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What a working VPS installation requires
Invoice Ninja is a Laravel application, so self-hosting is more than uploading PHP files. The server needs a supported operating system, PHP and extensions, a database, a web server, Composer, Node.js/NPM, TLS, and recurring background jobs. The official documentation describes self-hosting as flexible—“Invoice Ninja adapts to however you want to host it”—but you remain responsible for the operating system, firewall, credentials, upgrades and recovery.
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| Component | Documented requirement or guidance |
|---|---|
| Memory | 1 GB RAM minimum |
| CPU | 1 vCPU core minimum |
| Storage | 20 GB minimum |
| Operating system | Ubuntu 20.04 or newer, or CentOS 8 or newer |
| PHP | PHP 8.1 or newer on the getting-started requirements; the newer self-host instructions specify PHP 8.2 |
| Database | MySQL 5.7 or newer, or MariaDB 10.3 or newer |
| Web server | nginx or Apache |
| Build and dependency tools | Composer and Node.js/NPM |
| PHP extensions in the newer self-host guidance | bcmath, gmp, gd, mbstring, XML, curl, zip, MySQL, FPM, imagick, soap, intl and Saxon for e-invoice validation |
| Network and naming | SSH access, a domain name that can receive HTTPS, and a firewall you maintain |
The published figures are minimums, not a capacity study. The official materials do not provide an independent throughput benchmark or a recommended customer count. If you expect many simultaneous users, large document archives, or heavy PDF and email activity, choose more memory and storage and measure your own workload rather than treating 1 GB as a performance target.
Choose how you will deploy it
Decide before installing packages. A manual installation gives you direct control of nginx or Apache, PHP versions and system services. Docker or Podman makes the application stack more repeatable and usually simplifies a pilot, but you still have to manage persistent data, image updates, TLS and host security. Marketplace or panel options can reduce day-to-day administration at the cost of some portability and control.
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| Deployment path | Best fit | What you operate | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual nginx or Apache | Administrators who want to own the OS and web-server configuration | Linux packages, PHP/FPM, Composer, Node.js/NPM, database, web server, TLS, cron and workers | Most control, but every dependency and service must be configured and upgraded correctly |
| Docker or Podman | Reproducible deployments, pilots and teams already using containers | Container runtime, Compose configuration, environment file, persistent volumes, host firewall, TLS and backups | Application dependencies are packaged more consistently, but volumes and image tags require disciplined operations |
| Cloudron, Elestio, Softaculous or YunoHost | Operators who prefer a marketplace, panel or managed installation | Provider or panel account, domain, credentials, backups and the options exposed by that platform | Lower setup effort, with less direct control and potentially more provider dependence |
Whichever route you choose, keep the Invoice Ninja version documented, use a domain rather than an IP address for the final URL, and arrange off-server backups before importing real invoices.
Provision and harden the VPS first
- Select a supported image and size. Start with Ubuntu 20.04+ or CentOS 8+ and at least the documented 1 GB/1 vCPU/20 GB baseline. A larger disk is prudent if invoice PDFs, attachments, logs and local backups will remain on the VPS.
- Create an administrative path. Enable SSH with a non-root administrative account, use key authentication where possible, and retain a documented emergency access method. Apply operating-system updates before installing the application.
- Set DNS. Point the chosen hostname to the VPS address and wait for it to resolve before requesting a certificate. Use the exact hostname you will place in
APP_URL. - Configure the firewall. Allow SSH from the addresses you administer and expose only the web ports needed for HTTP/HTTPS. Restrict database access to the application host unless a separate database server is intentional.
- Plan storage and recovery. Enable provider snapshots or a backup service, but do not treat a snapshot as your only copy. You need recoverable database data, uploaded files, the
.envfile and any persistent container volumes.
Do not put the application under a URL such as https://example.com/ninja when following the official self-host procedure. The documented setup expects the virtual host to serve the application at its own web root; use a dedicated hostname such as https://invoices.example.com instead.
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Manual installation with nginx or Apache
This path is appropriate when you want to understand and control every service. The names of package commands vary by distribution, so use your distribution’s supported PHP 8.2 packages and ensure every extension listed by the current self-host instructions is present.
Install the stack
- Install PHP 8.2 with PHP-FPM and the required extensions: bcmath, gmp, gd, mbstring, XML, curl, zip, MySQL, imagick, soap, intl and Saxon. The getting-started page allows PHP 8.1+, but PHP 8.2 aligns with the newer self-host guidance.
- Install nginx or Apache, Composer, Node.js and NPM.
- Install MySQL 5.7+ or MariaDB 10.3+ and create a dedicated database and database user with a strong, unique password.
- Install and configure an SSL certificate for the final hostname. Invoice Ninja requires SSL for a normal secure deployment and for integrations that reject plain HTTP.
