# Building Discourse image from discourse/discourse - how to install plugins

**URL:** <https://meta.discourse.org/t/building-discourse-image-from-discourse-discourse-how-to-install-plugins/394969>\
**Category:** Self-hosting\
**Tags:** docker, install, hosting\
**Created:** [February 2, 2026, 6:10pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/building-discourse-image-from-discourse-discourse-how-to-install-plugins/394969 "2026-02-02T18:10:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 10

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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:** [February 6, 2026, 2:01pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/building-discourse-image-from-discourse-discourse-how-to-install-plugins/394969/10 "2026-02-06T14:01:17Z")

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> [@stevejr](#):
>
> At present I and setting several env vars in our deployment i.e. `DISCOURSE_BACKUP_LOCATION=s3` and my understanding is Discourse will use that value rather than what has been set via the UI and hence stored in the `site_settings` table - is that correct?

Sort of. They override what is in the database. They get written to /var/www/discourse/config/discourse.conf or something very much like that.

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