> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.foks.pub/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Self-Hosting Overview

> Run your own FOKS server.

## Why self-host?

* **Full control** — your data lives on your infrastructure
* **Custom domain** — host at `foks.yourcompany.com`
* **Virtual hosting** — offer FOKS to your team or customers under a managed subdomain
* **Air-gapped / private network** — run FOKS inside a firewall without any internet dependency
* **Open source** — MIT license, no vendor lock-in

## What you need

* A modern Linux server (or Docker-capable host)
* A PostgreSQL 15+ database (or let the setup script create a Docker container)
* A domain name with DNS control (for production)
* Go 1.24+ and a C compiler (if building from source)

## Deployment options

| Mode           | Best for                     |
| -------------- | ---------------------------- |
| Docker Compose | Quick start, single machine  |
| systemd        | Production Linux, bare metal |
| PM2            | Development and testing      |

## Quick install

The fastest path to a running server is `foks-tool standup`. It requires Docker and prompts interactively for a hostname, HTTP port, database port, and viewership mode, then creates all keys, certificates, databases, and a Docker Compose file in one shot:

```bash theme={null}
foks-tool standup
```

After standup completes, subsequent restarts are just:

```bash theme={null}
docker compose up
```

For full control over the setup process, see the [guided setup](/server/quickstart).

## Server components

A FOKS server consists of these processes:

| Service          | External?  | Description                                          |
| ---------------- | ---------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |
| `probe`          | Yes        | Discovery — returns host chain and service endpoints |
| `reg`            | Yes        | Registration and public (unauthenticated) operations |
| `user`           | Yes (mTLS) | Authenticated user and team operations               |
| `merkle_query`   | Yes        | Public Merkle tree queries                           |
| `kv_store`       | Yes (mTLS) | Key-value store backend                              |
| `beacon`         | Yes        | Maps HostID to DNS name (global service)             |
| `merkle_batcher` | Internal   | Batches pending Merkle updates                       |
| `merkle_builder` | Internal   | Applies batches to the Merkle tree                   |
| `merkle_signer`  | Internal   | Signs the new Merkle root                            |
| `queue`          | Internal   | Message queue for key exchange                       |
| `internal_ca`    | Internal   | Issues mTLS certs to backend services                |

All services are statically-linked Go binaries. The only external dependency is PostgreSQL.

## Architecture modes

When setting up, you choose three axes:

**Network mode** — how the server connects to the world:

* `prod` — connected to the public internet
* `dev` — local machine exposed via SSH reverse proxy (for development with real TLS certs)
* `test` — fully local, uses self-signed certs

**Run mode** — how processes are managed:

* `systemd` — for production Linux
* `docker_compose` — for Docker-based deployments
* `pm2` — for development

**Server mode** — the deployment topology:

* `standalone` — a single FOKS instance
* `hosting_platform` — a base instance that can spawn virtual hosts

See [Configuration](/server/configuration) for details.