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 and certificate provisioning | Yes |
| 443 | HTTPS traffic | Yes |
| 1337 | Slipway dashboard before adding a domain | Yes during initial setup |
| 1338–1500 | Direct application URLs using IP:port | Only when direct access is needed |
| 22 | SSH access | Recommended |
These ports may need to be allowed at two separate network boundaries:
- The host firewall running on the server, such as UFW or firewalld. The installer adds the Slipway ports when either firewall is already active. It does not enable a firewall or change SSH rules.
- The provider firewall or security group managed by Hetzner, DigitalOcean, AWS, or your VPS provider. Slipway cannot change these rules, so you must configure them in your provider's control panel.
Applications served through a configured domain only need public access to ports 80 and 443. Open 1338–1500 when you want Slipway's direct application URLs to be reachable from outside the server.
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.