How to Self-Host Mattermost on a VPS (Complete Guide)

Mattermost is a powerful self-hosted team communication tool that can meet the needs of modern developers and homelabbers. This guide will walk you through the steps required to install and configure Mattermost on a VPS.

Choosing a VPS Provider

Before diving into the installation, you need to select an appropriate VPS provider. Here’s a quick comparison of some popular VPS options suitable for self-hosting Mattermost:

Recommended VPS Providers for Mattermost

For a smooth experience, it’s recommended to choose a VPS with at least 2 GB of RAM and 20 GB of storage. Depending on your needs, consider Contabo VPS, Hetzner Cloud, or DigitalOcean

Prerequisites

1. A VPS server: Ensure it’s running a Linux distribution, preferably Ubuntu 20.04 or newer.
2. Domain Name: A registered domain name is recommended for accessing your Mattermost instance.
3. SSH Access: Access your VPS via SSH with a user that has sudo privileges.

Step 1: Connect to Your VPS

Use SSH to connect to your VPS:

ssh user@your_vps_ip

Replace user and your_vps_ip with your relevant details.

Step 2: Update Your System

Ensure your package list and installed packages are up to date:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 3: Install Docker

Mattermost can be installed easily using Docker. Begin by installing Docker:

sudo apt install docker.io -y

Start Docker and enable it on boot:

sudo systemctl start docker
sudo systemctl enable docker

Check that Docker is installed correctly:

docker --version

Step 4: Install Docker Compose

Next, install Docker Compose. Create a directory for the configuration files:

mkdir mattermost
cd mattermost

Download Docker Compose:

sudo curl -L "https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/download/$(curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/docker/compose/releases/latest | grep tag_name | cut -d '"' -f 2)/docker-compose-$(uname -s)-$(uname -m)" -o /usr/local/bin/docker-compose

Make Docker Compose executable:

sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-compose

Verify installation:

docker-compose --version

Step 5: Set Up Mattermost

Create a docker-compose.yml file within the mattermost directory:

version: '3'

services:
  db:
    image: postgres:12
    environment:
      POSTGRES_USER: mmuser
      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: mmuser_password
      POSTGRES_DB: mattermost
    volumes:
      - dbdata:/var/lib/postgresql/data
    networks:
      - mattermost-network

  app:
    image: mattermost/mattermost-team Edition
    environment:
      MM_SQLSETTINGS_DRIVERNAME: postgres
      MM_SQLSETTINGS_DATASOURCE: 'postgres://mmuser:mmuser_password@db:5432/mattermost?sslmode=disable'
    ports:
      - "8065:8065"
      - "8067:8067"
    networks:
      - mattermost-network

volumes:
  dbdata:

networks:
  mattermost-network:

Step 6: Run Mattermost

Launch Mattermost using Docker Compose:

docker-compose up -d

Verify containers are running:

docker-compose ps

Step 7: Access Mattermost

Open your web browser and navigate to http://your_vps_ip:8065. You can complete the Mattermost setup by following the on-screen instructions.

FAQs

What are the benefits of self-hosting Mattermost?

Self-hosting Mattermost gives you complete control over your data, ensuring privacy and security. You can customize the platform without restrictions, integrate with other tools, and avoid vendor lock-in. Additionally, hosting your own Mattermost instance means you can tailor performance to your needs by scaling the resources based on your team’s growth.

Can I run Mattermost on a low-spec VPS?

While Mattermost can technically run on a lower specification server, it is not recommended, especially for production environments. A minimum of 2 GB of RAM is recommended, primarily when serving multiple users. Running it on a low-spec VPS may result in performance issues, impacting access times and responsiveness during peak usage.

How do I secure my Mattermost instance?

Securing your Mattermost instance involves multiple steps. First, use HTTPS for your Mattermost server. You can achieve this by setting up a reverse proxy with tools like Nginx or Traefik and obtaining an SSL certificate from Let’s Encrypt. Additionally, ensure your database is secure, regularly update your Mattermost installation, and configure strong passwords for all accounts.

For further comparisons on VPS options, check our full VPS comparison.

By following this guide, you should have a fully functional Mattermost server running on your VPS, ready for development or collaboration. Happy self-hosting!