# Self-hosting

> Run Nodaro on your own server with Docker Compose. Compare the Community, Business and Cloud editions, and see what needs your own keys or a Cloud connection.

Source: https://nodaro.ai/docs/self-hosting

**Self-hosting** Nodaro means running the whole product — the visual editor, the REST API and the workers that run your workflows — on a server you control. One Docker Compose file starts Nodaro together with its own database, sign-in, media storage and job queues, so a fresh install needs no cloud account and no configuration. To generate images, video and audio, you then add your own model provider keys or connect the install to Nodaro Cloud.

[Self-hosted AI generator](https://nodaro.ai/docs/self-hosting/self-hosted-ai-generator) explains why teams run Nodaro themselves, what it generates and what the fair-code license allows.

## What you get

- **The full editor and API.** The same canvas, nodes, apps and REST API as Nodaro Cloud, served from your own domain. The OpenAPI 3.1 document of your install is at `/v1/openapi.json`.
- **Everything bundled.** The compose stack runs Postgres, sign-in, a data API, MinIO storage and Redis next to Nodaro. Media stays on your disk.
- **No credits.** The Community Edition has no credit system, no Nodaro fees and no watermark. You pay your model providers directly.
- **A health screen.** `/setup` shows the state of the database, Redis, storage, the encryption key and your provider keys, without a sign-in.
- **One-command backups.** A script saves the database, the media, the encryption key and your `.env` in one archive.

## Three editions

Nodaro has three editions, built from the same code. The `EDITION` variable selects one: `community`, `business` or `cloud`.

| | Community | Business | Cloud |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Where it runs** | Your server | Your server | app.nodaro.ai, managed by Nodaro |
| **Admin panel** | No | Yes | Yes |
| **User management** | No | Yes | Yes |
| **Credits and billing** | No | No | Yes |
| **Surface profile** | Ignored | Yes | Yes |

The published Docker image is the Community Edition. The Business edition's admin panel and user management are Enterprise features, and using Enterprise features in production requires a Nodaro Enterprise subscription. Read [Editions and surface profiles](https://nodaro.ai/docs/self-hosting/editions-and-profiles) to switch editions, and [License](https://nodaro.ai/docs/self-hosting/license) for the terms.

## Your own keys or a Nodaro Cloud connection

Nodes that call an AI model need a model provider. A self-hosted install gets one in two ways: your own provider keys, or a connection to a Nodaro Cloud account that bills in credits. Both can run side by side.

| What you want to run | What it needs |
| --- | --- |
| Standard image, video, speech, music and text models | Your provider keys, such as `KIE_API_KEY`, `REPLICATE_API_TOKEN`, `ANTHROPIC_API_KEY`, `GEMINI_API_KEY` or `ELEVENLABS_API_KEY`, or a Nodaro Cloud connection |
| [AI Avatar](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/video/ai-avatar) and [Cinematic Avatar](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/video/cinematic-avatar) | `HEYGEN_API_KEY`, or a Nodaro Cloud connection |
| [Relight & Switch](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/video/relight-and-switch) | `BEEBLE_API_KEY`, or a Nodaro Cloud connection |
| [Web Scrape](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/automate/web-scrape) and [Site Capture](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/automate/site-capture) | `APIFY_API_TOKEN`, or a Nodaro Cloud connection |
| The Nodaro-exclusive nodes, such as [Generate Video Pro](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/video/generate-video-pro), [Edit Video Pro](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/video/edit-video-pro), [Voice Changer Pro](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/audio/voice-changer-pro), [Video Analysis](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/video/video-analysis) and [AI Audit](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/video/ai-audit) | A Nodaro Cloud connection |
| Video and audio edits such as trimming and combining, and [Render Video](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/video/render-video) | Nothing: they run on your server |
| [Generate 3D Scene](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/video/generate-3d-scene) and [Edit 3D Scene](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/video/edit-3d-scene) | A text model key. The scene renders on your server. |
| [Story → Video](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/video/story-to-video) and [3D Render Pro](https://nodaro.ai/docs/nodes/video/pro-3d-render) | Not available on a self-hosted install |

Read [Provider keys](https://nodaro.ai/docs/self-hosting/provider-keys) for what each key powers, and [Connect to Nodaro Cloud](https://nodaro.ai/docs/self-hosting/cloud-connect) for the connection.

