I am used to simple things running on Docker (Jellyfin, Nextcloud, etc.) I am looking at running my own personal Mastodon instance (maybe share it with a few friends and family), but I like using Docker. Looking at install guides, the steps required seem to be much harder than just editing docker-compose.yml and running the container. Is it actually that difficult to set up Mastodon, or is there a better guide? I can’t just use Yunohost/CasaOS because I am using a VPS to host this.

  • sfunk1x@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3·
    6 months ago

    I’m running the mastodon stack in docker via a compose file. It was straight forward. Follow the instructions to the letter and it will work.

    I will say that it is in your best interest to have an automated update process happen, either manually (via cron) multiple times a day or have some kind of orchestration layer that manages updating the component images once they are released. Mastodon has had some nasty 0 day bugs that involved account and server takeover that had to be fixed immediately, and you don’t want to lag very far behind in those cases.

    Edit:

    Docker compose from their repo:

    https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/blob/main/docker-compose.yml

    • Fisch@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
      4·
      6 months ago

      There’s a project called Watchtower that is specifically for auto-updating docker-compose containers

  • terminal@lemmy.mlEnglish
    2·
    6 months ago

    I found dealing with a mastodon server to be a pain in the ass. For a time I outsourced that to Masto.host and it was smooth. The owner of that site was really helpful and knew mastodon well

    • terminal@lemmy.mlEnglish
      1·
      6 months ago

      Sorry about the multiple replies with the same content. My client app apparently decided to have a problem.

  • Brad@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    1·
    6 months ago

    I run a mastodon instance in docker and a Sharkey instance in docker on another server. I, personally, didn’t find it especially temperamental but, to be fair, I have pretty extensive experience troubleshooting Docker issues re: networking/permissions/volumes because I am cataclysmically unclever.

    Some advice: I would definitely recommend against running it on a naked domain you care about (i.e. instance.com). Always deploy it on a subdomain (i.e. mastodon.instance.com) because, if you ever change servers, have to re-make your intance, have domain issues, etc, you will be fucked pretty much forever on that domain. On a subdomain, you can just use a different subdomain.

      • breadsmasher@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2·
        6 months ago

        You will need to review all the required variables and configure as you require. But basically, yeah

        EDIT - NO

        its not just grab and run. From the docs,

        This container requires separate postgres and redis instances to run.