How to Install Appwrite with Docker on Ubuntu 24.04

Appwrite with Docker on Ubuntu 24.04 (Nginx + SSL)

Appwrite is a secure, self-hosted backend-as-a-service (BaaS) platform designed to speed up app development. It provides a full suite of backend APIs — including authentication, databases, storage, functions, and real-time APIs — all accessible through REST or GraphQL. With Appwrite, developers can focus on building frontends while relying on a powerful, ready-to-use backend.

Running Appwrite with Docker ensures simple deployment and consistent environments, since all services (API server, database, queue, storage) are containerized. With Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Noble Numbat), you get a modern, secure, and long-supported foundation, featuring systemd 255, updated OpenSSL 3, and the latest Docker packages — perfect for production-grade deployments.

Architecture Overview

Layer	Component	Role
OS	Ubuntu 24.04 LTS	Stable, secure foundation with long-term support
Runtime	Docker Engine + Compose	Runs Appwrite’s multi-container stack
Application	Appwrite Core Services	Provides APIs for auth, DB, storage, functions, messaging, and more
Database	MariaDB (default) / PostgreSQL	Stores user data, projects, configs
Cache/Queue	Redis	Caching and background task management
Reverse Proxy	Nginx (built-in container)	TLS termination, routing, load handling
TLS	Let’s Encrypt / PKI	HTTPS access for APIs and Appwrite console

Why Use Appwrite?

Backend-as-a-Service – instantly get APIs for auth, DB, storage, and functions.
Self-hosted – keep full control of your data, unlike SaaS BaaS solutions (Firebase, Supabase cloud).
Modern APIs – REST and GraphQL endpoints for easy frontend integration.
Secure & extensible – RBAC, OAuth2, JWT tokens, rate limiting, and custom cloud functions.
Docker-first deployment – consistent, easy to set up, scale, and maintain.

Appwrite vs Other BaaS Platforms

Feature/Capability	Appwrite (Self-hosted)	Firebase (Google)	Supabase	Hasura
Hosting model	Self-hosted (Docker)	Fully managed SaaS	Cloud + self-host	Cloud + self-host
Database	MariaDB / PostgreSQL	Firestore	PostgreSQL	PostgreSQL only
APIs	REST + GraphQL	Proprietary SDKs	REST + GraphQL	GraphQL only
Auth	Built-in (RBAC, OAuth)	Google Identity	Auth service	External providers
Extensibility	Functions (Node, Deno)	Cloud Functions	Edge Functions	Custom resolvers

Appwrite shines if you want the power of Firebase but with self-hosting, full control, and no vendor lock-in.

Security & Best Practices

Always run Appwrite behind HTTPS; Let’s Encrypt integration is supported.
Store secrets in environment variables; avoid committing .env files.
Restrict external exposure with UFW/nftables, allowing only ports 80/443.
Use RBAC and JWT-based tokens to secure APIs.
Keep Docker images (appwrite/appwrite, redis, mariadb) updated.
Use external object storage (MinIO, S3, GCS) for production-grade file hosting.
Enable logging, monitoring, and automated backups of the database.

Typical Use Cases

Web and mobile apps needing backend APIs without building from scratch.
Firebase alternative for teams who need data sovereignty.
Prototyping and MVPs with rapid backend setup.
Enterprise apps that require on-premises control and compliance.
Custom SaaS platforms built on top of Appwrite APIs.

1. Create a Shape.Host VPS Instance

Click “Create” → “Instance”.

Choose your preferred server location.

Shape.host instance form with the data center location selector highlighted.

Select Ubuntu 24.04 (64-bit) as the operating system.

Pick a plan with at least 2 CPUs, 4 GB RAM, and 20 GB SSD.

Shape.host instance form with the operating system image selector highlighted.

Click “Create Instance”.

Shape.host instance form with the Create Instance button highlighted.

Copy the server IP address from the Resources section.

Shape.host Resources dashboard with the server IP address highlighted.

2. Connect to Your VPS

On Linux/macOS

ssh root@your-server-ip

On Windows

On Windows 10/11 PowerShell: ssh root@your-server-ip
On older Windows, install PuTTY and log in as root using your server IP.

3. Update System and Install Prerequisites

Update repositories:

apt update

Upgrade installed packages:

apt upgrade

Terminal showing APT package management commands and output.

Install required tools:

apt install apt-transport-https ca-certificates curl gnupg lsb-release

4. Install Docker and Docker Compose

Add Docker’s GPG key:

curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/docker.gpg

Add Docker repository for Ubuntu 24.04 (Noble):

echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture)] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu noble stable" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list

Update repositories and install Docker:

apt update
apt install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin

Enable and start Docker:

systemctl enable --now docker

Verify versions:

docker --version
docker compose version

Terminal showing systemd service management commands or output.

5. Install Appwrite

Create Appwrite directory:

mkdir -p /opt/appwrite
cd /opt/appwrite

Run the Appwrite installation container:

docker run -it --rm \
  --volume /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock \
  --volume "$(pwd)"/appwrite:/usr/src/code/appwrite:rw \
  --entrypoint="install" \
  appwrite/appwrite:latest

Terminal showing container image download progress.

This generates the docker-compose.yml and .env files.

Generate a secure OpenSSL key:

openssl rand -base64 32

Check generated files:

ls -l /opt/appwrite/appwrite

You should see docker-compose.yml, .env, and related config files.

Terminal showing docker commands or output during Install Appwrite.

6. Configure Appwrite

Edit the .env file:

nano /opt/appwrite/appwrite/.env

Update these values:

_APP_ENV=production
_APP_OPENSSL_KEY_V1=PasteTheKeyYouGenerated
_APP_DOMAIN=appwrite.example.com
_APP_DOMAIN_TARGET=appwrite.example.com
_APP_ADMIN_EMAIL=admin@example.com
_APP_ADMIN_NAME=Administrator

7. Start Appwrite

Move into the Appwrite directory:

cd /opt/appwrite/appwrite

Start services:

docker compose up -d

Check container status:

docker compose ps

Terminal showing Docker Compose image downloads and container startup output.

View logs:

docker compose logs --no-color --tail=200

Terminal showing kernel network settings and sysctl commands.

8. Access Appwrite

Now open your browser and visit:

http://appwrite.example.com

This tutorial was built and tested on a Shape.Host Cloud VPS.

With Shape.Host, you get:

High-performance Cloud VPS servers worldwide
Support for Ubuntu, Debian, Rocky Linux, and AlmaLinux
Instant scaling of CPU, RAM, and storage
Reliable backups, snapshots, and monitoring

Start your Appwrite project today at https://shape.host.