Must have
Hard prerequisites
- 64-bit Linux server with Docker support
- At least 1 CPU core
- At least 1 GB RAM and configured swap
- At least 10 GB disk
Application hosting
Hosting Discourse
Discourse is a community discussion platform with an official Docker-based self-hosting path. Its published minimum server values are installation guidance, not a guarantee for a production community or its future growth.
- Min vCPU
- 1
- Min memory
- 1 GiB
- Min storage
- 10 GiB
Recommended
Documented guidance
- Discourse recommends 2 or more CPU cores, 2 GB or more RAM, 20 GB or more disk, and Ubuntu LTS.These are the project’s general installation recommendations; workload growth and uploaded media can require more.
Published starting requirements
The official guide lists a 1-core, 1 GB RAM with swap, 10 GB minimum and recommends 2+ cores, 2+ GB RAM, and 20+ GB disk. These values do not establish community capacity; traffic, database size, plugins, and uploaded media change demand.
We only compare what providers publish. A RAM figure alone can't confirm compatibility or production capacity.
Deploy with
Supported paths
The host must provide
Runtime
- Operating system
- 64-bit Linux; the official quick start uses Ubuntu or Debian
- Container runtime
- Docker; the official installer can install Docker and Git
- Minimum server
- 1 CPU core, 1 GB RAM with swap, and 10 GB disk
- Recommended server
- 2+ CPU cores, 2+ GB RAM, and 20+ GB disk
Storage
Persistent data
Use persistent server storage for the Discourse container data, database, and user uploads. The official minimum disk figure is a starting requirement; community uploads, database growth, backups, and retention increase storage needs.
Step by step
Discourse self-hosting outline
-
Choose a compatible Linux server and hostname
Use a 64-bit Linux server with Docker support, root SSH access for the official installer, and a DNS hostname for the community.
Official instructions -
Run the official Docker installation path
Follow the maintained Discourse cloud install guide and its interactive configuration. Review the current requirements before choosing a server size.
Official instructions -
Configure email, access, and updates
Configure the supported login or SMTP path, secure administrator access, and follow the official upgrade and backup procedures before opening community registration.
Official instructions
Security
Before you go public
- Use the official installer and keep the host, Docker runtime, and Discourse release maintained.
- Restrict administrative access and expose only the required public web services.
- Configure community email and account settings deliberately, and test database and upload recovery.
Cost
Beyond the server price
- Budget for the server, persistent storage, backups, outbound email service, and any managed support.
- Discourse’s hosted plans are a different service from self-hosting; the server minimum is not a cost or capacity estimate.
Matching plans
Plans with published evidence
DigitalOcean
CPU-Optimized Regular Droplet · 2 vCPU / 4 GiB
2vCPU
4 GiBRAM
25 GiBStorage
4 TBTransfer
Compatibility unclear from published plan data
Meeting documented runtime prerequisites does not prove production capacity. Traffic, workloads, software configuration, and shared host limits are not measured here.
- 64-bit Linux server with Docker supportThe plan does not publish this runtime or configuration detail.
- At least 1 CPU coreThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
- At least 1 GB RAM and configured swapThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
- At least 1 GB RAM and configured swapThe plan does not publish this runtime or configuration detail.
- At least 10 GB diskThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
DigitalOcean
General Purpose Droplet · 2 Dedicated vCPU / 8 GB
2vCPU
8 GBRAM
25 GBStorage
4 TBTransfer
Compatibility unclear from published plan data
Meeting documented runtime prerequisites does not prove production capacity. Traffic, workloads, software configuration, and shared host limits are not measured here.
- 64-bit Linux server with Docker supportThe plan does not publish this runtime or configuration detail.
- At least 1 CPU coreThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
- At least 1 GB RAM and configured swapThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
- At least 1 GB RAM and configured swapThe plan does not publish this runtime or configuration detail.
- At least 10 GB diskThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
Compatibility unclear from published plan data
Meeting documented runtime prerequisites does not prove production capacity. Traffic, workloads, software configuration, and shared host limits are not measured here.
- 64-bit Linux server with Docker supportThe plan does not publish this runtime or configuration detail.
- At least 1 CPU coreThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
- At least 1 GB RAM and configured swapThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
- At least 1 GB RAM and configured swapThe plan does not publish this runtime or configuration detail.
- At least 10 GB diskThe plan does not publish this runtime or configuration detail.
Compatibility unclear from published plan data
Meeting documented runtime prerequisites does not prove production capacity. Traffic, workloads, software configuration, and shared host limits are not measured here.
