How to Install Paperless-ngx on AlmaLinux 9

Paperless-ngx on AlmaLinux 9 (Docker Compose + PostgreSQL + Redis + Nginx + SSL)

Paperless-ngx is a powerful, open-source document management system (DMS) that helps you scan, organize, and search digital documents in a private, self-hosted environment. It automatically processes and indexes files using OCR (Optical Character Recognition), allowing you to find documents instantly by content. With support for multi-user access, email imports, tags, and cloud storage integration, Paperless-ngx transforms your workflow into a fully digital archive with complete control over your data.

Running Paperless-ngx on AlmaLinux 9, a RHEL-compatible enterprise-grade operating system, ensures stability, long-term support, and strong security for production use. Combined with Docker Compose, PostgreSQL, Redis, and Nginx + SSL, this setup provides a scalable and resilient document management platform suitable for both personal and professional environments.

Architecture Overview

Layer	Component	Role
OS	AlmaLinux 9	RHEL-compatible enterprise Linux distribution
Container Runtime	Docker Engine + Compose	Orchestrates Paperless-ngx and its dependent services
Application	Paperless-ngx (Django)	Core web interface and backend document management logic
Database	PostgreSQL 15	Stores metadata, user information, and tags
Cache/Queue	Redis	Manages background processing, caching, and async task queues
Reverse Proxy	Nginx	Handles HTTPS termination, routing, and compression
TLS	Let’s Encrypt / PKI	Provides secure HTTPS encryption

Why Use Paperless-ngx?

Automated OCR processing – converts scanned PDFs and images into searchable text.
Smart document categorization – auto-tags and sorts files based on rules.
Full-text search – find any document in seconds.
Email and folder import – ingest documents automatically from multiple sources.
Multi-user system – ideal for families, offices, or enterprise setups.
Web-based UI – intuitive, responsive, and optimized for all devices.
Open-source and self-hosted – keep full control of your data and privacy.

Paperless-ngx vs Other Document Management Solutions

Feature/Capability	Paperless-ngx (Self-hosted)	Mayan EDMS	Nextcloud	Zoho WorkDrive
Hosting	Self-hosted / Docker	Self-hosted	Cloud / Self-hosted	Cloud only
OCR Support	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No	❌ No
Tagging & Filters	✅ Yes	✅ Partial	❌ No	✅ Partial
Multi-user Support	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Privacy	100% local control	100% local	Partial	Cloud only
Cost	Free, open-source	Free	Free/Paid	Paid

Paperless-ngx delivers enterprise-level capabilities with the freedom of open source, making it the top choice for organizations and users seeking a private, cost-effective DMS.

Security & Best Practices

Deploy behind Nginx with HTTPS (Let’s Encrypt or corporate SSL).
Store credentials securely in .env or Docker secrets.
Limit PostgreSQL and Redis to internal Docker networks.
Enable SELinux enforcing and allow only ports 80/443 through firewalld.
Keep AlmaLinux, Docker, and Paperless-ngx images regularly updated.
Automate SSL renewals using Certbot or Traefik ACME.
Schedule PostgreSQL and media backups for disaster recovery.
Apply strict file permissions to upload and consumption directories.
Use strong passwords and rotate secret keys periodically.

Typical Use Cases

Personal DMS – organize and search personal bills, receipts, and letters.
Small businesses – manage contracts, invoices, and reports efficiently.
Law offices & accountants – create searchable, secure client document repositories.
Educational institutions – maintain academic and administrative records.
Healthcare and NGOs – archive sensitive documents with compliance in mind.
Remote or hybrid teams – share and access documents securely from anywhere.

Deploying Paperless-ngx on AlmaLinux 9 with Docker Compose, PostgreSQL, Redis, and Nginx provides a robust, scalable, and private document management platform — turning piles of paper into a searchable, structured, and accessible digital archive that grows with your organization.

Create a Cloud Server Instance on Shape.Host

Before beginning the installation, you need a fresh AlmaLinux 9 server.
Follow these steps to deploy one on Shape.Host Cloud VPS:

Visit https://shape.host and log into your account.

Click “Create” in the top-right corner.

Choose “Instance” from the menu.

Select a server location close to you or your users.

Under Operating System, select AlmaLinux 9 (64-bit).

Choose a hosting plan — recommended minimum:

2 vCPUs

4 GB RAM

20 GB NVMe/SSD storage

Click Create Instance.

