How to Install Friendica on Your Synology NAS

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How to Install Friendica on Your Synology NAS

Friendica is a free and open-source software distributed Social Network. It forms one part of the Fediverse, an interconnected and decentralized network of independently operated servers. In this step by step guide I will show you how to install Friendica on your Synology NAS using Docker & Portainer.

💡Note: This guide works perfectly with the latest Friendica 2023.05 release.

  • STEP 1

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  • STEP 2

Install Portainer using my step by step guide. If you already have Portainer installed on your Synology NAS, skip this STEP. Attention: Make sure you have installed the latest Portainer version.

  • STEP 3

Make sure you have a synology.me Wildcard Certificate. Follow my guide to get a Wildcard Certificate. If you already have a synology.me Wildcard certificate, skip this STEP.

  • STEP 4

Go to Control Panel / Login Portal / Advanced Tab / click Reverse Proxy. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Friendica Synology NAS Set up 1

  • STEP 5

Now click the “Create” button. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Friendica Synology NAS Set up 2

  • STEP 6

After you click the Create button, the window below will open. Follow the instructions in the image below.

On the General area, set the Reverse Proxy Name description: type in Friendica. After that, add the following instructions:

Source:
Protocol: HTTPS
Hostname: friendica.yourname.synology.me
Port: 443

Check Enable HSTS

Destination:
Protocol: HTTP
Hostname: localhost
Port: 8786

Friendica Synology NAS Set up 3

  • STEP 7

On the Reverse Proxy Rules click the Custom Header tab. Click Create and then, from the drop-down menu, click WebSocket. After you click on WebSocket, two Header Names and two Values will be automatically added. Click Save. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Synology Proxy WebSocket

  • STEP 8

Go to Control Panel / Network / Connectivity tab/ Check Enable HTTP/2 then click Apply. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Friendica Synology NAS Set up 4

  • STEP 9

Go to Control Panel / Security / Advanced tab/ Check Enable HTTP Compression then click Apply. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Friendica Synology NAS Set up 5

  • STEP 10

Go to File Station and open the docker folder. Inside the docker folder, create one new folder and name it friendica. Follow the instructions in the image below.
Note: Be careful to enter only lowercase, not uppercase letters.

Friendica Synology NAS Set up 6

  • STEP 11

Now create three new folders inside the friendica folder that you created at STEP 10 and name them data, db, redis. Follow the instructions in the image below.
Note: Be careful to enter only lowercase, not uppercase letters.

Friendica Synology NAS Set up 7

  • STEP 12

Log into Portainer using your username and password. On the left sidebar in Portainer, click on Stacks then + Add stack. Follow the instructions in the image below.

1 Synology Portainer Add Stack

  • STEP 13

In the Name field type in friendica. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Note: Copy Paste the code below in the Portainer Stacks Web editor.

version: "3.9"
services:
  redis:
    image: redis
    command:
      - /bin/sh
      - -c
      - redis-server --requirepass redispass
    container_name: Friendica-REDIS
    hostname: friendica-redis
    mem_limit: 256m
    mem_reservation: 50m
    cpu_shares: 768
    security_opt:
      - no-new-privileges:true
    read_only: true
    user: 1026:100
    healthcheck:
      test: ["CMD-SHELL", "redis-cli ping || exit 1"]
    volumes:
      - /volume1/docker/friendica/redis:/data:rw
    environment:
      TZ: Europe/Bucharest
    restart: on-failure:5

  db:
    image: mariadb:jammy
    container_name: Friendica-DB
    hostname: friendica-db
    mem_limit: 1g
    cpu_shares: 768
    security_opt:
      - no-new-privileges:true
    user: 1026:100
    healthcheck:
      test: ["CMD", "/usr/local/bin/healthcheck.sh", "--connect"]
    volumes:
      - /volume1/docker/friendica/db:/var/lib/mysql:rw
    environment:
      TZ: Europe/Bucharest
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: rootpass
      MYSQL_DATABASE: friendica
      MYSQL_USER: friendicauser
      MYSQL_PASSWORD: friendicapass
    restart: on-failure:5

  friendica:
    image: friendica:stable
    container_name: Friendica
    hostname: friendica
    mem_limit: 3g
    cpu_shares: 768
    security_opt:
      - no-new-privileges:true
    healthcheck:
      test: curl -f http://localhost/ || exit 1
    ports:
      - 8786:80
    volumes:
      - /volume1/docker/friendica/data:/var/www/html:rw
    environment:
      MYSQL_HOST: friendica-db
      MYSQL_USER: friendicauser
      MYSQL_PASSWORD: friendicapass
      MYSQL_DATABASE: friendica
      REDIS_HOST: friendica-redis
      REDIS_PW: redispass
      FRIENDICA_URL: https://friendica.yourname.synology.me
      FRIENDICA_ADMIN_MAIL: yourown@email.com
      FRIENDICA_NO_VALIDATION: true  # true = URL and E-Mail Validation will be Disabled.
      FRIENDICA_TZ: Europe/Bucharest
    restart: on-failure:5
    depends_on:
      redis:
        condition: service_healthy
      db:
        condition: service_started

