How to Self-Host PocketBase on a VPS (Production Setup)

PocketBase is a backend in a single file. SQLite database, auth, file storage, realtime subscriptions. No external dependencies.

Self-hosting PocketBase is as simple as it gets. The binary runs anywhere, and Docker makes it even cleaner.

What you will have at the end

• PocketBase running at https://pocketbase.your-domain.com
• Automatic SSL via Traefik
• Persistent SQLite database
• Admin dashboard ready to configure

Step 1: Prepare the server

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Install Docker if needed:

curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
newgrp docker

Step 2: Create directory structure

mkdir -p ~/apps/pocketbase/pb_data
mkdir -p ~/apps/pocketbase/pb_public
cd ~/apps/pocketbase

Step 3: Create docker-compose.yml

services:
  traefik:
    image: traefik:v2.11
    command:
      - --providers.docker=true
      - --providers.docker.exposedbydefault=false
      - --entrypoints.web.address=:80
      - --entrypoints.websecure.address=:443
      - --certificatesresolvers.letsencrypt.acme.tlschallenge=true
      - [email protected]
      - --certificatesresolvers.letsencrypt.acme.storage=/letsencrypt/acme.json
    ports:
      - 80:80
      - 443:443
    volumes:
      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro
      - letsencrypt:/letsencrypt
    restart: unless-stopped

  pocketbase:
    image: ghcr.io/muchobien/pocketbase:latest
    restart: unless-stopped
    command:
      - --encryptionEnv
      - PB_ENCRYPTION_KEY
    environment:
      PB_ENCRYPTION_KEY: ${PB_ENCRYPTION_KEY}
    volumes:
      - ./pb_data:/pb/pb_data
      - ./pb_public:/pb/pb_public
    labels:
      - traefik.enable=true
      - traefik.http.routers.pocketbase.rule=Host(`pocketbase.your-domain.com`)
      - traefik.http.routers.pocketbase.entrypoints=websecure
      - traefik.http.routers.pocketbase.tls=true
      - traefik.http.routers.pocketbase.tls.certresolver=letsencrypt
      - traefik.http.services.pocketbase.loadbalancer.server.port=8080

volumes:
  letsencrypt:

Step 4: Configure environment variables

Create .env file:

# Generate an encryption key for sensitive data
PB_ENCRYPTION_KEY=$(openssl rand -hex 16)
echo "PB_ENCRYPTION_KEY=$PB_ENCRYPTION_KEY" > .env

Save this key securely. You need it to access encrypted data.

Step 5: Deploy

docker compose up -d

PocketBase starts in seconds.

Step 6: Create admin account

Visit https://pocketbase.your-domain.com/_/ to access the admin dashboard.

On first visit, you will create your superuser account. This is your admin login.

Step 7: Configure settings

In the admin dashboard:

1. Go to Settings > Application
2. Set your application name
3. Configure SMTP for email verification (optional)
4. Set allowed OAuth providers (optional)

Backup strategy

PocketBase uses SQLite. Backing up is simple: copy the database file.

#!/bin/bash
# Daily backup script
BACKUP_DIR=/backups/pocketbase
mkdir -p $BACKUP_DIR

# Stop writes briefly for consistency
docker compose pause pocketbase

# Copy the database
cp ~/apps/pocketbase/pb_data/data.db $BACKUP_DIR/data-$(date +%Y%m%d).db

# Resume
docker compose unpause pocketbase

# Also backup uploaded files
tar -czf $BACKUP_DIR/pb_public-$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz ~/apps/pocketbase/pb_public

For zero-downtime backups, use SQLite's .backup command or enable WAL mode.

Troubleshooting

Admin dashboard shows blank page

• Clear browser cache and cookies
• Check if the container is running: docker compose ps
• Verify Traefik routing: docker compose logs traefik

Cannot upload files

• Check disk space: df -h
• Verify volume permissions: ls -la pb_data
• Increase upload limit in PocketBase settings

Realtime subscriptions not working

• Ensure WebSocket connections are allowed through your firewall
• Check if Traefik is forwarding WebSocket headers
• Verify your client is connecting to the correct URL

Database locked errors

• SQLite can only handle one writer at a time
• Enable WAL mode for better concurrency
• For high-write workloads, consider using PocketBase's built-in S3 storage

Internal links

• Tutorial: Deploy Docker Compose to VPS
• Tutorial: Self-Host Supabase
• Comparison: Firebase Alternatives
• ServerCompass: One-click PocketBase deployment