How To Set Up A Linux Server To Deploy Web Apps

Learn how to set up a Linux based server that we can later use to deploy our web apps and make them accessible to our users. First we will choose a server provider based on our needs and then create a new server. We will set up the server using an automated process or manual steps.

At the end of this guide you will have a running server with Docker installed. In the next guide we will then deploy your app to that server based on your framework and language.

Choose a Server (VPS) Provider

Before we can set up our Linux server we have to choose a provider that offers a VPS that fits our needs. In the beginning a small server should be enough to deploy our apps and websites and make them accessible to our first users. At later points we can then scale the server.

Some common VPS providers are Netcup and Hetzner. There are more but for the rest of the guide we will use Hetzner. You can follow the referral links to:

• Netcup
• Hetzner
• For other options check this reddit thread.

The thing I like about Hetzner is that they are using clean images, Hostinger for example already has some stuff pre-installed.

Set up a Linux Server (VPS)

Before we create a server we will generate a public-private key pair locally, so that we can easily access our server from the get-go.

For that you open the terminal on your PC.

ssh-keygen -t ed25519

Then we run and copy the contents of the file for later (windows maybe open it with vscode or similar):

cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

To set up a Linux VPS we need to enter the Hetzner cloud console. In the cloud console you can either create a new project or choose an existing one:

After creating/entering a project we will arrive on the dashboard screen. Here we click on 'Create resource' > 'Servers'. We then arrive on the configuration screen:

Here we choose the following options:

1. Location closest to you e.g. Nuremberg
2. Ubuntu
3. Shared vCPU -> x86 -> the RAM and core you need for your project (e.g. 4 cores 8gb RAM)
4. Networking unchanged
5. Then we add the Public Key that we copied before
6. No Volumes
7. Configure a firewall that preserves your SSH access and allows inbound TCP 80/443 for HTTPS
8. Choose a backup policy appropriate for your data
9. No Placement Groups
10. No Labels

Next we will add a cloud init. The cloud init will automatically install Docker for you and also set up a user that you can use to access your server that isn't root. Before running the server creation finish the three todos. If you prefer to install Docker manually you can also remove the packages and runcmd section and follow the steps in the next section:

#cloud-config

# Add a user
users:
# TODO: replace with your username
  - name: yourusername
    groups: users, admin
    sudo: ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL
    shell: /bin/bash
    ssh_authorized_keys:
      # TODO: replace with your public key
      - "..."

# Update apt package index
package_update: true
package_upgrade: true

# Install required packages
packages:
  - apt-transport-https
  - ca-certificates
  - curl
  - gnupg
  - lsb-release
  - software-properties-common

# Run commands to install Docker
runcmd:
  # Add Docker's official GPG key
  - curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/docker-archive-keyring.gpg
  
  # Add Docker repository
  - echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/docker-archive-keyring.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs) stable" | tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null
  
  # Update apt package index again
  - apt-get update
  
  # Install Docker Engine, containerd, and Docker CLI
  - apt-get install -y docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin
  
  # Start and enable Docker service
  - systemctl start docker
  - systemctl enable docker
  
  # Add ubuntu user to docker group
  # TODO: adjust username
  - usermod -aG docker yourusername
  
  # Verify Docker installation
  - docker --version

# Optional: Set timezone
timezone: UTC

# Optional: Configure automatic security updates
package_reboot_if_required: true

# Write additional files if needed
write_files:
  - path: /etc/docker/daemon.json
    content: |
      {
        "log-driver": "json-file",
        "log-opts": {
          "max-size": "10m",
          "max-file": "3"
        }
      }
    permissions: '0644'

# Final message
final_message: "Docker installation completed! System is ready."

Finally give your server a speaking name and then click on 'Create & Buy now'. Afterwards you have to wait a bit and then you will have the server looking like this:

You can now on locally enter:

ssh yourusername@ip

That's it! With that you've set up your server!

Install Docker to Deploy Your Web Apps

If you did not use the provided cloud init you can set up Docker using the following commands. First we install the required packages:

# Add Docker's official GPG key:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install ca-certificates curl
sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings
sudo curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc
sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc

# Add the repository to Apt sources:
echo \
"deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu \
$(. /etc/os-release && echo "${UBUNTU_CODENAME:-$VERSION_CODENAME}") stable" | \
sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null
sudo apt-get update

Next we install docker:

sudo apt-get install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin

Now we check that the basic install works:

sudo docker --version

Next we will make docker executable without sudo:

getent group docker || sudo groupadd docker
sudo usermod -aG docker "$USER"
newgrp docker

Docker group membership grants powerful access to the host. Use it only for a trusted deployment user. Reconnect your SSH session after changing groups, then check access to the daemon, not just the CLI binary:

docker info >/dev/null
docker compose version

If Docker reports permission denied, check id -nG, reconnect so the group change takes effect, and confirm the daemon is running. Do not make the Docker socket world-writable. Follow the official Ubuntu installation instructions for the Ubuntu release you use.

Preflight before deploying

From your computer, using your actual SSH destination:

ssh -o BatchMode=yes -o StrictHostKeyChecking=yes user@your-vps-ip 'docker info >/dev/null && docker compose version'

Verify the host key through a trusted channel before this command. It must succeed without prompting for a password or sudo. A private key accepted by SSH does not by itself give the user permission to run Docker.

On the server, inspect existing listeners and published container ports:

sudo ss -ltnp
docker ps --format 'table {{.Names}}\t{{.Ports}}'

Check ports 80 and 443 before adding Caddy. If a proxy already owns them, extend that proxy or use another server. Do not stop an unrelated service to follow a tutorial. QuickDeploy manages a shared Caddy deployment and can recreate that proxy; account for that behavior when choosing a host.

Confirm the domain's A record points to the server. If an AAAA record exists, its IPv6 destination must also serve this app. Allow inbound TCP 80/443 at the provider and host firewall while preserving your SSH port. Docker-published ports can bypass some host firewall rules, so expose only the proxy and review Docker's firewall behavior.

Finally, check df -h and free -h for build and runtime headroom. Set up off-server backups before putting important data on the VPS. Once the preflight passes, choose a framework deployment recipe.

Next Steps

Your VPS is ready for an application. Choose a guide for a manual Docker deployment, an app with PostgreSQL, or automated deployments through GitHub Actions:

• Choose a Next.js or SvelteKit deployment recipe
• Deploy a web app with Docker and Caddy
• Deploy a full-stack app with PostgreSQL
• Automate VPS deployments with GitHub Actions