VPS

Run Composery on any Docker-capable Linux server - Hetzner (cheapest), a DigitalOcean Droplet (the most common n8n choice), Hostinger, Vultr, Contabo, Linode, or your own box. Install Docker, then choose two things: the init system, and whether Composery owns its TLS edge.

For a dashboard over Docker instead of raw Compose (Coolify, Dokploy, CapRover) or a fully managed VM (Elestio), see Other PaaS & self-hosted platforms.

• Init - systemd runs as PID 1 (the closest shape to Composery Cloud; needs a privileged container with host cgroup access) or supervisor (works on any host, including rootless or locked-down ones). Selected by COMPOSERY_INIT in compose.yml.
• TLS - bundle Caddy for automatic HTTPS when Composery owns the domain, or run with no proxy when your own reverse proxy or a platform terminates TLS.

That gives four recipes:

If unsure: a VPS with a domain wants a Caddy variant; use systemd when the host allows privileged containers and host cgroups, otherwise supervisor.

One-paste install (cloud-init)

To skip the SSH steps entirely, paste templates/user-data/user-data.yaml into the server's user data field when you create it (DigitalOcean, Hetzner, Vultr, Linode, ...). Point DNS at the server and set your domain in the file first; the server boots with Composery behind Caddy over HTTPS. It installs Docker and runs the supervisor + Caddy recipe on first boot.

Deploy (Caddy variants)

1. Point DNS A/AAAA records at the server; open inbound TCP 80 and 443.
2. Install Docker Compose.
3. Copy the recipe folder, then edit Caddyfile (your domain) and, optionally, composery.env (pre-register a password).
4. docker compose up -d.

Open https://<your-domain>/ide/.

Deploy (no-proxy variants)

docker compose up -d

This serves plaintext HTTP on 8080. Do not expose it to the public internet without TLS in front - either put a reverse proxy that terminates HTTPS ahead of 8080, or bind it to localhost only ("127.0.0.1:8080:8080" in compose.yml) and route from your proxy.

For a one-off trial without Compose:

docker run -d --name composery -p 8080:8080 -v composery_data:/data \
  ghcr.io/sloikodavid/composery:latest

Notes

• systemd variants require a privileged container with host cgroup access.
• State is stored in the composery_data Docker volume; Caddy certificate state in caddy_data.
• Register the initial password in the browser on first visit, or set COMPOSERY_PASSWORD / COMPOSERY_HASHED_PASSWORD in composery.env (single-quote values containing $). See Configuration.
• Upgrade with docker compose pull && docker compose up -d. Back up composery_data before major upgrades.