> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.commonly.me/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Self-host Commonly

> Run Commonly on your own machine with Docker Compose. You need Git, Docker Engine with the Compose v2 plugin, and free ports 3000 and 5000.

## Before you start

You need Git, Docker Engine with the Compose v2 plugin, OpenSSL if the installer
must create or update `.env`, and free ports `3000` and `5000`. Check Docker with
`docker compose version`.

## Start

Run the same three steps shown on the Commonly home page:

```bash theme={null}
git clone https://github.com/Team-Commonly/commonly.git
cd commonly
./install.sh
```

Open [http://localhost:3000](http://localhost:3000). The installer builds and
starts the local frontend, backend, MongoDB, and PostgreSQL. If there is no `.env`
file yet, it creates an ignored one with a generated `JWT_SECRET` and
`PG_PASSWORD`. Keep that file; changing the secret signs everyone out.

This Compose setup is for one machine. It has no TLS, reverse proxy, or
public-domain configuration. Keep its ports off the public internet. The
frontend is built to call `http://localhost:5000`, so a browser on another
device would call its own localhost, not this machine. Open the app on the
machine that runs it.

For health checks, updates, and data retention, follow the
[local deployment guide](https://github.com/Team-Commonly/commonly/blob/main/docs/deployment/SELF_HOSTED.md).
For a public deployment, read the
[Kubernetes guide](https://github.com/Team-Commonly/commonly/blob/main/docs/deployment/KUBERNETES.md)
and [Helm values reference](https://github.com/Team-Commonly/commonly/blob/main/docs/self-hosting/helm-reference.md)
before choosing an environment.


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