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What Ampache needs on a Linux VPS
Ampache is free, self-hosted web software for cataloguing and streaming a personal audio or video library. You supply the VPS, operating system, storage, database, and public network endpoint; Ampache supplies the web interface, catalog, streaming logic, and APIs used by compatible clients.
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For a current Ampache 8 deployment, the supported baseline is PHP 8.5 or newer, a MySQL-compatible database, a web server, readable media storage, and working URL rewriting. Ampache 8 does not run on earlier PHP releases. Ampache 7 covers PHP 7.4 through 8.4, so a server that cannot provide PHP 8.5 must use the appropriate Ampache 7 branch rather than forcing Ampache 8 onto an unsupported runtime.
| Component | Requirement or guidance | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Any supported Linux VPS distribution; the maintained example uses Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | Ubuntu 26.04 is used because its main archive ships PHP 8.5 |
| PHP | PHP 8.5+ for Ampache 8; PHP 7.4–8.4 for Ampache 7 | Ampache and its Composer dependencies require a compatible PHP release |
| Database | MySQL 8.x or MariaDB 10.x or later | Stores users, catalog metadata, preferences, playlists, and settings |
| Web server | Apache is the most tested; nginx, lighttpd, Caddy, and IIS are also supported | Serves the application and handles rewritten API and streaming paths |
| Media storage | A directory the web-server or container user can read | Ampache scans this location to build the catalog |
| URL rewriting | Enabled and permitted for Ampache rules | Required for web requests, streaming, Subsonic, and REST APIs |
| Public access | A DNS name, TLS certificate, and correctly advertised HTTPS URL for remote use | Prevents broken links, mixed content, and credentials or streams travelling without encryption |
A VPS is useful when you want an always-on library reachable outside your home network. Choose storage for the size of the library and expected transcoding workload, but do not infer a supported concurrent-user count or bandwidth limit from Ampache’s documentation: no independent capacity or performance benchmark is established here.
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Choose Docker Compose or a native web stack
Docker is the quickest working server according to Ampache’s download documentation. Compose makes the deployment repeatable and keeps application state explicit. Native installation gives you finer control over Apache or nginx, PHP modules, filesystem ownership, and coexistence with other sites.
| Decision point | Docker Compose | Native Apache/MariaDB/PHP |
|---|---|---|
| Setup speed and repeatability | Fast to start and easy to reproduce from a Compose file and image tag | More package and web-server configuration; useful when the stack already exists |
| Control over PHP and permissions | Container image defines most runtime details; bind mounts still need correct host permissions | Direct control of PHP extensions, Apache/nginx settings, users, groups, and paths |
| Upgrade and rollback | Pull a pinned image, recreate the container, and restore persistent mounts if needed | Upgrade packages or the application tree while preserving the database and configuration |
| Backups | Back up database, configuration, logs, and the media mount or its source | Back up the database, Ampache configuration, logs, and the media directory |
| HTTPS and reverse proxy | Often requires proxy-aware URL settings and forwarded HTTPS information | Configured directly in Apache, nginx, Caddy, or another front end |
| Sharing the VPS | Isolation is convenient, but ports and networks must be planned | Convenient for a server already hosting several virtual hosts |
Use Docker Compose when you value a clean, repeatable deployment and can keep container data outside the container filesystem. Use native installation when you already administer Apache, MariaDB, and PHP, need site-by-site control, or want Ampache to share an existing web server.
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Prepare the VPS before installing Ampache
Confirm the runtime and operating system
Check the distribution and PHP version before choosing an Ampache branch. Ubuntu 26.04 LTS is the documented context for Ampache 8 because it provides PHP 8.5 in the main archive. If your distribution supplies an older PHP, either install a supported PHP 8.5 runtime through a distribution-supported method or deploy Ampache 7 on the PHP version your system supports.
