The most straightforward VPS deployment is ejabberd’s self-contained Linux RUN installer: it includes the Erlang runtime, installs under /opt when executed as root, creates a systemd unit, and starts the server automatically. After installation, point a DNS name at the VPS, set that name in ejabberd.yml, install readable TLS certificate files, open only the listeners you use (normally TCP 5222 and 5269), create a user with ejabberdctl, and verify both the service and a real client login.
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This guide covers Ubuntu and Debian VPSs first, then explains package, container, and source-build alternatives, configuration, firewalling, administration, and recovery when the node will not start.
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What you need before installing
Prepare these items before changing the VPS:
- A supported Linux distribution with root or sudo access.
- An SSH session that you will keep available while editing firewall rules.
- A DNS name for XMPP, such as
chat.example.com, with an A or AAAA record pointing to the VPS address. - A decision about the XMPP service names you will publish. The name in client JIDs must match the configured ejabberd host.
- A plan for TLS certificates and private-key permissions.
- A backup destination for configuration and Mnesia data before making upgrades or major changes.
Update the operating system first. On Ubuntu or Debian, a normal starting point is:
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgradeDo not close your working SSH session while testing a new firewall policy. DNS, firewall, and certificate mistakes are easier to diagnose when you still have console access.
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Choose an installation method
The official installation documentation describes four self-hosted families—Linux RUN installers, DEB/RPM packages, operating-system packages, containers, and source builds—and also identifies Fluux.io as a managed cloud alternative. For one Linux VPS, the self-contained RUN installer usually has the smallest dependency burden because Erlang is included.
| Method | Best fit | Important trade-off | Typical layout or operational concern |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux RUN installer | A single VPS where predictable dependencies and systemd integration matter | Upgrades follow the ejabberd installer release rather than the distribution lifecycle | Root installation uses a versioned directory under /opt; configuration, Mnesia data, and logs are kept under /opt/ejabberd |
| DEB/RPM package | Administrators who want package-manager inventory and upgrade policy | Package versions and Erlang dependencies depend on the repository | Use the package’s service unit and paths; do not mix them casually with a RUN installation |
| Distribution package | Debian or Ubuntu environments standardized on operating-system packages | The packaged ejabberd version can lag the upstream release | Debian documents /etc/ejabberd/ejabberd.yml and /var/log/ejabberd |
| Container | Teams already operating container images, volumes, and orchestration | You must manage persistent data, configuration mounts, image updates, and published ports | Persist the configuration, Mnesia data, and logs; expose only the listeners required by the configuration |
| Source build | Engineers needing a controlled build or development changes | Highest maintenance burden for Erlang/OTP, compilation, packaging, and upgrades | You must create and maintain the service integration, filesystem layout, and update process |
| Managed hosting | Operators who do not want to maintain a VPS | Less control over host-level networking, filesystem location, and upgrade timing | The official installation page names Fluux.io as a cloud option; review its current terms directly |
The rest of this article uses the Linux RUN installer on an Ubuntu or Debian-style VPS. Package users should apply the same DNS, YAML, TLS, firewall, account, and verification principles while using their package’s paths and service unit.
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Install ejabberd with the self-contained Linux RUN installer
Download the correct build
Use the official ejabberd release channel and select the installer matching the VPS architecture. Keep the downloaded file in your home directory, then rename it to a simple local name so the commands do not depend on a version string:
mv downloaded-installer-file ejabberd-linux.run
chmod +x ejabberd-linux.runThe filename in the first command is the name shown by your download; the second command must be run in the directory containing the renamed file.
Run the installer as root
sudo ./ejabberd-linux.runA root installation places the executable tree in a versioned directory beneath /opt, stores the active configuration, Mnesia database, and logs under /opt/ejabberd, creates a systemd service unit, and starts ejabberd. Because the installer includes a stripped-down Erlang runtime, you do not need to install Erlang separately for this installation path.
Check the initial service state
sudo systemctl status ejabberdLook for a started or active service. If systemd reports failure, do not repeatedly restart it before checking the configuration and logs; a YAML error can make every restart fail in the same way.
