Run Murage on your own server
Two ways to put Murage on a Linux server you own: give a bot your server as its computer, or run Murage itself there, reachable only over your own Tailscale network.
Cloud or your own server
| Murage Cloud | Your own server | |
|---|---|---|
| Setting up | Choose a plan and sign in | A Linux server, Tailscale, Node and the setup steps below |
| Updates and security patches | We keep it updated | You install each one |
| Backups | Every night, encrypted, kept in the EU | You set them up and test them |
| When something goes wrong | A fix-it panel to restart, restore or rebuild, plus email support | You find the cause and fix it |
What you look after yourself
Running your own server means it's all yours, including the work:
- The server. Renting it, sizing it, and keeping its system patched.
- Tailscale. Your account, the server's auth key, and the devices on your network.
- Updates. Installing each new Murage release on the server.
- Backups. Copying your Murage data off the server, and checking you can restore it.
- Uptime. Noticing when it stops, and bringing it back.
Still keen? Read on. Murage is open source under the AGPL-3.0 licence, and the server deploy lives in the same repo as the app: github.com/FerroxLabs/murage.
How it's protected
The server deploy listens only on the server itself and on your Tailscale network. There's no setting that opens it to the internet. If the server can't join your Tailscale network, Murage stops instead of finding another way in.
Way 1: your server as a bot's computer
This is built into the app today. Murage runs on your computer as usual, and a bot gets its own Linux desktop in a container on your server, which it can see and control. Murage reaches the server's Docker over SSH and never opens a public port there.
You need a Linux server with Docker, the docker command-line tool on your computer, and an SSH alias for the server. The full walkthrough takes about 15 minutes: Your own VPS.
Way 2: Murage itself on your server
The repo includes a headless server deploy. It runs Murage on a Linux server with no screen, and you open it in your browser from any device on your Tailscale network.
What you need
- A Linux server you own, for example a VPS.
- A Tailscale account. Tailscale is the private network that connects your devices to the server. Setup installs it on the server if it's missing.
- A Tailscale auth key to add the server to your network. For a server you might throw away later, make the key ephemeral, so a deleted server drops off your network by itself.
- Node 24 or newer on the server. Setup checks this first and changes nothing if it's older.
- Your AI sign-in or provider key, the same as on your computer.
The three commands
murage setup # joins your Tailscale network, stores your keys, checks it all murage start # runs Murage murage status # checks the setup at any time
Step 1
Get Murage onto the server
A one-line installer is coming in the next Murage release. Until then, follow the installer guide in the repo: installer/README.md.
You're done when: the murage command runs on the server.
Step 2
Run setup
Run murage setup. It asks for your Tailscale auth key and your AI provider key without showing them on screen. Keys are never taken as command-line arguments, so they never land in your shell history.
You're done when: setup reports the server is on your Tailscale network.
Step 3
Keep it running
On Linux, setup offers to prepare a systemd service, so Murage starts again after a reboot. The service runs as an ordinary account, never as root. If you run setup as root, name the account with --service-user.
You're done when: Murage comes back after a reboot.
Step 4
Check it
Run murage status whenever you like. It checks that Murage is reachable only where it should be.
You're done when: status reports everything in order.
Updates
Way 1 updates with the app on your computer: after some updates, the bot's panel asks you to replace its server computer. See Updating Murage.
For Way 2, the next Murage release adds versioned server downloads. This section will show the update command when it ships.
Questions
Should I run my own server or use Murage Cloud? For most people, Murage Cloud (coming soon). Your team keeps working with your laptop closed and there's no server to look after. Run your own if you already manage servers and want everything on hardware you control.
Can I use both ways at once? Yes. Murage on your server can still give a bot a separate server as its computer.
Is my server reachable from the internet? Not through Murage. The server deploy answers only on the server itself and on your Tailscale network. Firewall the server to SSH only, ideally from your own address.
Do I need to know Linux? Some. You'll use SSH and run a few commands. If that sounds like a chore, Murage Cloud (coming soon) is built for you.