Automatic Docker Installation

Guide to installing PteroCA using the Docker Automated Installer, which sets up the entire containerized environment — including web server, database, and panel - in one command.

⚠️ This project is currently in an early version (0.x.x) and may contain bugs. Use it at your own risk.

To provide a fully containerized setup experience, we’ve developed a dedicated Docker installer that automatically prepares your server, installs Docker & Compose, clones the PteroCA repository, configures the environment, and launches containers for you — all with minimal input.

Unlike the standard system installer, this method runs PteroCA inside Docker containers, making it ideal for both production and development environments.

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1. Execute the Installer

The Docker installer can deploy PteroCA with a single command, handling all dependencies, Docker configuration, and initial startup automatically.

bash -c "$(wget -qO- https://pteroca.com/scripts/docker_installer.sh)"

Requirements & Supported OS

Operating System: Ensure your server is running a supported OS:

• Ubuntu 24.04 (Noble)

• Ubuntu 22.04 (Jammy)

• Debian 13 (Trixie)

• Debian 12 (Bookworm)

• Debian 11 (Bullseye)

• Rocky Linux 10

• Rocky Linux 9

• Rocky Linux 8

• AlmaLinux 10

• AlmaLinux 9

• AlmaLinux 8

• CentOS Stream 10

• CentOS Stream 9

Root Access: The installation must be executed with root privileges.

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1.1 Using Installer with Custom Parameters

If you prefer to automate Docker deployments — e.g. via CI/CD pipelines, Ansible, or VPS provisioning scripts — the installer supports advanced flags that give full control over the installation process.

CLI Parameters Reference

Parameter	Description	Example
--yes, -y	Runs in non-interactive mode (skips confirmations). Requires --environment.	--yes
-e, --environment	Sets the target environment: dev or prod.	--environment prod
--install-path	Custom installation directory (default: /opt/pteroca).	--install-path /var/www/pteroca
--disable-telemetry	Disables telemetry data collection during and after installation	--disable-telemetry

Usage Examples

Example (non-interactive installation)

bash -c "$(wget -qO- https://pteroca.com/scripts/docker_installer.sh)" --yes --environment prod --install-path /opt/pteroca

This command:

• Installs Docker and Docker Compose if missing

• Clones the PteroCA repository

• Starts the container stack in production mode (port 80)

• Completes the setup automatically without prompts

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2. Automatic Installation Process

Once the script starts, it will:

🧩 Step 1 – Detect Operating System

Automatically identify your OS (Ubuntu, Debian, Rocky, etc.) and verify version compatibility.

🧰 Step 2 – Install Dependencies

If not already present, the installer will automatically:

• Install Git

• Install Docker Engine and Docker Compose Plugin (v2)

• Enable and start the Docker service

📦 Step 3 – Clone the Repository

The script downloads the latest PteroCA source code from https://github.com/PteroCA-Org/panel

If the repository already exists, it pulls the latest updates instead.

⚙️ Step 4 – Configure Environment

You’ll be prompted (or auto-configured in non-interactive mode) to select:

• Environment type: Development (dev) or Production (prod)

• Installation directory

• Whether to reuse or replace existing .env configuration

🐳 Step 5 – Run Docker Initialization

The script will automatically execute the bundled docker-init.sh, which:

• Builds all Docker containers (web, database, phpMyAdmin for dev)

• Configures environment variables and credentials

• Runs Doctrine migrations and sets up file permissions

• Starts all services automatically

🌐 Step 6 – Final Summary

At the end, the script displays:

• Access URLs

• Database connection info

• Useful Docker management commands

• Next steps to finalize installation

Example output:

Web:        http://localhost:8000 or http://<SERVER_IP>:8000
phpMyAdmin: http://localhost:8080
Database:   localhost:3306

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3. Post-Installation Configuration

After containers are started, complete setup using one of the following methods:

🧭 Web Wizard

Visit:

http://<your-server-ip>:8000/first-configuration

or for production:

http://<your-server-ip>/first-configuration

💻 CLI Wizard

Run inside the container:

# Recommended (v0.6+)
docker compose exec web php bin/console pteroca:system:configure

# Deprecated (still works until v1.0.0)
# docker compose exec web php bin/console app:configure-system

Both methods allow you to set:

• PteroCA admin account

• Pterodactyl API credentials

• Basic panel settings and domain configuration

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4. Managing Containers

Action	Command
Stop all containers	docker compose down
View logs	docker compose logs -f
Restart services	docker compose restart
Rebuild stack	docker compose build --no-cache && docker compose up -d

For production:

docker compose -f docker-compose.prod.yml restart

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5. Accessing PteroCA

Environment	URL	Description
Development	http://localhost:8000	PteroCA web interface
Production	http://localhost	PteroCA production instance
phpMyAdmin (dev only)	http://localhost:8080	Database management

📌 Note: phpMyAdmin is disabled in production for security reasons.

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6. PteroCA Plugin for Pterodactyl

Read more about Pterodactyl Configuration and PteroCA Plugin for Pterodactyl here.

Installing the Pterodactyl plugin is required, and without it, some PteroCA features will not be available. The PteroCA Plugin for Pterodactyl provides functionalities such as access to the server console, editing server variables directly from the server management panel, SSO Login, and more.

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7. Cloudflare & CSRF Configuration

If your instance runs behind Cloudflare or any proxy, additional configuration may be required to avoid CSRF and host validation issues.

Follow the instructions here: 👉 Trusted Proxies & Cloudflare Configuration

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8. Post-Installation Steps

After completing the Docker installation, configure the following to ensure full functionality:

8.1 Install PteroCA Plugin for Pterodactyl

Required for full integration

The PteroCA Plugin must be installed in your Pterodactyl panel to enable features like:

• Server console access

• Real-time statistics

• Server variable management

• SSO authentication

👉 Install PteroCA Plugin for Pterodactyl

8.2 Configure Allowed Origins (Console Access)

For the server console to work properly, you need to configure allowed_origins in your Pterodactyl Wings configuration.

This allows PteroCA to communicate with Pterodactyl Wings for console access and real-time server management.

👉 Configure Allowed Origins

You can configure allowed origins at any time - it doesn't need to be done immediately during installation.

8.3 Complete System Configuration

Configure your panel settings through the CLI wizard or Admin Panel:

• General Settings - Site title, logo, locale

• Email Settings - SMTP configuration for notifications

• Payment Settings - Stripe integration for payments

• Pterodactyl Settings - API connection and SSO setup

👉 View all configuration options

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9. Troubleshooting

Issue	Cause	Solution
Docker daemon not running	Docker service inactive	systemctl start docker
Port conflict on 80/8000	Another web server is active	Stop Apache/Nginx or change ports
phpMyAdmin inaccessible	Production mode	Use dev mode (--environment dev)
Permission denied in uploads	Host volume ownership	Run docker compose exec web chown -R www-data:www-data /app/public/uploads
Cloudflare redirect errors	Missing trusted hosts	Adjust TRUSTED_PROXIES and TRUSTED_HOSTS in .env

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🎉 Installation Complete!

Enjoying PteroCA? Help us grow by giving us a star on GitHub! ⭐

👉 Star PteroCA on GitHub