Self-Hosting

Lyftr runs anywhere Docker does. No clone, no build, no Go install — just Docker.

Quick start

Download the compose file and an env template:

curl -o docker-compose.yml https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Cawlumm/lyftr/main/docker-compose.yml
curl -o .env https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Cawlumm/lyftr/main/.env.example

Edit .env and set a strong JWT_SECRET (32+ characters), then pull the prebuilt images and start:

docker compose pull
docker compose up -d

Open http://localhost in your browser and create your account. On a VPS, replace localhost with your server’s IP or domain.

Why pull first

The compose file references prebuilt images on Docker Hub. Running docker compose pull fetches them so nothing is built locally — you don’t need the source code, just the compose file and .env.

Exercise library

On first startup Lyftr seeds 800+ exercises from free-exercise-db in the background — no API key, no setup. They appear in the UI within a few seconds.

Where it runs

Tested and working on:

• Raspberry Pi 4 (2 GB RAM, arm64 image)
• Any x86 VPS — Hetzner CAX11, DigitalOcean Droplet, Oracle Free Tier
• Synology NAS via Docker (Container Manager)
• Proxmox LXC with Docker installed
• Local machine — Mac, Linux, Windows (WSL2)

Single SQLite file, minimal RAM, no external services required.

Next steps

• Configuration — environment variables (JWT_SECRET, CORS_ORIGIN, ports).
• HTTPS & Reverse Proxy — expose it publicly with automatic TLS (and to use the mobile app).
• Backups & Updates — protect your data and upgrade safely.
• Mobile App — install the Android app and point it at your server.
• Troubleshooting — fixes for 502, ports, and connectivity.