Self-host NodeBB with Docker

A modern forum platform with real-time discussions, SSO, and a plugin ecosystem, backed by Postgres. This page describes the Levelrail template for NodeBB (Communication). It deploys the services below as one Docker Compose app on your own server. Project site: https://docs.nodebb.org/. Recommended memory: about 512 MiB.

Services, ports and volumes

Service	Image	Container ports	Volumes
`nodebb`	`ghcr.io/nodebb/nodebb:latest`	4567	`nodebb_build -> /usr/src/app/build` `nodebb_uploads -> /usr/src/app/public/uploads` `nodebb_config -> /opt/config`
`postgres`	`postgres:16-alpine`	none	`nodebb_postgres_data -> /var/lib/postgresql/data`

Environment variables

Service	Variable	Value
`nodebb`	`POSTGRES_PASSWORD`	Generated at deploy
`postgres`	`POSTGRES_DB`	Preset in the template
`postgres`	`POSTGRES_PASSWORD`	Generated at deploy
`postgres`	`POSTGRES_USER`	Preset in the template

Passwords and keys marked as generated are created for you when the app is deployed and stored as secrets. Values are not shown here.

Deploy NodeBB with Levelrail

In the dashboard, open Apps, choose New app, then Browse templates, and select NodeBB. Review the Compose body and deploy. With the CLI:

levelrail-cli templates deploy nodebb --name my-nodebb

See the service template catalog for how templates work, and Getting started if you have not installed Levelrail yet.

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Self-host NodeBB with Docker

Services, ports and volumes

Environment variables

Deploy NodeBB with Levelrail

More Communication templates

​Services, ports and volumes

​Environment variables

​Deploy NodeBB with Levelrail

​More Communication templates

Services, ports and volumes

Environment variables

Deploy NodeBB with Levelrail

More Communication templates