feature request: install revolt without docker #61

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2026-02-16T12:51:18-05:00

yindo commented

2026-02-16 12:51:18 -05:00

Originally created by @sysadminpower2019 on GitHub (Jul 27, 2024).

What do you want to see?

Hello,

Would it be possible to install revoltchat without using docker? This would be important for smaller instances and machines with lower specs

Originally created by @sysadminpower2019 on GitHub (Jul 27, 2024). ### What do you want to see? Hello, Would it be possible to install revoltchat without using docker? This would be important for smaller instances and machines with lower specs

yindo commented

2026-02-16 12:51:18 -05:00

@insertish commented on GitHub (Jul 28, 2024):

Are you asking for a guide or if it's possible?

Build instructions are detailed on individual projects, e.g. https://github.com/revoltchat/backend#development-guide
(if you pin to a tag, the development guide is functionally the same steps you'd take to deploy production)

@insertish commented on GitHub (Jul 28, 2024): Are you asking for a guide or if it's possible? Build instructions are detailed on individual projects, e.g. https://github.com/revoltchat/backend#development-guide (if you pin to a tag, the development guide is functionally the same steps you'd take to deploy production)

yindo commented

2026-02-16 12:51:18 -05:00

@sysadminpower2019 commented on GitHub (Aug 12, 2024):

yes the ideal would be a guide on how to run this docker freee. the link you provided still uses docker as part of the documentation, so I don't really understand how you can use this to run a dockerless instance

@sysadminpower2019 commented on GitHub (Aug 12, 2024): yes the ideal would be a guide on how to run this docker freee. the link you provided still uses docker as part of the documentation, so I don't really understand how you can use this to run a dockerless instance

yindo commented

2026-02-16 12:51:18 -05:00

@alexpyattaev commented on GitHub (Sep 13, 2024):

Well in principle there is no magic about docker - it is just pulling a bunch of packages. If you have equivalents in your linux distro, you could pull them via your package manager and plop the configs from the docker images. This should (in principle) just work. I'd be quite interested in this as well, we can try to tackle this together.

@alexpyattaev commented on GitHub (Sep 13, 2024): Well in principle there is no magic about docker - it is just pulling a bunch of packages. If you have equivalents in your linux distro, you could pull them via your package manager and plop the configs from the docker images. This should (in principle) just work. I'd be quite interested in this as well, we can try to tackle this together.

yindo commented

2026-02-16 12:51:18 -05:00

@insertish commented on GitHub (Sep 15, 2024):

yes the ideal would be a guide on how to run this docker freee. the link you provided still uses docker as part of the documentation, so I don't really understand how you can use this to run a dockerless instance

Apologies, didn't realise.
I'm not sure whether this is in scope for the project, especially since maintaining all of these services separately can become cumbersome very quickly. Is there any reason to not use a set of containers here?

@insertish commented on GitHub (Sep 15, 2024): > yes the ideal would be a guide on how to run this docker freee. the link you provided still uses docker as part of the documentation, so I don't really understand how you can use this to run a dockerless instance Apologies, didn't realise. I'm not sure whether this is in scope for the project, especially since maintaining all of these services separately can become cumbersome very quickly. Is there any reason to not use a set of containers here?

yindo commented

2026-02-16 12:51:18 -05:00

@alexpyattaev commented on GitHub (Sep 16, 2024):

Containers are fairly heavy on the CPU and especially on the disk usage. So on a small VPS this could be a serious problem.

@alexpyattaev commented on GitHub (Sep 16, 2024): Containers are fairly heavy on the CPU and especially on the disk usage. So on a small VPS this could be a serious problem.

yindo commented

2026-02-16 12:51:18 -05:00

@tuaris commented on GitHub (Sep 22, 2024):

Is there any reason to not use a set of containers here?

I would also like to add that this limits the platform choice to only operating systems that can run Docker. Not everything Unix is Linux :)

That said, I'm sure those of us who prefer to not use Docker are perfectly willing to and capable of managing the services ourselves. We don't expect (at least initially) for the project to hand hold and provide a fully automated installation without Docker.

I think what we need is:

System requirements telling us what 3rd party services need to be installed using whatever means is available (like MongoDB, S3 Compatible server: [Minio or Garage], Redis, and a reverse proxy HTTP server).
Steps explaining what needs to be built. (is it just a single build command in the backend and frontend Git repos?)
An explanation on how to get all of it 'glued' together (is it just edit Revolt.toml?)
How to start each backed service (just run the binary?)
How to start the frontend service (Do I just drop the files in a web directory and serve them with NGINX/Apache/Caddy?)