Place the release in the virtual-host root
Download the official Invoice Ninja release tarball, unpack it into a directory such as /var/www/invoiceninja, and set ownership so the web-server account can read the application and write the directories that the release identifies as writable. Keep the release directory itself separate from temporary archives.
sudo mkdir -p /var/www/invoiceninja
sudo tar -xzf invoiceninja-release.tar.gz -C /var/www/invoiceninja --strip-components=1
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/invoiceninjaThe exact web user can differ by distribution; use the account used by your PHP-FPM and web-server services. Do not make the entire filesystem writable by the web user just to bypass a permissions error.
Point the web server at public
Create a virtual host for the hostname and set its document root to /var/www/invoiceninja/public, not the project’s top-level directory. Configure the server to pass PHP requests to the matching PHP-FPM socket or upstream, allow Laravel’s front-controller rewrites, and deny direct access to files such as .env. Enable the TLS virtual host after the certificate is installed.
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Create the database and finish /setup
Record the database name, username, password, host and port. Then visit the hostname’s /setup page over HTTPS and complete the installer. The setup process writes the application configuration, including the encryption key and database connection. If you generate APP_KEY from the command line instead, store the resulting value securely and never replace it casually after data is encrypted.
After setup succeeds, confirm that the installer is no longer exposed as an unfinished public entry point, remove any temporary release archive, and review the web-server access and error logs.
Deploying with Docker or Podman
Containers are useful when you want the same application and dependency layout on several servers. Use the official Invoice Ninja Dockerfiles or Compose repository as the starting point rather than assembling unrelated images. The host still needs a maintained operating system, firewall, DNS and TLS termination.
Prepare the environment file
Copy the project’s environment template to a protected .env file and set the final URL and secrets before starting the stack. At minimum, review:
APP_URL: the complete HTTPS URL users will open.APP_KEY: a generated application key; keep it in your secret store and in backups needed for recovery.- Database connection values: host, database name, username, password and port.
NINJA_ENVIRONMENT=selfhost: identifies the self-hosted operating mode.IS_DOCKER=TRUE: enables container-specific behavior where required by the official configuration.QUEUE_CONNECTION=databaseor another supported queue backend.- Mail transport settings, webcron or integration secrets, and backup-retention controls documented in the environment reference.
Protect the file with restrictive permissions and do not commit it to a source-control repository. After changing environment values, restart the containers so the processes load the new configuration.
Persist the data that matters
Map persistent storage for the database and for Invoice Ninja’s application storage, including uploaded documents and generated files. A disposable container layer is not a backup. Record the volume names and mount paths in your runbook so another administrator can restore them.
Terminate TLS at a properly configured reverse proxy or web server, pass the original HTTPS scheme to the application, and verify that generated links and PDF downloads use the HTTPS APP_URL. Keep database credentials and application secrets outside public web roots.
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Configure mail, URLs and secrets safely
Set APP_URL only after DNS and HTTPS are ready. A wrong scheme, hostname or trailing path can create incorrect invoice links, failed callbacks and mixed-content warnings. Configure an authenticated mail transport and send a test message before relying on reminders or payment notifications.
Keep the following in a password manager or encrypted secret store:
APP_KEYand the database credentials.- SMTP credentials and any payment, storage, webcron or integration secrets.
- Recovery codes for the VPS, domain and backup systems.
The self-hosted service is provided “as is” and “with all faults” under the self-hosting terms dated February 1, 2026 (version 1.0.2). That makes your own patching, access control and restore testing part of the deployment decision, not an optional add-on.
Make scheduled work and queues reliable
Invoice Ninja depends on recurring Laravel tasks for items such as recurring invoices and reminders. Add a system cron entry that runs every minute, changing the directory if you installed elsewhere:
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Run queue workers continuously
For production, use Supervisor or another supported process manager to keep queue workers alive, set QUEUE_CONNECTION=database or the queue backend you selected, run php artisan optimize, and restart workers after configuration or code changes. A worker that starts once and exits will leave mail, PDF generation or other queued jobs waiting indefinitely.
Fallback when Supervisor is unavailable
The official guidance provides a five-minute fallback that starts a worker, lets it process pending jobs, and exits when the queue is empty:
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*/5 * * * * cd /var/www/invoiceninja && php artisan queue:work --stop-when-emptyThis is easier to operate on a small server but can delay notifications and other queued actions by several minutes. Move to a continuously supervised worker when timely delivery matters.
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- HTTPS: The hostname loads with a valid certificate, redirects are correct, and generated links use HTTPS.
- Application setup: The
/setupprocess completes and the dashboard loads without a database or permission error. - Invoices: A test invoice saves, renders as a PDF and can be downloaded by an authorized user.
