A user, seanmavley, wants to install Discourse on a server with 512 RAM and a single core, despite the recommended minimum requirement of 1 GB RAM. pfaffman suggests setting up swap with at least 2 GB and editing the standalone.yml file. codinghorror advises against using Discourse with such low specs for a site with multiple users, but notes it’s fine for personal use.
zcalbrecht shares their experience of successfully running Discourse with 512 RAM and a small community of 30 active users, although it’s somewhat slow. [seanmavley](/t/-/50677/5, 6) acknowledges the risks but wants to proceed with the installation for personal use and testing.
The discussion highlights that Discourse’s default installation requirements are in place to prevent issues with slower machines, but there are workarounds for those who understand the risks. seanmavley suggests providing a link to explain how to install with lower specs, while pfaffman notes that this would not be suitable for most users. Mittineague proposes using a thumb drive for virtual RAM as a possible solution.
I’m high this afternoon, and wanna give Discourse a try. All I’ve got on my server is a 512 RAM and a single core.
Honestly, that’s ALL I have. I ALSO want to use Discourse.
Please, what do I do? If that’ll mean sending my server Crashing, yep, I want to do it, steps please?
You’ll need to set up swap, at least 2GB. Copy samples/standalone.yml to containers and edit it.
As you point out. It’s not recommended. 
We do not recommend this for a site that will be used by more than 1 person at a time. Or really, ever.
I can personally say it works, and not as bad as you would expect. I’m doing it with my small community (30 active users) and while it’s kind of slow, I’ve not heard any complaints and everything functions as intended.
Yep, thanks for the reminder. I ultimately know and I’m aware, fully to the maximum extent, YET, I want to do that. Thanks.
You know what, I don’t plan to use 256 or 512 in production. However, the fact that to spin up and test using 512 for my personal use and test as a dev is even proclaimed as an abomination makes me sick!
Thanks for tip.
For personal use it is fine. I did say “more than one user” and you are indeed one user 
But as it stands now, Discourse won’t let me even install by default, strictly saying I must have not less than 1 Gig RAM.
Of course, as indicated earlier in this thread, there’s a workaround, but at least the warning should offer a link to somewhere explaining how someone could still install with less specs, however declaring all the warnings.
Indeed. discourse-setup is designed to work for most people, and especially, people who do not know about system administration. If it allowed people to install on a 512GB machine then people would complain that it was too slow or they were out of memory.
@seanmavley Would it be possible to install on a thumb / flash drive for virtual RAM?