Wait ~30 seconds for deployment.

Copy the server’s public IP address from the dashboard.

You now have an AlmaLinux 9 server ready for installation.

Step 1: Update System Packages

dnf update

This ensures your AlmaLinux system is up to date with the latest security patches and software versions.

Step 2: Install Required Tools

dnf install curl git tar

These tools are needed for downloading files, cloning repositories, and extracting packages.

curl → downloads files from the internet
git → version control tool (useful for future updates)
tar → extracts archives

Step 3: Add Docker CE Repository

dnf config-manager --add-repo https://download.docker.com/linux/centos/docker-ce.repo

This adds the official Docker repository so you can install the latest stable version of Docker on AlmaLinux.

Step 4: Install Docker Engine + Docker Compose

dnf install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin

This installs:

Docker Engine (core container runtime)
Docker CLI tools (docker)
containerd (container runtime backend)
Buildx plugin
Docker Compose v2 (enables docker compose)

Step 5: Enable Docker on Boot

systemctl enable docker

This ensures Docker starts automatically every time the server boots.

Step 6: Start Docker

systemctl start docker

Starts the Docker service immediately.

Step 7: Check Docker Compose Version

docker compose version

If this returns a version number, Docker Compose is installed correctly.

Step 8: Create Paperless-ngx Directory

mkdir -p /opt/paperless
cd /opt/paperless

This creates a new folder for all Paperless-ngx files and navigates into it.

Step 9: Generate a Secret Key

openssl rand -base64 32

This generates a secure SECRET_KEY required by Paperless-ngx.
Copy it — you will paste it into the Docker Compose file.

Step 10: Create the Docker Compose Configuration

nano /opt/paperless/docker-compose.yml

Paste your exact configuration:

services:

  redis:
    image: redis:7
    container_name: paperless_redis
    restart: unless-stopped

  db:
    image: postgres:15
    container_name: paperless_db
    restart: unless-stopped
    environment:
      POSTGRES_DB: paperless
      POSTGRES_USER: paperless
      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: strongpassword
    volumes:
      - db-data:/var/lib/postgresql/data

  webserver:
    image: ghcr.io/paperless-ngx/paperless-ngx:latest
    container_name: paperless_web
    depends_on:
      - db
      - redis
    ports:
      - "8000:8000"
    restart: unless-stopped
    environment:
      PAPERLESS_REDIS: redis://redis:6379
      PAPERLESS_DBHOST: db
      PAPERLESS_DBNAME: paperless
      PAPERLESS_DBUSER: paperless
      PAPERLESS_DBPASS: strongpassword
      PAPERLESS_SECRET_KEY: "PASTE_YOUR_SECRET_KEY_HERE"
      PAPERLESS_URL: "https://your-domain.com"
      PAPERLESS_TIME_ZONE: "Europe/Bucharest"
    volumes:
      - data:/usr/src/paperless/data
      - media:/usr/src/paperless/media
      - consume:/usr/src/paperless/consume

volumes:
  db-data:
  data:
  media:
  consume:

What each service does:

redis → handles task queues
db (PostgreSQL) → stores metadata and document information
webserver → the main Paperless-ngx application
volumes → persistent storage for DB, media, and ingested files

Save & exit:
CTRL + O → ENTER → CTRL + X

Step 11: Launch Paperless-ngx

docker compose up -d

This downloads the required images and starts all containers in the background.

Step 12: Verify Running Containers

docker ps

You should see:

paperless_web
paperless_db
paperless_redis

with “Up” status.

Step 13: Access Paperless-ngx

Open your browser and visit:

http://YOUR_SERVER_IP:8000

Paperless-ngx is now running successfully!

You now have a fully operational Paperless-ngx setup on AlmaLinux 9 using Docker.

This setup is production-ready, easy to maintain, and ideal for document automation and archiving.

For hosting production applications like Paperless-ngx, a reliable VPS platform is essential.

Shape.Host provides:

High-performance NVMe storage
Fast deployment times
Global data center locations
Clean, minimal OS images ideal for Docker
Affordable pricing for both small and large deployments

Whether you’re self-hosting productivity tools, automation systems, or business applications, Shape.Host Linux SSD VPS is optimized for secure and scalable deployments.

Cloud Instances

Standard

CPU-Optimized

Memory-Optimized

Storage & Networking

Volumes

Load Balancers

Extra IPs

Server Locations

Advanced Networking

Backup

Control Panel

Operating Systems