A novice’s step by step specific process for installing Discourse. From choosing a right server to configuring it, to SMTP, DNS & doing it all in the right order. Because of such a manual process with many branches with many options, I have many uncertainties & heard many setups go wrong when not done carefully. I wanna get this right & 'd be grateful if anyone can correct me. I’ll go with as many steps as I can & pause when stuck. This can be a helpful page with main doubts summarized as comprehensively in 1 place Goal: Installing Discourse on a self hosted VPS for a forum starting with 100 users/m 1) Out of the 2 available official guides, I’m choosing the simple one. What issues could I face? Is this not good for future flexibility/expansion? Simple 10 minute basic install: Beginner Docker install guide Powerful, flexible, large / multiple server install: Advanced Docker install guide 2) Is this a good order of setup? i) Configuring & renting a vps > ii) SMTP > iii) Domain & DNS > iv) Install Discourse 3.1) Re Domain & DNS, I already have a website with my custom domain. Not sure which I should do; Subdomain or Child nameserver? Checked but don't understand [image] 3.2) Though not now, if needed, a Discourse forum can be connected to a pure domain like example.com right (if unused ofc)? It doesn’t have to be a subdomain like forum.example.com right? Why does Discourse’s guide only say “Create a DNS - A record pointing your subdomain (e.g., forum.example.com) to your server’s IP address” 4.1) Re SMTP: Completely confused here. Re user logins, this is my goal Connect User logins from my Wix site for my Discourse forum To ensure this, what should I do? 4.2) I haven’t set up a business email yet, & can now from Hostinger. Does this have much to do with SMTP? Re smtp I’ve heard on this forum about MailGun, MailJet & Brevo. WDID? 5) Choosing & configuring vps: Contabo & Hetzner were cheapest while seeming pretty legit, if I chose the cheaper Contabo, will I miss something useful? they’re safe right? (I wanted to compare the whole config with Hetzner but it doesn’t even seem to let you see config options without getting your data, debit card & reviewing yr AC?? The most I have are @Lilly’s screenshots) 5.1) Panel: Contabo shows Webmin & Webmin + LAMP are included. cPanel is shown as a pricey addon. I’ve heard of cPanel, I don’t need this right? 5.2) OS: Contabo shows Ubuntu included without anything about it, is this sufficient? (Digital Ocean’s config shows options next to their Ubuntu eg. 24.04 (LTS) x64 5.3) A buncha apps are shown as included. If you find issues with any lmk [Screenshot 2026-07-18 002147] 5.4) Are the following default selections ok? I can manage without addons right? [Screenshot 2026-07-18 003140] 5.5) IPv6 is not shown in the config, though under their vps plan page the following is advertised ‘Dedicated IPv4 and IPv6 addresses come with every plan’. I wonder if this has it or not 5.6) Heard few negatives re Contabo, what do ppl here who’ve experienced Contabo think? 5.7) Foll. good specs are the min available & for great prices! Just to know, (in case changing vps) as Discourse recommends 2GB, isn't 4 unnecessary? What's a snapshot? [Screenshot 2026-07-18 004447]

[изображение] Gid: Powerful, flexible, large / multiple server install: Advanced Docker install guide don’t even go near this right now. stick to the basics. get a domain name with a nameserver like namecheap. or since you have one you want to use already: [изображение] Gid: Not sure which I should do; Subdomain do a subdomain - this is the standard way to install discourse, so that it will be something like forum.yoursite.com. a child domain is something different for regional networking and operates on a broader scale for other uses that require more granular network security and permissions (often with Active Directory configurations, which does not apply to Discourse). if you don’t want to use DiscourseID, then get a transactional email service with SMTP (like Mailgun or Resend). Resend is free and i use it. but honestly, i recommend just skipping the SMTP part and using DisourseID so you can learn in steps. [Screenshot 2026-07-17 at 5.40.12 PM] setup a VPS server droplet with ssh access with which ever VPS vendor you choose. you will need to do some configuration as stated in the guide. you basically do the nameserver, email and VPS config at the same time, but you also have to wait for the nameserver dns entries to propagate. these are the steps most people have problems with at first [Screenshot 2026-07-17 at 5.59.11 PM] install Discourse according to the script in the guide. [изображение] Gid: this is my goal Connect User logins from my Wix site for my Discourse forum To ensure this, what should I do? Single Sign On (SSO) is not something you should even be thinking about yet since you still learning how to set up the most basic self-hosted install. get your forum up and running, then think about plugins. by the looks of existing documentation, configuring SSO with your wix website will likely be a headache and it is questionable whether it is even possible at all with your wix tier. to edit your app.yml file after the initial setup runs, at the prompt when you ssh into the server do: cd /var/discourse nano containers/app.yml there is a sample app.yml file here: samples/standalone.yml main ## this is the all-in-one, standalone Discourse Docker container template ## ## After making changes to this file, you MUST rebuild ## /var/discourse/launcher rebuild app ## ## BE *VERY* CAREFUL WHEN EDITING! ## YAML FILES ARE SUPER SUPER SENSITIVE TO MISTAKES IN WHITESPACE OR ALIGNMENT! ## visit http://www.yamllint.com/ to validate this file as needed templates: - "templates/postgres.template.yml" - "templates/redis.template.yml" - "templates/web.template.yml" - "templates/web.ratelimited.template.yml" ## Uncomment these two lines if you wish to add Lets Encrypt (https) #- "templates/web.ssl.template.yml" #- "templates/web.letsencrypt.ssl.template.yml" ## which TCP/IP ports should this container expose? ## If you want Discourse to share a port with another webserver like Apache or nginx, This file has been truncated. show original yml file syntax is very sensitive - your rebuilds will break if you have extra spaces or indentation, or if you don’t wrap passwords (and some other settings params) in double quotations like "password".

backup option isn’t necessary. you can configure backups in Discourse admin. just follow the basic standard install and don’t overthink it.

