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Docker Self-Hosting

Run GeniusRank on your own server or computer with Docker Compose and a prebuilt image.

Run GeniusRank on your own server or computer with Docker Compose. The image is prebuilt, so GeniusRank is ready a few seconds after it starts. You sign in with email and password accounts: the first visitor creates the administrator's account and teammates join from invitation links.

Prerequisites

Quickstart

git clone https://github.com/every-app/open-seo.git
cd open-seo
export COMPOSE_FILE=deploy/standalone/compose.yaml
cp deploy/standalone/.env.example deploy/standalone/.env

In deploy/standalone/.env, set STORAGE_SECRET_KEY to a unique random value (for example the output of openssl rand -hex 32) and DATAFORSEO_API_KEY to your key. Then start GeniusRank:

docker compose pull
docker compose up -d
docker compose logs -f init

Wait for GeniusRank initialized and ready., open http://localhost:3001 and create the administrator's account. Registration closes once that account exists, so create it before you put the installation on the internet.

To add teammates, invite them from Team settings. The app copies an invitation link; send it yourself, since there is no email delivery.

Coolify, Portainer and Dokploy

deploy/standalone/compose.yaml reads no other files from the repository, so you can paste it into a platform that runs Compose files, with the variables from deploy/standalone/.env.example. Point the platform's domain at the web service on port 80 and set BETTER_AUTH_URL to that https:// address.

Public HTTPS, updates and backups

Set BETTER_AUTH_URL to your public https:// address and put an HTTPS reverse proxy in front of 127.0.0.1:3001. To update, pull the new image and restart. The full guide covers both, plus backups, password resets and optional features: Docker self-hosting guide on GitHub.

AI Visibility uses your DATAFORSEO_API_KEY and sends tracked questions to DataForSEO. Set OPENROUTER_API_KEY for setup research, Prompt Research, and generated prompt suggestions. You pay providers directly; the app shows the collection cost before a check or schedule starts. Background answers and daily, weekly, or monthly tracking run on their own while the containers are up. See the AI Visibility guide.

Without sign-in (advanced)

AUTH_MODE=local_noauth runs GeniusRank without sign-in, as one admin user. Use it only where the network already controls who can reach the app, such as Tailscale, a private network or your own authenticating proxy. See Without sign-in on GitHub.

Running the older image?

The older single-container image (ghcr.io/every-app/open-seo) keeps getting updates, so nothing breaks. When you are ready, move to this setup; your projects, keywords, rank history, audits and reports come with you. The older image's own instructions, including telemetry settings, are in the older image guide.