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The dependable way to self-host Xibo on an Ubuntu VPS is to run Xibo’s official Docker deployment, not a direct installation on the operating system. The VPS hosts the Xibo CMS, database and media library; one or more separate Xibo Players authenticate to that CMS and render scheduled content on screens.
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This guide covers the architecture, resource planning, Docker installation, first-time configuration, player enrollment, backups, security and recovery decisions you need for a maintainable deployment. Xibo states that Docker is its only officially supported installation method. Manual, non-Docker installation is community-supported and is not covered by the official administration manual.
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A self-hosted Xibo installation has two distinct layers:
- CMS on the VPS: stores media, layouts, schedules, display profiles, users and configuration. It serves content and instructions over the network.
- Player at each display: runs on dedicated hardware, a supported desktop platform or a browser/PWA-style endpoint. It contacts the CMS, downloads assigned media and renders the result on a connected screen.
The CMS by itself does not display an image on a television. Xibo’s administrator documentation requires a CMS and at least one signage Player to get started. Plan the network path from every player to the VPS before you install anything.
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Requirements before provisioning the VPS
Choose a supported Ubuntu Server image
Use a current, supported Ubuntu Server release supplied by your VPS provider. Keep the operating system on a normal update cycle; an old image can leave Docker, SSH and web-facing libraries exposed to avoidable risks.
Provide a stable address and DNS name
Give the VPS a public DNS name or another stable address. Players must be able to resolve and reach the CMS consistently, and changing an address after enrollment can require reconfiguration at every display. Use a hostname that will remain valid if you later move the VPS.
Allow only necessary network traffic
Open the web traffic required for the CMS and tightly restrict administration traffic. SSH should be limited to your administration addresses where the provider firewall permits it. Do not expose database ports or Docker’s management socket to the public internet.
Reserve enough disk
Xibo’s media library grows with every video, image, font and uploaded asset. Estimate the original size of your files, copies retained for replacement content and the space needed for database backups. A VPS plan with ample CPU but a nearly full disk will still fail when players attempt to download new media.
How much RAM and storage does Xibo need?
A Xibo Community answer from 2019 describes a baseline of 2 GB of RAM and 2 GB of swap for an Ubuntu Docker setup and recommends at least 2 GB of RAM as a starting point. That is a light-deployment or test baseline, not a current production capacity guarantee.
| Planning item | What is established | How to apply it |
|---|---|---|
| Memory | 2 GB RAM was recommended as a starting point in 2019 community guidance. | Use it only for a small test or light network. Add memory as players, concurrent publishing and processing increase. |
| Swap | The same guidance specified 2 GB of swap. | Provide swap as a safety margin, but do not treat it as a substitute for adequate RAM. |
| CPU | No current universal CPU table is published in the cited official material. | Size for your workload and observe load while importing, publishing and updating content. |
| Storage | No universal disk figure is published. | Calculate media-library growth, database data, backups and free space for updates. |
| Player count | No official player-count-to-VPS-size table is stated. | Expect more memory, CPU, bandwidth and database activity as the display estate grows. |
Transcoding, large videos, retention, publishing concurrency and the number of players can all change the requirement. Record those assumptions when selecting a plan, then monitor actual memory, CPU, disk and network use instead of treating a minimum as a guarantee.
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Install Docker and prepare the Xibo files
1. Update the Ubuntu host
Connect over SSH with an administrative account, apply the provider’s normal Ubuntu updates and reboot if the kernel requires it. Create a separate administrator account rather than doing routine work as root.
2. Install Docker Engine and Compose
Follow the current Ubuntu and Docker installation instructions for your Ubuntu release. A community Xibo walkthrough used the older package form below:
apt install docker.io docker-compose-v2
Package names and installation commands can change, so check the current Ubuntu and Docker documentation before running that exact command. Confirm that the Docker service starts on boot and that your administrative user can run Docker through the provider’s recommended group or privilege method.
3. Create a protected application directory
Use a dedicated location such as /opt/xibo. Keep the Compose file and environment file together, and restrict the environment file so ordinary users cannot read credentials.
mkdir -p /opt/xibo
cd /opt/xibo
Download or clone the official Xibo Docker deployment files into this directory. A normal deployment contains docker-compose.yaml and a suitably configured config.env. Keep the files under change control, but never commit real secrets to a public repository.
