Easy Guide Steps To Install Cloudron on Ubuntu 20.04
This article intends to teach you to Install Cloudron on Ubuntu 20.04. Cloudron is a complete solution for installing and maintaining apps like WordPress, Rocket Chat, NextCloud, GitLab, OpenVPN & Discourse. Unlike other 1-click management platforms which deploy a docker image and leave you to figure out the rest, Cloudron fully automates the deployment.
Now follow the steps below provided by the Orcacore team to set up Cloudron on Ubuntu 20.04.
To complete this guide, you must log in to your server as a root or non-root user with sudo privileges. To do this, you can follow our guide on Initial Server Setup with Ubuntu 20.04.
Step 1. Set up Cloudron on Ubuntu 20.04
First, you need to update your local package index with the following command:
apt update
Download Cloudron Installer Script
Then, you need to download Cloudron installer script by using the wget command:
wget https://cloudron.io/cloudron-setup
When your download is completed, make your downloaded file executable:
chmod +x ./cloudron-setup
Install Cloudron
Now you can use the following command to Install Cloudron on Ubuntu 20.04:
bash cloudron-setup
This will take some time to complete. Once ready, you will be prompted to reboot the server and enter Y
to restart.
**Output**
##############################################
Cloudron Setup (latest)
##############################################
Follow setup logs in a second terminal with:
$ tail -f /var/log/cloudron-setup.log
Join us at https://forum.cloudron.io for any questions.
=> Updating apt and installing script dependencies
=> Checking version
=> Downloading Cloudron version 7.4.2 ...
=> Installing base dependencies and downloading docker images (this takes some time) ...
=> Installing Cloudron version 7.4.2 (this takes some time) ...
=> Waiting for cloudron to be ready (this takes some time) .....
After reboot, visit one of the following URLs and accept the self-signed certificate to finish setup.
* https://...
* https://...
The server has to be rebooted to apply all the settings. Reboot now ? [Y/n] y
Step 2. Configure and Access Cloudron on Ubuntu 20.04
At this point, you can access the Cloudron web interface by typing your server’s IP address in your web browser:
http://your-server-ip
You should see the Cloudron domain setup dashboard.
Enter your domain name (non-subdomain). Under DNS Provider, you can select one that you want. Or you can choose No-op (only for development).

Next, set up an Administrator account by entering the Full Name
, Email
, Username
, and Password
for the Cloudron account on Ubuntu 20.04. Then, click Create Admin
to proceed.
Cloudron will create my.yourdomain
subdomain, and automatically redirect you to the main web dashboard. This means the platform is ready to use. You can deploy Apps, set up DNS, create databases, add users, and automate backups, among other features.
For more information, you can visit the Cloudron Docs page.
Conclusion
In short, Cloudron is a tool to make self-hosting apps on your server simple, secure, and hassle-free. At this point, you have learned to Install Cloudron on Ubuntu 20.04.
Hope you enjoy it. You may also like these articles:
Install ionCube Loader on Ubuntu 22.04
How To Install Bitwarden on Debian 11
Alternative Solutions for Installing Cloudron on Ubuntu 20.04
While the above method using the provided shell script is straightforward, there are alternative approaches to achieve the same goal of installing Cloudron on an Ubuntu 20.04 server. These alternatives may offer more control over the installation process or cater to specific use cases.
Alternative 1: Manual Docker Compose Installation
Cloudron fundamentally relies on Docker. Therefore, you can bypass the provided installation script and manually set up Cloudron using Docker Compose. This method provides a deeper understanding of the underlying components and allows for customization. It allows the Install Cloudron on Ubuntu 20.04 to be fully under the control of the user.
