application URL available.
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Step 9Open Vaultwarden in the browser
Open the application URL in a browser. The Vaultwarden web vault page confirms the password manager is reachable; on a raw HTTP URL it also reminds you to enable HTTPS before real use.
After Vaultwarden Opens
- Create the first user account while signups are intentionally enabled.
- Disable public signups after creating the intended initial accounts.
- Store the admin token securely and avoid sharing it in screenshots or support tickets.
- Add a domain and HTTPS before storing real passwords.
- Back up the Vaultwarden data volume before relying on it for production credentials.
Verified Result
The Vaultwarden web vault loaded successfully in a browser and displayed the HTTPS requirement notice for the raw HTTP demo URL.
Vaultwarden deployment questions
What does the Vaultwarden template deploy?
It deploys the Vaultwarden server container with a persistent data volume, a web vault exposed on the selected host port, an admin token, and a signup toggle.
Which port did the tutorial use?
The tutorial used host port 8080, which maps to the Vaultwarden web vault on container port 80.
Why does the browser verification stop at the HTTPS notice?
A fresh Vaultwarden deployment is considered reachable when the web vault page loads. On raw HTTP, Vaultwarden may show an HTTPS requirement notice before the login UI because password-manager crypto features require a secure context.
Should this become a blog post?
No. The deployment guide should live on the Vaultwarden template detail page and be linked from the reusable template deployment docs page.
DIY Deployment
Self-Host Vaultwarden with Docker
Take the DIY route and deploy Vaultwarden on your own server using Docker.
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Connect to Your VPS via SSH
Fire up your terminal application and establish a connection to your remote server.
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
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Initialize Project Folder
Create a folder to house your Docker Compose configuration.
terminal
# Create and navigate to project directory
mkdir -p ~/apps/vaultwarden
cd ~/apps/vaultwarden3
Create Docker Configuration
Define your services in a docker-compose.yml file:
docker-compose.yml
services:
vaultwarden:
image: vaultwarden/server:latest
ports:
- "8080:80"
environment:
- ADMIN_TOKEN=<your-admin-token>
- SIGNUPS_ALLOWED=true
volumes:
- vaultwarden_data:/data
restart: unless-stopped
volumes:
vaultwarden_data:
Configurable Options
PORTHost port(default: 8080)ADMIN_TOKENAdmin tokenSIGNUPS_ALLOWEDAllow signups(default: true)4
Execute the Deployment
Start your containers and verify they're running correctly.
terminal
# Launch the stack
docker compose up -d
# Verify container status
docker compose ps
# Follow the logs
docker compose logs --follow5
Allow Network Access
Update UFW rules to allow traffic on the application port.
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
Don't want to type commands? We've got you.
Forget SSH and YAML files. Deploy Vaultwarden visually with Server Compass in just a few clicks.
- 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 Vaultwarden with Server Compass, complete these steps to finish setup
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Set up HTTPS via reverse proxy
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Create account
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Disable signups after setup
Need help? Check out our documentation for detailed guides.
Vaultwarden FAQ
Common questions about self-hosting Vaultwarden
How do I deploy Vaultwarden with Server Compass?
Simply download Server Compass, connect to your VPS, and select Vaultwarden 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 Vaultwarden?
Vaultwarden requires a minimum of 128MB 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 Vaultwarden data?
Yes! Server Compass provides volume mapping that allows you to import existing data. You can also use standard Vaultwarden backup and restore procedures.
How do I update Vaultwarden to the latest version?
Server Compass makes updates easy. Simply click the Update button in your deployment dashboard, and the latest Vaultwarden image will be pulled and deployed with zero downtime.
Is Vaultwarden free to self-host?
Vaultwarden 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 Vaultwarden?
Download Server Compass and deploy Vaultwarden to your VPS in under 3 minutes. No Docker expertise required.
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