How to Install Docmost: A Comprehensive Setup Tutorial with HAVOK

Welcome to the ultimate guide on installing Docmost, the open-source documentation and knowledge-base platform designed for teams, creators, and developers. If you’re on your home lab journey like I am, you know how crucial it is to keep track of your various installations, IP addresses, and configurations. In this step-by-step tutorial, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to get your Docmost instance up and running smoothly.

🎥 Video Overview

Why Choose Docmost?

Docmost is an enterprise-ready wiki that allows you to document everything in your home lab or business environment. It’s similar to Confluence but tailored for modern teams. Here are some of the standout features:

• Real-time collaboration
• Permissions and team spaces
• Public sharing options
• Built-in editor with support for diagrams
• Smart mentions for team collaboration
• Powerful search functionality
• SSO login and two-factor authentication (paid version)

Whether you’re self-hosting for your business or building a documentation hub, Docmost is a powerful solution worth installing. Let’s dive into the installation process!

Prerequisites for Installation

Before we begin, ensure you have the following prerequisites in place:

• A server running a Linux distribution (Ubuntu is recommended)
• Docker installed on your server
• Basic knowledge of using the terminal and SSH

Step 1: Setting Up Your Environment

First, we need to create a directory for Docmost on your server. SSH into your server and run the following commands:

ssh your_username@your_server_ip
mkdir -p ~/docker/docmost
cd ~/docker/docmost

ssh your_username@your_server_ip
mkdir -p ~/docker/docmost
cd ~/docker/docmost

This will create a directory specifically for your Docmost installation.

Step 2: Creating the Docker Compose File

First, we need to generate a random 32 character hex secret. Enter the following command in your terminal and copy the output:

openssl rand -hex 32

openssl rand -hex 32

Next, we need to create a Docker Compose file. This file will define how Docmost and its dependencies will run in Docker. You can create this file using your preferred text editor. For example, using `nano`:

nano docker-compose.yml

nano docker-compose.yml

Here’s a basic template for your Docker Compose file:

version: "3"

services:
  docmost:
    image: docmost/docmost:latest
    depends_on:
      - db
      - redis
    environment:
      APP_URL: "http://localhost:3000"
      APP_SECRET: "YOUR 32 CHARACTER HEX CODE HERE" 
      DATABASE_URL: "postgresql://docmost:STRONG_DB_PASSWORD@db:5432/docmost?schema=public"
      REDIS_URL: "redis://redis:6379"
    ports:
      - "3000:3000"
    restart: unless-stopped
    volumes:
      - docmost:/app/data/storage

  db:
    image: postgres:16-alpine
    environment:
      POSTGRES_DB: docmost
      POSTGRES_USER: docmost
      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: STRONG_DB_PASSWORD # https://t4g.gg/password-generator/
    restart: unless-stopped
    volumes:
      - db_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data

  redis:
    image: redis:7.2-alpine
    restart: unless-stopped
    volumes:
      - redis_data:/data

volumes:
  docmost:
  db_data:
  redis_data:

version: "3"

services:
  docmost:
    image: docmost/docmost:latest
    depends_on:
      - db
      - redis
    environment:
      APP_URL: "http://localhost:3000"
      APP_SECRET: "YOUR 32 CHARACTER HEX CODE HERE" 
      DATABASE_URL: "postgresql://docmost:STRONG_DB_PASSWORD@db:5432/docmost?schema=public"
      REDIS_URL: "redis://redis:6379"
    ports:
      - "3000:3000"
    restart: unless-stopped
    volumes:
      - docmost:/app/data/storage

  db:
    image: postgres:16-alpine
    environment:
      POSTGRES_DB: docmost
      POSTGRES_USER: docmost
      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: STRONG_DB_PASSWORD # https://t4g.gg/password-generator/
    restart: unless-stopped
    volumes:
      - db_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data

  redis:
    image: redis:7.2-alpine
    restart: unless-stopped
    volumes:
      - redis_data:/data

volumes:
  docmost:
  db_data:
  redis_data:

Step 3: Running the Docker Container

Once your Docker Compose file is ready, you can start the Docmost container by running:

docker compose up -d

docker compose up -d

This command will pull the necessary images and start the Docmost application. You can check the status of your containers using:

docker ps

docker ps

Step 4: Accessing Your Docmost Instance

Now that everything is set up, you can access your Docmost instance by navigating to `http://your_ip:3000` in your web browser. You should see the initial login screen. Here’s what to do next:

1. Enter your workspace name (e.g., Home Lab).
2. Choose a username and password.
3. Click the “Create Workspace” button.

Step 5: Customizing Your Workspace

Once you’re logged in, you can customize your workspace settings. Here are some options you can explore:

• Change the workspace name and description.
• Upload an icon for your workspace.
• Add members if you’re collaborating with a team.

To create your first document, click on “New Page” and start documenting your home lab setup. You can use the slash command to insert various elements like code blocks, images, and diagrams.

Step 6: Utilizing Docmost Features

Docmost offers a variety of features to enhance your documentation experience:

• Real-time collaboration with team members.
• Commenting on documents for feedback.
• Embedding multimedia content like videos and images.
• Creating to-do lists and tracking tasks.

These features make it easy to keep your documentation organized and accessible.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve successfully installed and configured Docmost on your server. This powerful tool will help you centralize your documentation and boost productivity in your home lab or business environment.

Thank you for following along, and until next time, stay safe, have fun, and keep doing good!

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