Steps:
-
Install Docker and Docker Compose: If not already present, install Docker and Docker Compose on your Ubuntu 20.04 server.
sudo apt update sudo apt install docker.io docker-compose
-
Download the Cloudron Docker Compose file: Obtain the official Docker Compose file for Cloudron from the Cloudron documentation or community resources. This file will define the necessary services (e.g., MongoDB, Redis, web server) and their configurations. You might need to adjust this file to suit your specific network setup or resource constraints.
wget [link to cloudron docker-compose.yml] # Replace with the actual link
-
Configure the Docker Compose file: Edit the
docker-compose.yml
file to configure the necessary environment variables, such as the domain name, database credentials, and other settings. Pay close attention to the network configuration to ensure proper communication between the containers.nano docker-compose.yml
Example snippet (adjust to your needs):
version: "3.7" services: cloudron: image: cloudron/cloudron restart: always ports: - "80:80" - "443:443" volumes: - /var/cloudron:/app/data environment: - DOMAIN=yourdomain.com - SMTP_HOST=smtp.example.com - SMTP_PORT=587 - SMTP_USER=user@example.com - SMTP_PASSWORD=yourpassword
-
Start Cloudron using Docker Compose: Once the Docker Compose file is configured, start Cloudron by running the following command in the directory containing the
docker-compose.yml
file:docker-compose up -d
This command will download the necessary Docker images and start the Cloudron containers in detached mode.
-
Access the Cloudron Web Interface: After the containers are running, access the Cloudron web interface through your web browser by navigating to the domain name you configured. Complete the initial setup steps as described in the original guide.
Advantages:
- Greater Control: Full control over the Docker containers and their configurations.
- Customization: Ability to customize the installation to fit specific needs.
- Understanding: Provides a deeper understanding of the underlying architecture of Cloudron.
Disadvantages:
- Complexity: More complex than using the provided installation script.
- Maintenance: Requires manual updates and maintenance of the Docker containers.
- Troubleshooting: More challenging to troubleshoot issues.
Alternative 2: Using a Configuration Management Tool (Ansible)
For more complex deployments or when managing multiple servers, a configuration management tool like Ansible can automate the installation process. This ensures consistency and repeatability across different environments. This is another valid path to Install Cloudron on Ubuntu 20.04.
Steps:
-
Install Ansible: If not already installed, install Ansible on your control machine (the machine from which you will run the Ansible playbook).
sudo apt update sudo apt install ansible
-
Create an Ansible Playbook: Create an Ansible playbook that automates the installation of Cloudron. The playbook should include tasks for updating the package index, installing Docker and Docker Compose, downloading the Cloudron Docker Compose file, configuring the file, and starting the Cloudron containers.
Example playbook (
cloudron_install.yml
):--- - hosts: all become: true tasks: - name: Update apt cache apt: update_cache: yes - name: Install Docker and Docker Compose apt: name: - docker.io - docker-compose state: present - name: Download Cloudron Docker Compose file get_url: url: [link to cloudron docker-compose.yml] # Replace with the actual link dest: /tmp/docker-compose.yml - name: Configure Cloudron Docker Compose file replace: path: /tmp/docker-compose.yml regexp: 'DOMAIN=yourdomain.com' replace: 'DOMAIN={{ cloudron_domain }}' - name: Create Cloudron data directory file: path: /var/cloudron state: directory owner: root group: root mode: '0755' - name: Start Cloudron using Docker Compose command: docker-compose -f /tmp/docker-compose.yml up -d args: chdir: /tmp
-
Create an Inventory File: Create an inventory file that lists the target servers on which you want to install Cloudron.
Example inventory file (
hosts
):[cloudron_servers] your_server_ip ansible_user=your_username ansible_ssh_private_key_file=~/.ssh/id_rsa
-
Run the Ansible Playbook: Run the Ansible playbook to automate the installation of Cloudron on the target servers.
ansible-playbook -i hosts cloudron_install.yml -e "cloudron_domain=yourdomain.com"
Replace
yourdomain.com
with your actual domain name. -
Access the Cloudron Web Interface: After the playbook has finished running, access the Cloudron web interface through your web browser by navigating to the domain name you configured. Complete the initial setup steps as described in the original guide.
Advantages:
- Automation: Automates the entire installation process.
- Consistency: Ensures consistent installations across multiple servers.
- Repeatability: Allows for easy re-installation or upgrades.
- Scalability: Simplifies the management of Cloudron installations across a large number of servers.
Disadvantages:
- Complexity: Requires familiarity with Ansible and its concepts.
- Setup Time: Initial setup requires creating playbooks and inventory files.
- Dependencies: Requires Ansible to be installed on the control machine.
These alternative methods offer different approaches to Install Cloudron on Ubuntu 20.04, catering to various needs and skill levels. Choosing the right method depends on your specific requirements, technical expertise, and the scale of your deployment.