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Install from Debian or another package source instead
If your VPS policy requires distribution packages, use the package manager and then follow the package’s documented service and configuration paths. On Debian, the main configuration file is /etc/ejabberd/ejabberd.yml and logs are under /var/log/ejabberd. A typical Debian package command is:
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sudo apt update
sudo apt install ejabberdConfirm the package version and paths with your distribution documentation. Do not copy the RUN installer’s /opt paths into a package installation, and do not run two independent ejabberd installations on the same host. Use the service unit supplied by the package:
sudo systemctl status ejabberdContainer deployments follow the same application sequence but move service management to the container runtime. Mount ejabberd.yml, the certificate directory, and persistent Mnesia storage; publish only the configured XMPP ports; and ensure the container process can read its private key. Source builds require an Erlang/OTP toolchain and a separately maintained systemd integration, so they are best reserved for teams that need build-level control.
Set the XMPP domain in ejabberd.yml
Clients address an account as a full JID such as [email protected]. The host portion must appear in the hosts option. Edit the configuration belonging to your installation and use the example configuration shipped with that version as the structural reference:
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hosts:
- 'chat.example.com'Replace the example name with the DNS name you actually intend clients to use. If you publish more than one XMPP domain, list each one according to the syntax in your generated configuration.
Respect YAML exactly
YAML is indentation-sensitive. Tabs, misplaced list markers, unknown option names, and invalid values can prevent ejabberd from loading. Keep indentation consistent, preserve the option names from the installed example, and make one logical change at a time. A reload is atomic: if ejabberd rejects the new file, the running configuration remains in effect rather than being partially applied.
After editing, test the service before changing another section:
sudo systemctl reload ejabberd
sudo systemctl status ejabberdIf reload fails, inspect the service log and correct the reported line. If your installation does not support a working reload, restart only after confirming that the file parses:
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sudo systemctl restart ejabberdUse the generated listener and module configuration
Do not build a minimal configuration from memory. Keep the listener and module blocks supplied by the installed example, then change only the values required for your domain, certificates, authentication policy, and enabled services. This avoids omitting a dependency that the selected ejabberd version expects.
Install certificates and enable TLS
Obtain a certificate whose names cover the DNS name clients use and its relevant XMPP service names. Copy the certificate chain and private key to a protected directory, then reference them using the certificate options in the installed ejabberd.yml example. The exact option set varies by release, so preserve the generated structure rather than inventing new keys.
- Make the certificate chain readable by the ejabberd service account.
- Restrict the private key to the service account and administrators.
- Ensure the certificate hostname matches the name in the client’s JID and connection settings.
- Keep intermediate certificates in the chain as required by your certificate authority.
- Do not expose the private key through a world-readable web or backup directory.
At startup or reload, ejabberd reads the configured certificate files, matches private keys, removes duplicate material, and rebuilds certificate chains for TLS connections. Therefore a successful file copy is not enough: reload or restart after every certificate renewal.
sudo systemctl reload ejabberd
sudo systemctl status ejabberdIf clients report an unknown issuer, hostname mismatch, or handshake failure, check the served chain, the certificate names, file permissions, and the exact path in ejabberd.yml before changing cipher or authentication settings.
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Confirm the active listener definitions before editing the VPS firewall. A common XMPP deployment uses:
| Port | Protocol | Purpose | Exposure guidance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5222 | TCP | Client-to-server XMPP connections | Open to the client networks that must connect |
| 5269 | TCP | Server-to-server XMPP federation | Open when federation is required; otherwise leave closed |
These are reference ports, not a substitute for checking your configuration. If you changed listeners, open the ports actually bound by ejabberd. On a VPS using UFW, the corresponding rules would be:
sudo ufw allow 5222/tcp
sudo ufw allow 5269/tcp
sudo ufw statusApply equivalent rules in your provider’s security group or cloud firewall. Keep Erlang distribution and epmd access restricted to localhost or trusted cluster peers. Administrative and clustering ports should not be exposed broadly to the internet.
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Create the first account and grant administrator rights
Register a user
Use the ejabberdctl script installed with the RUN package, container, or distribution package. Register the account on the configured XMPP host:
sudo ejabberdctl register alice chat.example.com a-long-unique-passwordThe command takes a local username, the XMPP host, and a password. Passwords placed directly on a shell command line can remain in shell history or process listings; use your organization’s safer password-handling practice and remove sensitive history if necessary.
Add the full JID to the administrator rule
Registering a user does not automatically make that user an administrator. Add the account’s full JID to the administrator ACL in ejabberd.yml, using the exact structure shown by your installed example. A common form is:
acl:
admin:
user:
- '[email protected]'
access_rules:
configure:
admin: allowSome releases or generated configurations express access rules differently. Keep the rule names and nesting used by your version, but ensure the full JID is the identity granted administrative access. Reload or restart after saving the file, then verify the service remains healthy.
