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Self-hosting overview

Run Qwest on your own server, step by step, from zero.

1 min read

Self-hosting means Qwest runs on a computer you control. Your data never leaves it, and you pay once instead of every month.

You don’t need to be a sysadmin. If you can copy and paste commands, you can do this. Plan for about an hour the first time.

The four steps

Section titled “The four steps”
  1. Get a server. Rent one in the cloud, or reuse a computer you already have.
  2. Install Qwest. Two files and one command.
  3. Let your team in. Privately over a VPN, or publicly with your own domain.
  4. Keep it running. Backups, updates and, if you need it, cloud storage for big files.

Which server should I pick?

Section titled “Which server should I pick?”
Rent a VPS Old PC at the studio or at home
Cost A few dollars a month Free (plus electricity)
Reachable from anywhere Yes, always on Only while the PC is on and online
Disk space Small, paid to grow Whatever disks you put in
Setup Easiest A little more (OS, power, network)
Best for Remote teams, most indies A team in one place, lots of big files

Not sure? Rent a VPS. It’s always on, it’s in a data center with fast internet, and you can move to your own hardware later. See Move to a new server.

Where to start

Section titled “Where to start”