Quickly Setting Up and Installing Coolify on a Low-Cost Racknerd Server

Hardware Preparation

• Racknerd Server: Ensure you have purchased a low-cost server from Racknerd and it is ready for configuration.
• Network Connection: Ensure the server can connect to the internet via Ethernet.

Software Preparation

• Operating System: Choose a Linux distribution suitable for your server, such as Ubuntu Server or Debian.
• Docker: Ensure Docker and Docker Compose are installed in the operating system.

Step-by-Step Guide

Purchase and Set Up Racknerd Server

1. Visit Racknerd's website and select a low-cost server plan that meets your requirements.
2. Complete the purchase process and wait for Racknerd to provision your server.
3. Once your server is ready, log in via SSH using the provided credentials.

Install the Operating System

1. Update the server's firmware if necessary and ensure it is up-to-date.
2. Install a Linux distribution suitable for your server, such as Ubuntu Server or Debian. You can typically do this via the Racknerd control panel or by following the provided instructions.

Install Docker and Docker Compose

1. Open the terminal and run the following commands to install Docker:

   curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com -o get-docker.sh
   sudo sh get-docker.sh
   

2. Install Docker Compose:

   sudo curl -L "https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/download/1.29.2/docker-compose-$(uname -s)-$(uname -m)" -o /usr/local/bin/docker-compose
   sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-compose
   

Download Coolify's Docker Compose File

1. Create a directory to store Coolify's configuration files, for example:

   mkdir ~/coolify && cd ~/coolify
   

2. Download Coolify's Docker Compose file:

   curl -o docker-compose.yml https://raw.githubusercontent.com/coollabsio/coolify/main/docker-compose.yml
   

Configure Environment Variables

1. Create a .env file and add necessary environment variables:

   touch .env
   nano .env
   

2. Add the following content to the .env file:

   COOLIFY_APP_ID=your-app-id
   COOLIFY_SECRET_KEY=your-secret-key
   COOLIFY_DATABASE_URL=sqlite:////data/coolify.db
   COOLIFY_HOST=http://your-server-ip:3000
   

Start Coolify

1. In the directory containing the docker-compose.yml and .env files, run the following command to start Coolify:

   docker-compose up -d
   

Access Coolify

1. Once started, you can access Coolify's web interface via a browser at http://your-server-ip:3000.

Additional Tips

• Backup: Regularly back up your Coolify configuration and data to prevent data loss.
• Monitoring: Set up monitoring tools to keep an eye on your server's performance and resource usage.
• Security: Ensure your server is secure by regularly updating the operating system and applications, and by using strong passwords and SSH keys.

By following these steps, you can quickly set up and install Coolify on a low-cost Racknerd server, enabling you to manage your applications and services efficiently.