This will attract more people to use the software, who will contribute to it, improve it and the documentation, resulting in better instructions, and eventually an 'officially' maintained setup guide.

In fact, I will give credit where it's due. The current README's are okay, but they make it seems as if it's only for local dev. Maybe you can share a little about how app.revolt.chat is provisioned? With that information I may be able to help contribute some documentation for a better self-hosted production option.

@tuaris commented on GitHub (Sep 22, 2024): > Is there any reason to not use a set of containers here? I would also like to add that this limits the platform choice to only operating systems that can run Docker. Not everything Unix is Linux :) That said, I'm sure those of us who prefer to not use Docker are perfectly willing to and capable of managing the services ourselves. We don't expect (at least initially) for the project to hand hold and provide a fully automated installation without Docker. I think what we need is: - System requirements telling us what 3rd party services need to be installed using whatever means is available (like MongoDB, S3 Compatible server: [Minio or Garage], Redis, and a reverse proxy HTTP server). - Steps explaining what needs to be built. (is it just a single build command in the backend and frontend Git repos?) - An explanation on how to get all of it 'glued' together (is it just edit `Revolt.toml`?) - How to start each backed service (just run the binary?) - How to start the frontend service (Do I just drop the files in a web directory and serve them with NGINX/Apache/Caddy?) This will attract more people to use the software, who will contribute to it, improve it and the documentation, resulting in better instructions, and eventually an 'officially' maintained setup guide. In fact, I will give credit where it's due. The current README's are okay, but they make it seems as if it's only for local dev. Maybe you can share a little about how **app.revolt.chat** is provisioned? With that information I may be able to help contribute some documentation for a better self-hosted production option.

yindo commented

2026-02-16 12:51:18 -05:00

@rrimc69 commented on GitHub (Apr 27, 2025):

yes please how do I install a Revolt server, without the docker requirement? without opening container warz wounds, docker is not the be all and end all to C group isolation.

As Tuaris points out, not all *nix have or package docker, and many of us do not want, or need the overhead 'on-box' . . . I'm part way thru trying to un-dockerise the documentation, which is not so fun. It may be all you need is a 'non docker' howto for your existing code .. if that's at all possible.

Hell might try drop it in a Solaris zone .. definitely no docker in there. *BSD jails ? Lots of reasons one might not want docker.

@rrimc69 commented on GitHub (Apr 27, 2025): yes please how do I install a Revolt server, without the docker requirement? without opening container warz wounds, docker is not the be all and end all to C group isolation. As Tuaris points out, not all *nix have or package docker, and many of us do not want, or need the overhead 'on-box' . . . I'm part way thru trying to un-dockerise the documentation, which is not so fun. It may be all you need is a 'non docker' howto for your existing code .. if that's at all possible. Hell might try drop it in a Solaris zone .. definitely no docker in there. *BSD jails ? Lots of reasons one might not want docker.

yindo commented

2026-02-16 12:51:18 -05:00

@eekhof commented on GitHub (Feb 9, 2026):

I think providing the information that @tuaris asked for in a concise manner here would already help immensely 👍

@eekhof commented on GitHub (Feb 9, 2026): I think providing the information that @tuaris asked for in a concise manner here would already help immensely 👍

yindo commented

2026-02-16 12:51:18 -05:00

@rrimc69 commented on GitHub (Feb 9, 2026):

Despite their claim of being user focused, it seems end user friendliness for this project is very low, and it seems they are only committed to a re-branding that has dropped privacy as a headline feature, and accelerating overburdening their supposed server with pointless containerised middleman complexity garbage.

I'm looking elsewhere for a private lightweight discord alternative, as apathy on this topic, along with mandating containers and refusing to document alternatives installation options, demonstrates for me, this is not it.

If you find this from the internet, think twice.

@rrimc69 commented on GitHub (Feb 9, 2026): Despite their claim of being user focused, it seems end user friendliness for this project is very low, and it seems they are only committed to a re-branding that has dropped privacy as a headline feature, and accelerating overburdening their supposed server with pointless containerised middleman complexity garbage. I'm looking elsewhere for a private lightweight discord alternative, as apathy on this topic, along with mandating containers and refusing to document alternatives installation options, demonstrates for me, this is not it. If you find this from the internet, think twice.

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Reference: stoatchat/self-hosted#61