## How the pieces fit

A single container runs the web server, the API and the workers. Redis carries the work between them, Postgres keeps the data, and S3-compatible storage keeps the media.

Workflow: The browser reaches the API through the web server. The API queues work in Redis, and the workers run it, call the model providers and save results to storage.

- Browser → Web server
- Web server → API
- API → Redis
- API → Database
- Redis → Workers
- Workers → Storage

The workers call your model providers, or Nodaro Cloud when the install is connected. Read [Architecture](https://nodaro.ai/docs/self-hosting/architecture) for the processes, the queues and the authentication modes.

## The path through this section

### Install

  - [Quickstart](https://nodaro.ai/docs/self-hosting/quickstart): 
Two commands to a running Community Edition, then a provider.
  
  - [Requirements](https://nodaro.ai/docs/self-hosting/requirements): 
Docker, the database, storage, ports and provider keys.
  
  - [Install](https://nodaro.ai/docs/self-hosting/install): 
The full setup: .env, secrets, migrations, storage, first sign-in.
  
  - [Reverse proxy and HTTPS](https://nodaro.ai/docs/self-hosting/reverse-proxy): 
Serve the install on your domain with nginx or Caddy.
  
  - [First user and admin](https://nodaro.ai/docs/self-hosting/first-admin): 
Sign up the first user and promote an admin.
  
  - [Editions and surface profiles](https://nodaro.ai/docs/self-hosting/editions-and-profiles): 
Switch to Business and narrow the interface.
  

### Configure

  - [Configuration](https://nodaro.ai/docs/self-hosting/configuration): 
Every environment variable, grouped, with defaults.
  
  - [Provider keys](https://nodaro.ai/docs/self-hosting/provider-keys): 
Paste keys on /setup or set them in .env.
  
  - [Database](https://nodaro.ai/docs/self-hosting/database): 
The bundled Supabase stack, a managed project, and migrations.
  
  - [Connect to Nodaro Cloud](https://nodaro.ai/docs/self-hosting/cloud-connect): 
Models without keys, and the Nodaro-exclusive nodes.
  
  - [MCP](https://nodaro.ai/docs/self-hosting/mcp): 
Let Claude, Cursor and other AI clients use your install.
  
  - [Single sign-on](https://nodaro.ai/docs/self-hosting/sso): 
Sign users in with your own identity provider.
  

### Operate

  - [Updating](https://nodaro.ai/docs/self-hosting/updating): 
Image tags, updates, major versions and rollbacks.
  
  - [Scaling](https://nodaro.ai/docs/self-hosting/scaling): 
Split the workers and tune concurrency.
  
  - [Backups and restore](https://nodaro.ai/docs/self-hosting/backups): 
One command each way, and the only downgrade path.
  
  - [Troubleshooting](https://nodaro.ai/docs/self-hosting/troubleshooting): 
Symptoms and fixes, starting at /setup.
  

### Project

  - [Architecture](https://nodaro.ai/docs/self-hosting/architecture): 
The frontend, the API, the workers, queues, storage and auth.
  
  - [Contributing](https://nodaro.ai/docs/self-hosting/contributing): 
Development setup, branches, pull requests and tests.
  
  - [License](https://nodaro.ai/docs/self-hosting/license): 
The Nodaro Sustainable Use License, in brief.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I run Nodaro on my own server?

Yes. Clone the public repository and run docker compose -f docker-compose.community.yml up. The stack brings its own database, sign-in, storage and queues, so you need no cloud account to start it.

### What is the difference between the Community, Business and Cloud editions?

Community is the free self-hosted edition, with no admin panel and no credits. Business is self-hosted and adds an admin panel and user management. Cloud is the managed service at app.nodaro.ai, with credits and billing, and is not offered for self-hosting.

### Do I need API keys to self-host Nodaro?

Not to install it and open the demo. To generate, add your own model provider keys on the /setup page or in .env, or connect the install to a Nodaro Cloud account, which runs the standard models without keys of your own.

### Does a self-hosted Nodaro cost anything?

The Community Edition has no credits, no Nodaro fees and no watermark. You pay your model providers directly, or pay in credits for what runs through a Nodaro Cloud connection. The license sets who may use it for free.

### Which features are not available on a self-hosted install?

The Story to Video pipeline and 3D Render Pro run only on Nodaro Cloud. The Nodaro-exclusive nodes, such as Generate Video Pro and Voice Changer Pro, run on a self-hosted install through a Nodaro Cloud connection.