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Use systemd for the operating-system service:
sudo systemctl start ejabberd
sudo systemctl stop ejabberd
sudo systemctl restart ejabberd
sudo systemctl status ejabberdThe bundled control script provides node-level commands independent of the systemd wrapper:
sudo ejabberdctl start
sudo ejabberdctl status
sudo ejabberdctl stopUse one control method consistently during troubleshooting so you know whether a failure occurs in systemd, the wrapper script, or ejabberd itself. The ejabberdctl script must run with access to the installation’s configuration, runtime, and data directories.
Verify the installation from the outside in
1. Confirm the process and node
sudo systemctl status ejabberd
sudo ejabberdctl statusThe node should report that it is started. A green systemd state without a usable node warrants checking the control-script output and logs.
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2. Confirm DNS
Resolve the XMPP name from a client network and from the VPS. Both the address and the record type must point to the intended machine. If you use IPv6, verify that the AAAA record reaches a listener that is actually bound on IPv6.
3. Test a real client login
Configure an XMPP client with the full JID, password, and the server name covered by the certificate. A successful login exercises DNS, TCP 5222, TLS, authentication, and the hosts setting together.
4. Test a second account and messaging
Register a second user, sign in from a separate client or device, and exchange messages. This confirms that account creation and ordinary session routing work rather than merely proving that the daemon started.
5. Test federation only if enabled
If you opened TCP 5269 and intend to federate, verify that the remote server can resolve your domain and complete TLS with the certificate and listener you configured. Do not open 5269 solely because it is a conventional XMPP port.
Troubleshoot common failures
The service will not start after an edit
- Run
sudo ejabberdctl liveto display Erlang diagnostics in the foreground. - Read the systemd status output and the installation’s log directory. Debian package users should inspect
/var/log/ejabberd; RUN users should inspect the logs under/opt/ejabberd. - Check YAML indentation, spelling, unknown options, and value types around the last change.
- Restore the previous known-good file if necessary, then reload to confirm that the node recovers.
Clients cannot resolve or connect
- Confirm the DNS A or AAAA record and allow time for the intended TTL.
- Check that the configured listener is bound to the public interface, not only localhost.
- Confirm the VPS provider firewall and the host firewall both allow the required TCP port.
- Verify that the client is using the same hostname covered by the certificate and listed in
hosts.
TLS fails while the service is running
- Check that the certificate chain and private key match.
- Check service-account read permissions without making the key world-readable.
- Reload or restart after renewal so ejabberd rebuilds its certificate chain.
- Check hostname coverage and intermediate certificates before changing client security settings.
Account registration fails
- Confirm that the host argument exactly matches an entry in
hosts. - Run the command against the installation’s own
ejabberdctl, not a different version left on the PATH. - Inspect the live diagnostics and logs for authentication or database errors.
Administration rights do not work
Check that the ACL contains the full JID, that the access rule points to the same ACL name, and that you reloaded or restarted after editing. A username without its @host portion does not identify the same account.
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Back up the active YAML configuration, TLS material according to your security policy, and the Mnesia data directory before upgrades. Keep backups off the VPS and test that they can be restored. Record which installation family you used; package paths and service behavior differ from the RUN layout.
For each upgrade, read the release notes, stage the new version where possible, preserve the current configuration, stop or restart through the supported service mechanism, and verify the node, TLS login, account authentication, and message exchange afterward. Avoid replacing a working package installation with a RUN installer merely to obtain a newer version unless you have planned the data and service migration.
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Final deployment checklist
- The VPS is updated and you retain an SSH or console path.
- DNS points the intended XMPP name to the VPS.
- The chosen installer or package is the only active ejabberd installation.
hostscontains the client-facing XMPP domain with valid YAML indentation.- Certificate and key files are referenced correctly and readable by ejabberd.
- Only required listener ports—normally 5222 and, when needed, 5269—are open.
- Erlang distribution and epmd are limited to localhost or trusted peers.
- The first account is registered and its full JID is in the administrator ACL.
systemctl status ejabberdandejabberdctl statusshow a started node.- A real client can log in, a second account can be created, and messages can be exchanged.
- Configuration, certificates, and Mnesia data are included in a tested backup plan.
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