Configure config.env safely
Open the supplied environment file and set the values required by the deployment. Exact variable names belong to the release of the official Compose files you downloaded; do not copy variable names from an unrelated version.
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Database credentials
Set a strong database username and password. These credentials are used by the CMS containers, not by public users. Store them in a password manager and protect the file on the VPS.
Application secrets
Generate unique application secrets rather than leaving example values in place. Secrets used for sessions, encryption or signing should not be reused on another Xibo installation.
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Hostname and web settings
Set the public hostname that players will use. Check that it matches the DNS record and the final HTTPS address; enrolling players against a temporary address creates avoidable migration work.
Mail and authentication options
If your operation needs password-reset mail, external authentication or another optional integration, configure it only after the base CMS works. Keep provider credentials out of shell history and out of screenshots or documentation shared publicly.
Start the CMS and complete the web installer
- From
/opt/xibo, validate that the Compose file and environment file are present and readable only by authorized administrators. - Start the stack with the Compose command appropriate to your installed version, commonly
docker compose up -d. - Watch startup output with
docker compose logs -fand inspect individual services if one exits. A container that repeatedly restarts usually indicates a malformed environment value, unavailable storage or a port conflict. - Resolve DNS to the VPS and open the CMS web endpoint. Complete Xibo’s browser-based installer and create the CMS administrator account.
- Do not enroll production players until the endpoint is served over HTTPS and the hostname is stable.
After installation, sign in and confirm that the administrator interface loads without errors. Configure the library and display profiles before creating a rollout schedule.
Put HTTPS and host security in place
Use HTTPS for player-to-CMS traffic, especially when players operate outside your private network. Terminate TLS with the web-server or reverse-proxy arrangement supported by your deployment, and renew certificates before they expire.
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- Limit SSH to known administration addresses where possible, use key-based authentication and disable unnecessary login methods.
- Apply Ubuntu security updates and update the Xibo containers on a planned schedule.
- Keep
config.envreadable only by the administrators who need it. - Monitor disk usage, especially the media library, database volume and backup volume.
- Do not assume a VPS provider snapshot is an application backup. Snapshots can capture a running, inconsistent database and remain within the same failure domain.
Xibo describes self-hosting as deploying the platform on infrastructure you choose, whether on-premises or with a third-party cloud provider. That choice transfers responsibility for hosting configuration, network security, maintenance and updates to your organisation.
Understand Xibo’s persistent data
The official Docker repository identifies the locations that must survive container replacement:
| Path | Purpose | Backup concern |
|---|---|---|
/shared/cms/library |
Uploaded media and the CMS library. | Back up with the database so a restored schedule still references available files. |
/shared/db |
Database data. | Protect against corruption and test that a dump or volume restore actually opens. |
/shared/backup |
Automated daily database backups. | Copy backups off the VPS; a local backup disappears with the host or its disk. |
The repository also identifies locations for custom themes, custom modules and user scripts. If you use any of those extensions, include their directories in the backup set and document which Xibo release they require.
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Design a backup and recovery routine
- Back up the Xibo database and
/shared/cms/librarytogether on a schedule that matches how much content you can afford to recreate. - Copy the resulting backups to storage outside the VPS account and outside the same physical or administrative failure domain.
- Protect backup access and encryption keys as carefully as the live credentials.
- Document the Compose files, the exact Xibo release, environment values, DNS settings and any reverse-proxy configuration needed to rebuild the service.
- Periodically restore the database and library in a separate test environment. Confirm that layouts, schedules, users and media open before declaring the backup valid.
- Record recovery steps for a failed disk, a compromised host and an accidental content deletion; those events require different actions.
Install and enroll a Xibo Player
The official player repository lists installation paths for Ubuntu/Debian and other supported platforms, including kiosk-style packages and browser/PWA options. Choose an endpoint that your display hardware and operating system can maintain; verify platform support for the Xibo release you run.
- Install the selected Player on the device attached to the screen.
- Launch it and enter the complete CMS URL, including the HTTPS scheme and hostname.
- Follow the authorization-code or registration flow shown by the Player.