Plan names, ports, and storage
- Assign a real DNS name such as
music.example.netto the VPS address. A stable public name is more reliable for mobile clients than an IP address that may change. - Decide whether Ampache will be the whole site, a subfolder, or a separate virtual host. Apache supports all three layouts; a dedicated hostname normally makes public URL and proxy settings simpler.
- Keep the database reachable only from localhost or the private container network. Do not publish its port to the internet unless a separate, justified administration design requires it.
- Place the music library on persistent storage. In Docker, mount it into the container at
/media; in a native installation, choose a stable path readable by the web-server account. - Reserve writable persistent storage for Ampache’s configuration, database, and logs. The music directory should normally be read-only unless you intentionally enable uploads or tag editing.
Decide how clients will connect
Ampache has its own API and a Subsonic-compatible API. The official project also documents an opt-in Jellyfin-compatible API used by clients such as Finamp, Symfonium, and gelly. Compatibility can change with client and server versions, so check the current client documentation before committing to one application. Ampache also lists native clients for Android, iOS, Linux, Windows, and macOS, plus local playback integrations for MPD, VLC, and Kodi.
Deploy Ampache with Docker Compose
Compose is the practical default for a new VPS because it separates the application image from state that must survive upgrades. Pin a release tag when predictable upgrades matter. The latest, develop, and preview tags have different stability expectations; a production server should not silently follow a development stream.
Create persistent directories
From a dedicated deployment directory, create host paths for media, MySQL data, Ampache configuration, and logs. The Docker documentation’s typical bind mounts are:
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./data/mediato/media./data/mysqlto/var/lib/mysql./data/configto/var/www/config./data/logto/var/log/ampache
Point the media mount at the actual library and make that mount read-only in the container. Keep configuration and database paths writable and include all four areas in your backup plan.
Start a quick test container
For a simple initial test, the official example is:
docker run --name=ampache -d -v /path/to/your/music:/media:ro -p 80:80 ampache/ampacheThis demonstrates the important relationship: the host music path is mounted at /media and marked :ro, while port 80 is published from the container. A production VPS should use Compose so the database, configuration, logs, and media remain explicit and recoverable rather than relying on an ad-hoc container.
Configure the database and administrator
On first start, provide the database and administrator variables expected by the image or complete the web installer. Use a strong, unique administrator password and a database account limited to the Ampache database. Do not reuse the VPS root password.
After the installer completes, open the Ampache web interface and create a catalog whose path is /media. The Docker guide notes that a catalog named music enables directory monitoring. Catalogs with other names are updated by the hourly cron job, so choose the name deliberately if you expect automatic monitoring.
Put HTTPS in front of the container
Do not expose an internet-facing music service over plain HTTP. Terminate TLS at the VPS web server or a reverse proxy, forward requests to the container’s HTTP port, and configure Ampache’s public URL to match the HTTPS hostname. The Docker settings local_web_path and force_ssl are provided for reverse-proxy deployments. If TLS terminates before nginx, pass fastcgi_param HTTPS on; so Ampache generates secure links and does not produce mixed content.
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Install Ampache natively on Ubuntu
The maintained Ubuntu procedure installs Apache, MariaDB, PHP 8.5, and transcoding tools, then places Ampache under /var/www/ampache. It enables Apache’s rewrite module, installs the shipped .htaccess files, checks the Apache configuration, and reloads the service. Follow the current Ampache installation guide for the exact package list and PHP extensions because the required Composer modules and installer checks can change between releases.
Install and verify the prerequisites
- Use a sudo-enabled Ubuntu server and confirm it is running Ubuntu 26.04 LTS or another distribution with a supported PHP version.
- Install Apache, MariaDB, PHP 8.5, the PHP extensions listed by Ampache’s Composer requirements, and the transcoding tools required for your formats.
- Create a MariaDB database and a dedicated user for Ampache. Keep MariaDB bound to localhost unless another private service genuinely needs database access.
- Place the Ampache release under
/var/www/ampache. A release ZIP avoids Composer and npm build steps; a Git checkout requires both Composer and npm build steps. - Give the web-server account, normally
www-dataon Ubuntu, ownership or write access to Ampache’s configuration directory. The music tree only needs to be readable unless you enable uploads or tag writing.