  cron:
    image: friendica:stable
    entrypoint: /cron.sh
    container_name: Friendica-CRON
    hostname: friendica-cron
    mem_limit: 1g
    cpu_shares: 768
    security_opt:
      - no-new-privileges:true
    volumes:
      - /volume1/docker/friendica/data:/var/www/html:rw
    environment:
      MYSQL_HOST: friendica-db
      MYSQL_USER: friendicauser
      MYSQL_PASSWORD: friendicapass
      MYSQL_DATABASE: friendica
    restart: on-failure:5
    depends_on:
      friendica:
        condition: service_healthy

Note: Before you paste the code above in the Web editor area below, change the value numbers for user with your own values. (Follow my step by step guide on how to do this.) 1026 is my personal UID value and 100 is my personal GID value. You have to type in your own values.
Note: Before you paste the code above in the Web editor area below, change the value for TZ. (Select your current Time Zone from this list.)
Note: Before you paste the code above in the Web editor area below, change the value for FRIENDICA_URL and type in your own synology.me DDNS with https:// at the beginning that you have previously created at STEP 6.
Note: Before you paste the code above in the Web editor area below, change the value for FRIENDICA_ADMIN_MAIL and type in your own email which will become your admin email.
Note: Before you paste the code above in the Web editor area below, change the value for FRIENDICA_TZ (Select your current Time Zone from this list.)

Friendica Synology NAS Set up 8

  • STEP 14

Scroll down on the page until you see a button called Deploy the stack. Click on it. Follow the instructions in the image below. The installation process can take up to a few minutes. It will depend on your Internet speed connection.

Friendica Synology NAS Set up 9 new 2024

  • STEP 15

If everything goes right, you will see this message at the top right of your screen: “Success Stack successfully deployed“.

Friendica Synology NAS Set up 10

  • STEP 16

Go back to STEP 1 or you will deal with karma 🙂

  • STEP 17

Now open your browser and type in your HTTPS/SSL certificate like this https://friendica.yourname.synology.me that you have previously created at STEP 6. In my case it’s https://friendica.mariushosting.synology.me If everything goes right, you will see the Friendica Login page. Click Sign up now. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Friendica Synology NAS Set up 11

  • STEP 18

Type in your full name. Type in your own FRIENDICA_ADMIN_EMAIL that you have previously added at STEP 13. Choose a nickname then click Sign up now. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Friendica Synology NAS Set up 12

  • STEP 19

Copy your generated Password. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Friendica Synology NAS Set up 13

  • STEP 20

At the top right of the page click the little Sign in icon then type in your email and the password that you have automatically generated at STEP 19. Click Login. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Friendica Synology NAS Set up 14

  • STEP 21

Upload your own Profile icon then access your Admin settings to personalize your Friendica Social Network. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Friendica Synology NAS Set up 15

  • STEP 22

At the top right of the page click on your profile icon then Settings. A new sidebar menu will appear on the left. Click Display then choose your favorite Theme customization options. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Friendica Synology NAS Set up 16

  • STEP 23

Your Friendica Social Network at a glance!

Friendica Synology NAS Set up 17

  • STEP 24

Invite your friends to be part of your Social Network in the Fediverse!

Friendica Synology NAS Set up 18

Enjoy Friendica!

Note: Can I run Docker on my Synology NAS? See the supported models.
Note: Find out how to update the Friendica container with the latest image.
Note: How to Free Disk Space on Your NAS if You Run Docker.
Note: How to Schedule Start & Stop For Docker Containers.
Note: How to Activate Email Notifications.
Note: How to Add Access Control Profile on Your NAS.
Note: How to Change Docker Containers Restart Policy.
Note: How to Use Docker Containers With VPN.
Note: Convert Docker Run Into Docker Compose.
Note: How to Clean Docker.
Note: How to Clean Docker Automatically.
Note: Best Practices When Using Docker and DDNS.
Note: Some Docker Containers Need WebSocket.
Note: Find out the Best NAS Models For Docker.
Note: Activate Gmail SMTP For Docker Containers.

This post was updated on Sunday / June 11th, 2023 at 4:35 AM

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