- In the CMS, approve the pending Display and assign the appropriate Display Profile.
- Assign a simple test layout and schedule it to the newly approved display.
- Confirm that the player downloads media, renders the layout and continues to operate when the network is briefly unavailable.
Validate the display environment
- Set the player’s clock and time zone correctly; schedules depend on them.
- Check outbound DNS and HTTPS access from the player network, not only from your laptop.
- Allow enough local storage for downloaded media and confirm what happens when that storage fills.
- Test offline playback before deploying additional screens.
- Use a naming convention for displays and record their physical location, profile and owner.
Operate the installation after launch
Updates
Track both Ubuntu and Xibo container updates. Read release notes, back up first and update a staging or spare display when the network is business-critical. Do not replace containers while an untested migration is the only copy of your database.
Monitoring
Watch container health, disk capacity, memory pressure, certificate expiry, backup freshness and player check-in status. Alert on a growing error log or a player that has stopped downloading content rather than waiting for a blank screen report.
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Content governance
Limit CMS administration to named accounts, use least privilege where available and remove access promptly when staff or contractors leave. Keep large source files organized so an emergency restore does not depend on a single person’s workstation.
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| Decision axis | Self-hosted Docker on an Ubuntu VPS | Managed Xibo service | Manual installation without Docker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Support status | Officially supported deployment method. | Operations are handled by the service provider according to its offering. | Community-supported; not covered by the official administration manual. |
| Operational ownership | Your organisation manages security, updates, backups, monitoring and the VPS. | The provider manages the service boundary; you still manage content, users and players. | Your organisation manages the operating-system installation and every component directly. |
| Scaling factors | Increase resources for RAM, swap, CPU, disk, media growth, player count and concurrent publishing. | Capacity and limits depend on the provider’s current service terms. | Component compatibility and maintenance become your responsibility. |
| Recovery | Requires off-host application backups and a tested restore plan. | Depends on the provider’s documented backup and recovery commitments. | Requires a documented rebuild of each manually installed dependency. |
For an Ubuntu VPS, Docker is the practical default because it follows Xibo’s supported deployment path and keeps the CMS components defined together. A managed service can reduce infrastructure work; manual installation should be chosen only when you accept its community-support boundary and can maintain the entire stack yourself.
Troubleshooting common failures
The web installer is unreachable
Confirm that the VPS DNS record points to the current address, the web ports are allowed by both the provider and Ubuntu firewall, and the relevant container is running. Review Compose logs for a port collision or an invalid environment value before changing firewall rules broadly.
A container restarts continuously
Inspect that service’s logs and compare every environment variable with the template shipped in the same Xibo release. Check free disk space and permissions on persistent directories. Replacing the file with a template from another release can introduce missing or renamed settings.
The Player shows an authorization code but no Display appears
Verify that the Player is using the exact CMS hostname, that outbound HTTPS works from its network and that the code has not expired. Look for the pending Display in the CMS, approve it and assign a Display Profile.
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Test a minimal layout with one known-good image, confirm the display profile and schedule, and check the Player clock and time zone. A large or unsupported media file can fail while a simple test asset renders normally.
The VPS runs out of space
Measure the library, database, local backups, container logs and unused images separately. Move backups off-host, remove obsolete assets according to your retention policy and expand the disk before updates require free space.
A restore completes but layouts are missing media
The database and library were not restored as a matching set. Restore both from compatible dates, include custom themes/modules/scripts when used and repeat the procedure in a test environment until the result is reproducible.
Quick Recap
Pre-launch checklist
- Supported Ubuntu Server image and stable DNS name are in place.
- Docker Engine and Compose were installed using current platform instructions.
/opt/xibo,docker-compose.yamland protectedconfig.envare documented.- Database credentials and application secrets are unique and not publicly committed.
- HTTPS works before player enrollment.
- At least 2 GB RAM and 2 GB swap are treated only as a light-deployment baseline, with workload-based headroom planned.
/shared/cms/library,/shared/db,/shared/backupand any customization directories are included in recovery planning.- Backups are stored off the VPS and have been restored in a test environment.
- One Player is authorized, assigned a profile and displaying a test layout.
- Clock, time zone, offline behavior, disk usage and network egress have been tested.
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