Requirements
Before installing Slipway, make sure your server meets these requirements.
Server Requirements
Minimum
| Requirement | Specification |
|---|---|
| CPU | 1 core |
| RAM | 1GB |
| Disk | 10GB |
| OS | Ubuntu 20.04+, Debian 11+, or any Linux with Docker |
Recommended
| Requirement | Specification |
|---|---|
| CPU | 2+ cores |
| RAM | 4GB+ |
| Disk | 50GB+ SSD |
| OS | Ubuntu 22.04 LTS |
Software Requirements
Slipway's install script will automatically install Docker if it's not already present. However, if you prefer to set things up manually:
| Software | Version | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Docker | 20.10+ | Required for container management |
| Docker Compose | v2+ | Included with Docker Desktop |
Network Requirements
| Port | Purpose | Required |
|---|---|---|
| 80 | HTTP traffic | Yes |
| 443 | HTTPS traffic | Yes |
| 1337 | Slipway dashboard (before custom domain) | Yes |
| 22 | SSH access | Recommended |
Make sure these ports are open in your firewall/security group.
CLI Requirements
To use the Slipway CLI on your local machine:
| Software | Version | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Node.js | 22+ | Required for CLI |
| npm | 10+ | Comes with Node.js |
The CLI has zero npm dependencies — it uses only Node.js built-ins.
Supported Platforms
VPS Providers (Tested)
- Hetzner Cloud (Recommended — great performance/price ratio)
- DigitalOcean Droplets
- Linode
- Vultr
- AWS EC2
- Google Cloud Compute Engine
Getting a VPS
If you're new to self-hosting, we recommend starting with a Hetzner Cloud server. Their CX22 plan (2 vCPU, 4GB RAM, 40GB SSD) is an excellent starting point for running Slipway and a few applications.
Other Platforms
Slipway should work on any Linux server with Docker support. If you encounter issues on a specific platform, please open an issue.
What's Next?
Once you've confirmed your server meets these requirements, proceed to Server Installation.