Configure Apache and Ampache paths
Enable mod_rewrite and permit Ampache’s .htaccess rules with AllowOverride All for the relevant directory. Copy the shipped rewrite files into place as directed by the release documentation, validate the Apache configuration, and reload Apache. Ampache can be served as the entire site, below a subfolder, or from its own hostname; the chosen layout must agree with the public URL stored in Ampache.
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Apache’s most tested path is not the only option. nginx, lighttpd, Caddy, and IIS are supported, but nginx requires an adapted server configuration and closer attention after upgrades because REST paths can change between releases.
Make URL rewriting work before troubleshooting streams
Rewrite rules are not cosmetic. Ampache’s installation documentation warns: “Streaming, the Subsonic API and the REST API all stop working without it, usually with a 404 from every request.”
Apache checks
- Confirm
mod_rewriteis enabled. - Confirm the Ampache directory permits
AllowOverride All, so the shipped.htaccessrules are actually read. - Validate the Apache configuration before reloading it.
- If downloads or streams still fail on a recent Apache release, add
SetEnv ap_trust_cgilike_cl 1in the/playdirectory as described by the installation documentation.
nginx and other servers
Copy and adapt Ampache’s official nginx server example rather than treating a generic PHP location block as sufficient. Recheck it after upgrades: the project notes that REST paths can change between releases. When SSL is terminated at a proxy, pass the HTTPS FastCGI parameter so Ampache knows the original request was secure.
Diagnose a 404 systematically
- Request the Ampache home page. If it fails, fix the virtual host, container port, DNS, or PHP service first.
- Test a known streaming request and an API endpoint from the same public hostname. A 404 from every stream and API request strongly indicates missing or blocked rewriting.
- On Apache, inspect rewrite-module status,
AllowOverride, and the presence of the shipped.htaccessfiles. - On nginx, compare the active server block with Ampache’s current example and reload after correcting path handling.
- Check the web-server error log and Ampache log mount for permission errors, incorrect document roots, or requests reaching the wrong virtual host.
- Only after rewrite rules work should you investigate codecs, transcoding binaries, catalog entries, or client-specific issues.
Secure the public endpoint with HTTPS and a reverse proxy
Use a real DNS name and a valid TLS certificate, then make Ampache generate links for that same HTTPS URL. The API documentation recommends SSL for security and privacy, particularly because clients send credentials and receive stream URLs.
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Keep proxy headers and generated URLs consistent
If a proxy terminates TLS and forwards plain HTTP internally, Ampache must still be told that the public request is HTTPS. Set the documented local_web_path and force_ssl values for a Docker reverse-proxy deployment. In nginx, pass fastcgi_param HTTPS on; when SSL is terminated upstream. A mismatch produces HTTP links from an HTTPS page, failed client callbacks, or redirects that loop between schemes.
Limit the attack surface
- Expose only the web service and SSH ports needed for administration.
- Keep MariaDB on localhost or the private container network.
- Use a unique administrator password and separate database credentials.
- Keep the media mount read-only unless a specific feature requires writing.
- Back up configuration and database data before changing proxy or authentication settings.
These controls complement Ampache’s documented storage model; they are operational VPS practices, not a claim that Ampache provides a complete server-hardening policy.
Set permissions and organize the catalog
Native permissions
The Ubuntu guide uses www-data ownership for the Ampache tree so the application can write its configuration. Grant the web-server user read access to the music directory, preferably through group-readable permissions. Do not make the entire library writable merely to solve a scan problem. Upload and tag-writing features are the exceptions that justify carefully scoped write access.
Container permissions
With Docker, the process inside the container must be able to read the host directory mounted at /media. If the catalog is empty, check the host directory’s execute permission on every parent directory, the files’ read permission, and the container’s effective user. Keep /var/lib/mysql, /var/www/config, and /var/log/ampache persistent and writable.