With or without those apps, I think you’d be able to install Discourse.

Is this a concern? WWYD? Heard some issues about some of these providers using very old CPU models like from 13 yrs ago. There’s obviously no assurance about what you get in this context of vps, as they depend on many factors including vps location, & providers are rarely even open about available cpu models in these contexts OVHcloud support itself said their min plan (that i’m to go for) with the factors I specified, would likely result in an Intel E5v3 (2014) Contabo doesn’t wanna say anything abt it. So this can only be speculated using other sources, pretty much all of which suggest they’re much newer like EPYC 7282 (2019) (as per LTE) or even newer ones For those needing, this source tries to show what CPUs may be used (can’t be too relied on) Contabo CPUs | VPSBenchmarks

It is a virtual private server. It is a ‘virtualized’ environment. The actual hardware runs numerous instances. It is absolutely sufficient for running the operating system they are providing it with along with whatever you choose to install. That’s what people do with these things, they run web servers and mail servers and database servers and RTMP servers and who knows what. Obviously at some point in time you will run out of some resource, whether that is storage space because people are uploading huge video files or RAM because you are running some intense processes or bandwidth because millions of people are hitting your site every minute. At that point in time you will have bigger problems to worry about then the cost of your vps. Most of them are up-gradable. You should be able to have your forum up and running less then an hour after you pull the trigger on the vps. Register your domain, get your DNS records set up and install Discourse per the standard install and post a link so we can all admire your handy work

:check_mark:Contabo VPS provisioned :check_mark:Subdomain pointed to IP & propagated :check_mark:Email DNS propagated & smtp credentials on hand My local pc is Windows so I need PuTTY right? After starting putty, the following pops 1) Do I Accept/Connect Once? [putty] 2) Here:backhand_index_pointing_down: is it meant before/after install? At which point exactly? [изображение] Lilly: to edit your app.yml file after the initial setup runs, at the prompt when you ssh into the server do: 3) Do I need Filezilla before installing Discourse? 4) (I’m aware this is the 1st step) On my VPS control panel, I can either select only Ubuntu 26.04, or 24.04 with 1 free app from the followng. In addition to the apps in pic, the dropdown lists •Paperclip •Bitcoin Full Node •IPFS Node •Webmin •Proxmox VE 7 •Horizen Node •Ethereum 2.0 - eth-docker image •Ollama - phi4 •Flux Node [apps] ask.discourse.org’s AI said most useful can be Dokploy & OpenClaw & lotta others are irrelevant/better avoided (response below). Consider their impact on server resources & whether they can be free. Considering all, is even 1 worth includin or nothing’s better? ai's pick [ai suggst]

[изображение] Gid: My local pc is Windows so I need PuTTY right? Nah, use the free and modern Windows Terminal app from the Windows App Store. [изображение] Windows Terminal - Free download and install on Windows | Microsoft Store The Windows Terminal is a modern, fast, efficient, powerful, and productive terminal application for users of command-line tools and shells like Command Prompt, PowerShell, and WSL. Its main features include multiple tabs, panes, Unicode and UTF-8...

I mean, since it’s optional, I would say just skip it. These are not needed to install or run Discourse. [изображение] Gid: 2) Here :backhand_index_pointing_down: is it meant before/after install? At which point exactly? [изображение] Lilly: to edit your app.yml file after the initial setup runs, at the prompt when you ssh into the server do: You’d do this after installation. Just do the install first. I see you’re brooding a lot on what to do pre-install, while that’s okay, I would suggest to just go ahead and do it. It’s not as scary as it makes out. [изображение] Lilly: get your forum up and running, then think about plugins.

[изображение] Gid: Ubuntu 26.04, or 24.04 you can use either as long as they are LTS. i have a site running on 26.04 and another on 24.04. in your case, i’d suggest the latter one since Discourse is known to run on it without any issues at all. [изображение] Gid: PuTTY right no, use terminal, just like Robert said. [изображение] Gid: 3) Do I need Filezilla before installing Discourse? what does the standard install doc say? [изображение] Gid: 4) (I’m aware this is the 1st step) On my VPS control panel, I can either select only Ubuntu 26.04, or 24.04 with 1 free app from the followng. In addition to the apps in pic, the dropdown lists •Paperclip •Bitcoin Full Node •IPFS Node •Webmin •Proxmox VE 7 •Horizen Node •Ethereum 2.0 - eth-docker image •Ollama - phi4 •Flux Node what does the standard install doc say? please follow it and stop adding more complexity that you do not need. if the standard install doesn’t mention it and you don’t know what it is, you don’t need it.

I’ll add that while the community is always keen to help, if you feel you hit a wall regarding the required knowledge and technical skills and you have a budget, you can also post in #marketplace for tailored help :slight_smile:

[изображение] Gid: Almost missed another thing, unlike other vpss, this doesn’t have 2.1) a panel nor 2.2) Many other things included Is it better to have any of em? If I don’t get em included can they be obtained free & easy? Almost all of those things will probably break things. If you’re an expert at whatever panel it is and Discourse, then you can make them work together with a few hours work. And it’ll be likely to break Discourse again when the panel upgrades itself. You really don’t want any of those unless you have a very specific need, and you don’t.

Установка Discourse на выделенном VPS. Процесс с FAQ

Поддержка продукта Самостоятельное хостинг

merefield (Robert) 23.Июль.2026 06:53:37 30

Нет, лучше используй бесплатное и современное приложение Windows Terminal из Microsoft Store.

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Установка Discourse на выделенном VPS. Процесс с FAQ

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