- Email: A test message arrives, and the sender, reply-to address and links are correct.
- Recurring work: Create a safe test reminder or recurring invoice and confirm the scheduler executes it.
- Queues: Workers remain running under Supervisor, or the fallback cron produces no accumulating backlog.
- Permissions: The web user can write only the application directories that need it;
.envis not downloadable. - Recovery: Restore a database backup and application files to a separate test location before storing irreplaceable business data.
Back up what a restore actually needs
A useful backup contains more than a database dump. Schedule and verify copies of:
- The MySQL or MariaDB database.
- Invoice Ninja application storage, uploaded attachments and generated documents.
- The
.envfile and the application key, stored encrypted and separately protected. - Persistent Docker or Podman volumes, when containers are used.
- Web-server configuration, TLS renewal information and your deployment notes.
Keep at least one copy off the VPS. The environment reference includes backup-retention controls; choose retention that matches your accounting and legal requirements rather than keeping only the latest snapshot. A backup is not proven until you can restore it: perform a test restore, open a PDF, log in and verify that encrypted data still decrypts.
Updates, versioning and the v4-to-v5 boundary
Pin and document the Invoice Ninja version and container image tag you run. Before an update, read the release notes, confirm PHP and database compatibility, take a fresh backup, and rehearse the change on a copy when possible. Update one layer at a time—application, dependencies, database migrations and workers—then repeat the verification checklist.
Invoice Ninja v5 is not an in-place upgrade from v4.x. Moving from v4 requires a clean v5 installation and a tested migration plan; do not overwrite a v4 directory and assume the schema and configuration will convert safely. Preserve the original system until the new installation has passed data, PDF, mail and restore checks.
Troubleshooting by symptom
The site shows a directory listing, 404s, or downloads PHP files
Check that the virtual host’s document root is the release’s public directory and that PHP-FPM is connected to the intended version. Confirm Laravel rewrite rules and reload the web server after changing the virtual host. Never solve this by exposing the project’s parent directory.
/setup cannot connect to the database
Verify the database host, port, name, user and password in the environment configuration. Test the credentials from the VPS, check that the database service is running, and ensure the firewall allows the connection only where intended. A containerized database normally requires the Compose service name rather than localhost.
PDFs fail or images are missing
Confirm that the PHP extensions in the current self-host requirements—including gd, imagick, mbstring, XML and zip—are installed in the PHP runtime used by the web server and workers. Check writable storage permissions and review application and web-server logs. In containers, verify that the storage volume is mounted and not full.
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Run the scheduler command manually from the application directory, confirm the one-minute cron entry is installed for the correct user, and inspect cron and application logs. Then check that a queue worker is continuously supervised or that the five-minute fallback is actually firing.
Mail is queued but not delivered
Check SMTP credentials, encryption and port, then inspect the queue worker logs. If the worker was restarted after an environment change, run php artisan optimize and restart it again so it does not retain stale configuration.
The container ignores a changed setting
Environment values are read by running processes. Restart the relevant containers after editing .env, confirm the value inside the container, and verify that a persistent volume has not preserved an old generated configuration unexpectedly.
Manual versus containers: a practical decision
Choose manual installation when your team already operates nginx or Apache, needs direct PHP tuning, or must integrate with existing host-level monitoring and security controls. Choose Docker or Podman when reproducibility, clear image versioning and quick rebuilds matter more than host-level simplicity. In both cases, queue workers, PDF dependencies, TLS, backups and restore drills remain your responsibility.
A managed or panel route is reasonable when reducing routine administration is worth accepting the platform’s supported options and migration constraints. Before committing, confirm that you can export the database and files, obtain shell or recovery access when needed, schedule independent backups, and move the installation if the provider changes its terms.
Production handover checklist
- Record the VPS address, operating-system version, Invoice Ninja version, PHP version, database version and deployment method.
- Store
APP_KEY, database, mail and integration secrets in an encrypted credential system. - Document the virtual-host root, TLS renewal process, cron entries, queue supervisor configuration and persistent volume names.
- Test invoice creation, PDF rendering, email, recurring work, queue recovery and login after a service restart.
- Run and verify an off-server backup, then complete a test restore.
- Set a calendar reminder to review release notes, compatibility, backups and provider pricing before each planned update.
What self-hosting changes for you
Self-hosting can give you control over where financial data resides and how the application is integrated, but it also makes uptime, patching, credentials and recovery your job. The minimum VPS specification is enough to begin a documented installation; it is not evidence that every workload will perform well at that size. A conservative deployment is one with a supported stack, a dedicated HTTPS hostname, correctly isolated secrets, a running scheduler and worker, and backups that have been restored successfully—not merely created.
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