Self-host Pluma with Docker
Run Pluma on your own infrastructure. One container, one compose file, five minutes from clean box to running app.
Quickstart (5 minutes)
Pick a directory
Pick a directory
sudo mkdir -p /opt/pluma && sudo chown $USER:$USER /opt/pluma
cd /opt/plumaCreate the compose file
Create the compose file
Save as docker-compose.yml.
services:
pluma:
image: mertdalbudak/pluma:latest
container_name: pluma
restart: unless-stopped
env_file: .env
ports:
- "4100:4100"
volumes:
- builder-data:/app/builder/data
# Lets the Pro+ Publish flow drive `docker buildx`. Remove this line
# if you won't publish workspace renderer images.
- /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
healthcheck:
test: ["CMD", "wget", "-qO-", "http://localhost:4100/health"]
interval: 30s
timeout: 5s
retries: 5
volumes:
builder-data:
Create the env file
Create the env file
Save as .env. Only four values matter — the rest is auto-generated on first boot.
# Where Pluma is reachable (use https://… when fronted by TLS).
PUBLIC_URL=http://localhost:4100
# Paid tiers: paste your license key. Free tier: leave blank.
LICENSE_KEY=
# Database (optional) — unset uses a bundled SQLite file; point at your
# own PostgreSQL to back it up and scale it yourself.
# DATABASE_URL=postgresql://USER:PASS@host:5432/pluma
# Object storage (optional) — defaults to the local data volume; set these
# for S3-compatible storage (MinIO, R2, S3, B2, …).
# STORAGE_BACKEND=s3
# S3_BUCKET=pluma
# S3_ENDPOINT=https://your-s3-endpoint
# S3_REGION=eu-central-1
# S3_ACCESS_KEY=...
# S3_SECRET_KEY=...
# Email (optional) — only for the enterprise e-signature workflow. Any SMTP
# URL works; without it /sign-requests is disabled and everything else runs
# offline.
# SMTP_URL=smtp://user:[email protected]:587
# EMAIL_FROM=Pluma <[email protected]>
# [email protected]
PUBLIC_URLWhere the install livesLICENSE_KEYPaid tiers only — leave blank for FreeBoot the stack
Boot the stack
docker compose up -d
docker compose logs -f plumaVerify
Verify
If both endpoints respond, you’re live.
curl http://127.0.0.1:4100/health
# → {"ok":true,"service":"builder"}Open http://your-host:4100 and register with the email you set as
Plug in only what you need
The core install runs offline — no external services required. The integrations below are opt-in, configured through .env, and only activate the feature they're paired with.
SMTP — e-signature workflow
Required only for the e-signature workflow on enterprise installs. Any standard SMTP URL works:
# ── Transactional email (optional; needed for /sign-requests) ──
SMTP_URL=smtp://user:[email protected]:587
EMAIL_FROM=Pluma <[email protected]>
[email protected]Branding — make it look like yours
After the first sign-in, the dashboard Settings → Branding page lets you replace "Pluma" with your product name, swap in your own logo (header + email) and favicon, set an accent colour, and add a legal footer to every transactional email. Changes hot-swap immediately — no restart, no env-var dance. Self-hosted only; hosted SaaS branding is Pluma-owned.
Object storage — share state across nodes
By default uploaded PDFs and images live in the builder-data volume. Point STORAGE_BACKEND at any S3-compatible service (MinIO, Hetzner, R2, B2, AWS) when you want to scale horizontally, run multiple builder replicas, or take the data volume off the application host.
STORAGE_BACKEND=s3
S3_BUCKET=pluma
S3_ENDPOINT=https://your-s3-endpoint
S3_REGION=eu-central-1
S3_ACCESS_KEY=...
S3_SECRET_KEY=...Updating
docker compose pull
docker compose up -dDatabase migrations run automatically on builder boot, before the HTTP server accepts traffic. No manual migration step.
Need a license?
Free tier works without a license. Advanced and Pro tiers need a license key — buy one on our hosted site, paste it into your .env as LICENSE_KEY, and redeploy.