- 64-bit Linux server with Docker supportThe plan does not publish this runtime or configuration detail.
- At least 1 CPU coreThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
- At least 1 GB RAM and configured swapThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
- At least 1 GB RAM and configured swapThe plan does not publish this runtime or configuration detail.
- At least 10 GB diskThe plan does not publish this runtime or configuration detail.
Compatibility unclear from published plan data
Meeting documented runtime prerequisites does not prove production capacity. Traffic, workloads, software configuration, and shared host limits are not measured here.
- 64-bit Linux server with Docker supportThe plan does not publish this runtime or configuration detail.
- At least 1 CPU coreThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
- At least 1 GB RAM and configured swapThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
- At least 1 GB RAM and configured swapThe plan does not publish this runtime or configuration detail.
- At least 10 GB diskThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
Compatibility unclear from published plan data
Meeting documented runtime prerequisites does not prove production capacity. Traffic, workloads, software configuration, and shared host limits are not measured here.
- 64-bit Linux server with Docker supportThe plan does not publish this runtime or configuration detail.
- At least 1 CPU coreThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
- At least 1 GB RAM and configured swapThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
- At least 1 GB RAM and configured swapThe plan does not publish this runtime or configuration detail.
- At least 10 GB diskThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
Compatibility unclear from published plan data
Meeting documented runtime prerequisites does not prove production capacity. Traffic, workloads, software configuration, and shared host limits are not measured here.
- 64-bit Linux server with Docker supportThe plan does not publish this runtime or configuration detail.
- At least 1 CPU coreThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
- At least 1 GB RAM and configured swapThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
- At least 1 GB RAM and configured swapThe plan does not publish this runtime or configuration detail.
- At least 10 GB diskThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
Compatibility unclear from published plan data
Meeting documented runtime prerequisites does not prove production capacity. Traffic, workloads, software configuration, and shared host limits are not measured here.
- 64-bit Linux server with Docker supportThe plan does not publish this runtime or configuration detail.
- At least 1 CPU coreThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
- At least 1 GB RAM and configured swapThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
- At least 1 GB RAM and configured swapThe plan does not publish this runtime or configuration detail.
- At least 10 GB diskThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
Hetzner Cloud
Hetzner Cloud CCX53 (Germany and Finland)
32vCPU
128 GBRAM
600 GBStorage
50 TBTransfer
Compatibility unclear from published plan data
Meeting documented runtime prerequisites does not prove production capacity. Traffic, workloads, software configuration, and shared host limits are not measured here.
- 64-bit Linux server with Docker supportThe plan does not publish this runtime or configuration detail.
- At least 1 CPU coreThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
- At least 1 GB RAM and configured swapThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
- At least 1 GB RAM and configured swapThe plan does not publish this runtime or configuration detail.
- At least 10 GB diskThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
Hetzner Cloud
Hetzner Cloud CCX63 (Germany and Finland)
48vCPU
192 GBRAM
960 GBStorage
60 TBTransfer
Compatibility unclear from published plan data
Meeting documented runtime prerequisites does not prove production capacity. Traffic, workloads, software configuration, and shared host limits are not measured here.
- 64-bit Linux server with Docker supportThe plan does not publish this runtime or configuration detail.
- At least 1 CPU coreThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
- At least 1 GB RAM and configured swapThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
- At least 1 GB RAM and configured swapThe plan does not publish this runtime or configuration detail.
- At least 10 GB diskThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
Compatibility unclear from published plan data
Meeting documented runtime prerequisites does not prove production capacity. Traffic, workloads, software configuration, and shared host limits are not measured here.
- 64-bit Linux server with Docker supportThe plan does not publish this runtime or configuration detail.
- At least 1 CPU coreThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
- At least 1 GB RAM and configured swapThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
- At least 1 GB RAM and configured swapThe plan does not publish this runtime or configuration detail.
- At least 10 GB diskThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
Compatibility unclear from published plan data
Meeting documented runtime prerequisites does not prove production capacity. Traffic, workloads, software configuration, and shared host limits are not measured here.
- 64-bit Linux server with Docker supportThe plan does not publish this runtime or configuration detail.
- At least 1 CPU coreThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
- At least 1 GB RAM and configured swapThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
- At least 1 GB RAM and configured swapThe plan does not publish this runtime or configuration detail.
- At least 10 GB diskThe published plan value satisfies this requirement.
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