Docker Compose

Deploy TuxSEO on your own server using Docker Compose.

What you'll learn

• Set up TuxSEO with Docker Compose
• Configure environment variables
• Access your deployed application
• Troubleshoot common deployment issues

Overview

Docker Compose provides a streamlined way to deploy TuxSEO on your server. This method handles all services (database, Redis, backend, and workers) with a single command.

This approach works best if you have a VPS or dedicated server where you can run Docker.

Prerequisites

Before starting, make sure you have:

• A server with Docker and Docker Compose installed
• SSH access to your server
• Basic familiarity with command line
• API keys for AI services (Gemini, Perplexity, Jina Reader, Keywords Everywhere)

Setup steps

1. Create deployment directory

SSH into your server and create a folder for TuxSEO:

mkdir tuxseo-deployment
cd tuxseo-deployment

2. Download and configure environment file

Download the example environment file from the TuxSEO repository:

wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rasulkireev/tuxseo/main/.env.example -O .env

Or if you prefer curl:

curl -o .env https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rasulkireev/tuxseo/main/.env.example

Now edit the .env file to add your credentials:

nano .env

You need to configure several environment variables for TuxSEO to work properly. See the Environment Variables guide for complete details on all available options.

At minimum, update these required values:

• AI API keys (OPENAI_API_KEY, TAVILY_API_KEY, GEMINI_API_KEY, PERPLEXITY_API_KEY, JINA_READER_API_KEY, KEYWORDS_EVERYWHERE_API_KEY)
• Database password (POSTGRES_PASSWORD)
• Redis password (REDIS_PASSWORD)
• Django secret key (SECRET_KEY)
• Allowed hosts (ALLOWED_HOSTS)
• Debug mode (DEBUG - set to False for production)

The .env.example file includes all available configuration options with explanations. Update any additional settings you need.

Save the file (in nano: Ctrl+X, then Y, then Enter).

3. Download docker-compose file

Download the production docker-compose configuration from the TuxSEO repository:

wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rasulkireev/tuxseo/main/docker-compose-prod.yml -O docker-compose.yml

Or if you prefer curl:

curl -o docker-compose.yml https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rasulkireev/tuxseo/main/docker-compose-prod.yml

You can use the file as-is, or customize it if needed.

4. Start the application

Run this command to start all services:

docker-compose -f docker-compose-prod.yml -p "tuxseo" up --detach --remove-orphans || true

Docker will: - Download the necessary images - Create the database and Redis containers - Start the backend and worker services - Run database migrations automatically

This takes 2-5 minutes on first deployment.

5. Verify deployment

Check that all services are running:

docker-compose ps

You should see four containers running: db, redis, backend, and workers.

Check the logs to ensure no errors:

docker-compose logs backend

Expose your application

The backend runs on port 8000. You need to expose it to the internet.

Option 1: Direct port access

If your server allows it, access TuxSEO at:

http://your-server-ip:8000

This works for testing but isn't recommended for production.

Option 2: Nginx reverse proxy (recommended)

Install Nginx on your server:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install nginx

Create an Nginx configuration:

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/tuxseo

Add this configuration:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name yourdomain.com www.yourdomain.com;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://localhost:8000;
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
    }
}

Enable the site:

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/tuxseo /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl reload nginx

Now access TuxSEO at http://yourdomain.com.

Option 3: Add SSL with Certbot

Secure your site with HTTPS:

sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx
sudo certbot --nginx -d yourdomain.com -d www.yourdomain.com

Follow the prompts. Certbot automatically configures SSL and sets up auto-renewal.