# 2container setup option

**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/2container-setup-option/148539
**Category:** Self-hosting
**Created:** [April 19, 2020, 5:32pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/2container-setup-option/148539 "2020-04-19T17:32:19Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![mbronstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@mbronstein](https://meta.discourse.org/u/mbronstein)
#### Post date: [April 19, 2020, 5:32pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/2container-setup-option/148539/1 "2020-04-19T17:32:19Z")

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Setting up a forum and really wanted to do a two container install, but am enough of a newbie that I found the discussion about editing the template files offputting.

Then stumbled across the “2container” commandline option for discourse-setup which made it a breeze.

I only found it because I happened to read the discourse-setup script.

Is is intentional that this option has not been added to the install instructions? (If it is there but I missed it, I apologize)

Thanks to the developers and the community for a great product.

Mark B

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### Author: ![itsbhanusharma](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/itsbhanusharma/32/180717_2.png) [@itsbhanusharma](https://meta.discourse.org/u/itsbhanusharma)
#### Post date: [April 19, 2020, 5:57pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/2container-setup-option/148539/2 "2020-04-19T17:57:56Z")

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2container is an undocumented feature as it is not recommended for someone without a hands on understanding of discourse. There is a rationale that a first time user trying to set up discourse may find it confusing.

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### Author: ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/codinghorror/32/110067_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2020, 2:14am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/2container-setup-option/148539/3 "2020-04-20T02:14:31Z")

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Why do you say this? There is #howto for dual container config.

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### Author: ![itsbhanusharma](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/itsbhanusharma/32/180717_2.png) [@itsbhanusharma](https://meta.discourse.org/u/itsbhanusharma)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2020, 6:00am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/2container-setup-option/148539/4 "2020-04-20T06:00:08Z")

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When @pfaffman added the 2container feature to `./discourse-setup` I had asked him to write a full howto about the process and he suggested it wasn’t necessary as it may add unnecessary confusion.

Perhaps the 2container low key warns that it isn’t officially supported while proceeding with the setup that way.

Does that need to change?

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### Author: ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/codinghorror/32/110067_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2020, 6:12am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/2container-setup-option/148539/5 "2020-04-20T06:12:06Z")

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@pfaffman should either pull that or link it to the meta topic explicitly.

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### Author: ![itsbhanusharma](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/itsbhanusharma/32/180717_2.png) [@itsbhanusharma](https://meta.discourse.org/u/itsbhanusharma)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2020, 6:16am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/2container-setup-option/148539/6 "2020-04-20T06:16:18Z")

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Since a FAQ cleanup is in process, maybe this one can be added to a dedicated FAQ topic?

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### Author: ![pfaffman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/pfaffman/32/120154_2.png) [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2020, 2:42pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/2container-setup-option/148539/7 "2020-04-20T14:42:22Z")

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> [@mbronstein](#):
>
> I only found it because I happened to read the discourse-setup script.

It is documented.

From: [Move from standalone container to separate web and data containers](https://meta.discourse.org/t/how-to-move-from-standalone-container-to-separate-web-and-data-containers/29413)

> [@Move from standalone container to separate web and data containers](https://meta.discourse.org/t/move-from-standalone-container-to-separate-web-and-data-containers/29413/1):
>
> Added by @pfaffman 2019-12-11.
> 
> NOTE: If you want to create a 2 container site you can do this:
> 
> ```plaintext
> ./discourse-setup 2container
> 
> ```
> 
> It works just like normal except it’ll create separate `data` and `web_only` containers and generate a random password for the database. If you already have an `app.yml` you’ll need to rename it, or `discourse-setup` will just update it. You could then copy a backup into `/var/discourse/shared/web_only/backups/default` and restore that, which is a little easier than what’s described below.

> [@mbronstein](#):
>
> Is is intentional that this option has not been added to the install instructions? (If it is there but I missed it, I apologize)

I am reluctant to put it in the 30 minute install instructions, which is used by many people who can only barely understand those instructions and don’t read them carefully, because it requires that you have enough wherewithal to re-write the instructions every time you see `./launcher rebuild app` to something like `./launcher rebuild web_only`. “I did ‘./launcher rebuild app’ and I got an error! Help!”

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### Author: ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/codinghorror/32/110067_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2020, 1:22am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/2container-setup-option/148539/8 "2020-04-21T01:22:27Z")

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I mean link the command line docs and command line output with the topic, please. Not referring to any github doc changes here.

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### Author: ![pfaffman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/pfaffman/32/120154_2.png) [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2020, 1:41am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/2container-setup-option/148539/9 "2020-04-21T01:41:06Z")

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I don’t understand what topic needs to be changed.

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### Author: ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/codinghorror/32/110067_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [April 21, 2020, 3:11am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/2container-setup-option/148539/11 "2020-04-21T03:11:55Z")

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The command line output / help from the bash script should print the topic URL as reference. That’s what I mean. If I can be clearer, let me know how!
