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PocketBase is a single executable file that you can deploy anywhere. This flexibility makes it suitable for various hosting environments, from traditional VPS servers to modern cloud platforms.

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Deployment options

You can deploy PocketBase using several approaches:
  • Standalone binary: Download and run the PocketBase executable directly on your server
  • Docker container: Use containerization for consistent deployment across environments
  • Platform-as-a-Service: Deploy to platforms like Fly.io, Railway, or DigitalOcean App Platform
  • Traditional VPS: Run on virtual private servers from providers like AWS, Google Cloud, or DigitalOcean

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System requirements

PocketBase has minimal system requirements:
  • Operating system: Linux, macOS, or Windows (restore functionality requires Unix-based systems)
  • Memory: As little as 256MB RAM for small applications
  • Storage: Depends on your data volume and backup strategy
  • Architecture: Supports amd64, arm64, and armv7
For production deployments, you should have at least 2x the size of your pb_data directory available as free disk space to safely perform backups.

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Data directory structure

PocketBase stores all data in the pb_data directory: 
pb_data/
├── data.db              # Main SQLite database
├── data.db-shm          # Shared memory file (temporary)
├── data.db-wal          # Write-ahead log (temporary)
├── backups/             # Local backup files
├── storage/             # Uploaded files
└── logs.db              # Application logs
Always back up the entire pb_data directory, not just the database files. The directory contains uploaded files and other critical data.

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Running PocketBase

Start PocketBase with the serve command: 
./pocketbase serve
Common flags:
  • --http: Change the HTTP server address (default: 127.0.0.1:8090)
  • --dir: Specify a custom data directory (default: ./pb_data)
  • --publicDir: Set a custom public directory path
  • --hooksDir: Set a custom hooks directory path
  • --migrationsDir: Set a custom migrations directory path
Example with custom configuration: 
./pocketbase serve --http="0.0.0.0:80" --dir="/var/lib/pocketbase/data"
Binding to 0.0.0.0 makes PocketBase accessible from external networks. Use 127.0.0.1 for local-only access.

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Environment variables

PocketBase supports configuration through environment variables:
  • Encryption: Set the encryption key for sensitive settings 
    export PB_ENCRYPTION_KEY="your-32-char-encryption-key"
  • Data directory: Override the default data directory 
    export PB_DATA_DIR="/custom/path/to/data"

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Process management

For production deployments, use a process manager to ensure PocketBase runs continuously:

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systemd (Linux)

Create a systemd service file at /etc/systemd/system/pocketbase.service: 
[Unit]
Description=PocketBase
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=pocketbase
Group=pocketbase
WorkingDirectory=/opt/pocketbase
ExecStart=/opt/pocketbase/pocketbase serve --http="0.0.0.0:8090"
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=5s

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
Enable and start the service: 
sudo systemctl enable pocketbase
sudo systemctl start pocketbase

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Docker

Create a Dockerfile: 
FROM alpine:latest

RUN apk add --no-cache ca-certificates

COPY pocketbase /usr/local/bin/pocketbase

EXPOSE 8090

CMD ["/usr/local/bin/pocketbase", "serve", "--http=0.0.0.0:8090"]
Run with Docker: 
docker run -d \
  -p 8090:8090 \
  -v /path/to/pb_data:/pb_data \
  pocketbase:latest

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Reverse proxy

In production, you should run PocketBase behind a reverse proxy like nginx or Caddy for:
  • SSL/TLS termination
  • Load balancing
  • Rate limiting
  • Static file serving

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nginx example

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name example.com;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:8090;
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
    }
}

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Caddy example

example.com {
    reverse_proxy localhost:8090
}

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Next steps

Going to production

Learn about production-specific configurations and best practices

Backups

Set up automated backups to protect your data

Migrations

Manage database schema changes with migrations