Run without Docker

You can run the server as a normal program. This is handy for trying OpenNodd, for development, or on a machine without Docker.

#Requirements

• Node.js 22.5 or newer, with npm.
• For production: a Postgres server. Without one, OpenNodd uses an embedded Postgres (PGlite) that needs nothing installed.

#Install the nodd command

The nodd command includes the server. There are two ways to get it.

#From a running OpenNodd server

Every server serves its own copy:

npm install -g https://nodd.example.com/opennodd.tgz

#From source

You need pnpm 9 as well.

git clone https://github.com/opennodd/opennodd.git
cd opennodd
pnpm install
pnpm build
cd gateway && npm link        # puts `nodd` on your PATH

Or run it without linking: pnpm --filter opennodd exec node dist/cli.js serve.

#Start the server

nodd serve

With no database set, OpenNodd keeps its data in ./data/pglite, relative to the folder you started it in. Open http://127.0.0.1:7420/app. The first person to sign up becomes the admin.

To use a Postgres server:

export DATABASE_URL=postgres://nodd:a-password@localhost:5432/opennodd
nodd serve

Or pass it as an option: nodd serve --db postgres://.... Create the database first; OpenNodd creates its own tables.

Other options: --port 7420, --host 127.0.0.1, --grpc-port 7421. All environment variables in Configuration work here too. For example:

NODD_PUBLIC_URL=https://nodd.example.com NODD_INVITE_ONLY=1 NODD_SECRET_KEY=$(openssl rand -hex 32) nodd serve --host 127.0.0.1

For HTTPS, put a reverse proxy in front. See Reverse proxy and HTTPS.

#Keep it running (systemd)

Create /etc/systemd/system/opennodd.service. Change the user, the paths and the Environment= lines:

[Unit]
Description=OpenNodd
After=network-online.target

[Service]
User=nodd
WorkingDirectory=/var/lib/opennodd
EnvironmentFile=/etc/opennodd.env
ExecStart=/usr/bin/nodd serve --host 127.0.0.1 --port 7420
Restart=always
RestartSec=5

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Put your settings in /etc/opennodd.env, one per line, for example:

DATABASE_URL=postgres://nodd:a-password@localhost:5432/opennodd
NODD_PUBLIC_URL=https://nodd.example.com
NODD_INVITE_ONLY=1
NODD_SECRET_KEY=<your key>

Then:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now opennodd
journalctl -u opennodd -f

Use which nodd to find the right path for ExecStart.

#Upgrading

Install the new version of the command the same way, then restart the service. Migrations run when the server starts. Back up first. See Backups and upgrading.