Catalog monitoring
Create the catalog against the path Ampache can see, not the host path that exists only outside the container. In Docker that normally means /media. A catalog named music enables directory monitoring in the Docker documentation; other catalog names are updated by the hourly cron job. If new files do not appear immediately, verify the catalog name, run the appropriate update, and check that the process can traverse and read the directory.
Connect mobile, desktop, and home playback clients
Use the public HTTPS hostname, the Ampache administrator-created account, and the API mode required by the client. Ampache’s own API and Subsonic-compatible API cover many third-party applications. The project also documents an opt-in Jellyfin-compatible API, with clients including Finamp, Symfonium, and gelly. Native clients are listed for Android, iOS, Linux, Windows, and macOS, while localplay integrations include MPD, VLC, and Kodi.
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Client support is version-sensitive. Confirm that the client supports the Ampache server release and the API you enabled, then test login, library browsing, artwork, and an actual stream over the public HTTPS endpoint. A client that can authenticate but cannot play usually points to a generated URL, proxy, rewrite, codec, or transcoding problem rather than a bad password.
Back up, upgrade, and recover the installation
What to back up
- The database, including users, catalog metadata, playlists, and preferences.
- Ampache’s configuration directory and any environment or Compose files containing deployment settings.
- Logs when they are needed for incident investigation.
- The media library, or the separate storage system that is the authoritative copy of the music.
For Docker, preserve these volumes before recreating containers. A container image is replaceable; an unmounted database or configuration directory is not.
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Pin a release image for production rather than tracking latest, develop, or preview unintentionally. Read Ampache’s upgrade notes before crossing a major version, make a database backup, and record the currently running tag. If the new container fails, stop it, restore the previous image tag, and reconnect the preserved mounts.
Choose release archives or Git deliberately
A release ZIP is simpler on a VPS because it avoids build tooling. A Git checkout is appropriate when you intentionally manage source updates, but it requires Composer and npm build steps. Do not treat a source checkout as equivalent to a ready-to-run release without completing those steps.
When PHP blocks an upgrade
If the VPS cannot move to PHP 8.5, stay on the supported Ampache 7 branch rather than disabling checks or mixing incompatible dependencies. The project distinguishes the Ampache 8 mainline from Ampache 7 branches, identified as release7 and patch7, for systems that cannot yet use PHP 8.5.
Common failure symptoms and fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | First corrective action |
|---|---|---|
| Every stream and API request returns 404 | URL rewriting is disabled, blocked, or pointed at the wrong document root | Fix mod_rewrite/AllowOverride or adapt the current nginx rules |
| HTTPS page generates HTTP links | Proxy HTTPS information is not reaching Ampache | Set the documented public-path and SSL options; pass the HTTPS FastCGI parameter where applicable |
| Catalog is empty | Wrong container path, unreadable files, or missing directory traversal permission | Use /media inside Docker and verify read permissions for the effective web user |
| New files do not appear | Catalog monitoring or scheduled update is not being used | Use the music catalog behavior or run the hourly update path for another catalog name |
| Installer cannot save configuration | Ampache’s configuration directory is not writable | Grant the web-server user the required write access without making the media tree writable |
| Container works until it is recreated | Database, configuration, or logs live only inside the disposable container | Move them to persistent bind mounts and restore from backup |
| Client logs in but playback fails | Bad generated URL, proxy scheme, rewrite rule, codec, or transcoding setup | Test the same stream URL over HTTPS, then inspect rewrite and transcoding logs |
Recommended deployment decision
For a new, single-purpose Linux VPS, use Docker Compose with a pinned Ampache release, persistent mounts for database, configuration, logs, and media, a read-only music mount, and HTTPS at a reverse proxy. For an existing multi-site server, use the native Apache/MariaDB/PHP route and follow Ampache’s current PHP-extension, rewrite, and permission checks. In both cases, get rewriting and public HTTPS correct before debugging clients: those two layers determine whether the web interface, streams, Subsonic API, and REST API can function at all.
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