Pixelfed is a free and open-source image sharing social network service. It is decentralized, therefore user data is not stored on a central server, unlike other platforms. The fediverse is a large network of platforms that all speak a common language. Imagine if you could reply to Instagram posts from Twitter, or interact with your favorite Medium blogs from Facebook – federated alternatives like Pixelfed, Mastodon and WriteFreely enable you to do these types of things. In this step by step guide I will show you how to install Pixelfed on your Synology NAS using Docker & Portainer.
Pixelfed v0.11.8Ā release.
This guide works perfectly with the latestSTEP 1
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STEP 2
InstallĀ 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 toĀ Control PanelĀ /Ā Login PortalĀ /Ā AdvancedĀ Tab / clickĀ Reverse Proxy. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 5
Now click the āCreateā button. Follow the instructions in the image below.
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 Pixelfed. After that, add the following instructions:
Source:
Protocol:Ā HTTPS
Hostname: pixelfed.yourname.synology.me
Port:Ā 443
Check Enable HSTS
Destination:
Protocol:Ā HTTP
Hostname:Ā localhost
Port:Ā 9750
STEP 7
On the Reverse Proxy Rules click the Custom HeaderĀ tab. ClickĀ CreateĀ and then, from the drop-down menu, clickĀ WebSocket. After you click on WebSocket, two Header Names and two Values will be automatically added. ClickĀ Save. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 8
Go to Control Panel / Network / Connectivity tab/ Check Enable HTTP/2 then click Apply. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 9
Go to Control Panel / Security / Advanced tab/ Check Enable HTTP CompressionĀ then click Apply. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 10
Go toĀ File StationĀ and open the docker folder. Inside the docker folder, create one new folder and name itĀ pixelfed. Follow the instructions in the image below.
Note: Be careful to enter only lowercase, not uppercase letters.
STEP 11
Now create three new folders inside the pixelfed folder that you created at STEP 10Ā and name them db, redis, storage. Follow the instructions in the image below.
Note: Be careful to enter only lowercase, not uppercase letters.
STEP 12
Right click on the storage folder that you have previously created at STEP 11 then click Properties. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 13
Go to the Permission tab then click Advanced options. From the drop-down menu choose “Make inherited permissions explicit“. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 14
Select Everyone then click the Edit tab. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 15
Check all Read and Write Permissions. Click Done. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 16
After you click Done on STEP 15, check “Apply to this folder, sub-folders and files“. Click Save. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 17
Log into Portainer using your username and password. On the left sidebar in Portainer, click on StacksĀ thenĀ + Add stack. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 18
In the Name field type in pixelfed. Follow the instructions in the image below.
version: "3.9" services: pixelfed-redis: image: redis container_name: Pixelfed-REDIS hostname: pixelfed-redis security_opt: - no-new-privileges:true healthcheck: test: ["CMD-SHELL", "redis-cli ping || exit 1"] user: 1026:100 environment: - TZ=Europe/Bucharest volumes: - /volume1/docker/pixelfed/redis:/data restart: always pixelfed-db: image: postgres container_name: Pixelfed-DB hostname: pixelfed-db security_opt: - no-new-privileges:true healthcheck: test: ["CMD", "pg_isready", "-q", "-d", "pixelfeddb", "-U", "pixelfeduser"] timeout: 45s interval: 10s retries: 10 user: 1026:100 env_file: - stack.env environment: - TZ=Europe/Bucharest volumes: - /volume1/docker/pixelfed/db:/var/lib/postgresql/data restart: always pixelfed-web: image: zknt/pixelfed:latest container_name: Pixelfed-WEB hostname: pixelfed-web security_opt: - no-new-privileges:true healthcheck: test: stat /etc/passwd || exit 1 env_file: - stack.env volumes: - /volume1/docker/pixelfed/storage:/var/www/storage - app-bootstrap:/var/www/bootstrap ports: - 9750:80 restart: always depends_on: pixelfed-db: condition: service_started pixelfed-redis: condition: service_healthy pixelfed-worker: image: zknt/pixelfed:latest container_name: Pixelfed-WORKER hostname: pixelfed-worker security_opt: - no-new-privileges:true healthcheck: test: php artisan horizon:status | grep running interval: 60s timeout: 5s retries: 1 env_file: - stack.env volumes: - /volume1/docker/pixelfed/storage:/var/www/storage - app-bootstrap:/var/www/bootstrap restart: always entrypoint: /worker-entrypoint.sh depends_on: pixelfed-db: condition: service_started pixelfed-redis: condition: service_healthy pixelfed-web: condition: service_healthy volumes: app-bootstrap:
Note: Before you paste the code above in the Web editor area below, change the value numbers for user with your own UID and GID 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.Ā (Select your current Time Zone from this list.)
STEP 19
Click the Upload button after Web editor. Download the stack.env file by clicking the blue link below and then upload it from your computer in the “Load variables from .env files“. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 20
Note: On the Environment variables change the value for APP_TIMEZONE and add your own TIMEZONE.Ā (Select your current Time Zone from this list.) š”
Note: On the Environment variables change the value for APP_URL. Type in your own synology.me DDNS that you have previously created at STEP 6 with https at the beginning. š£
Note: On the Environment variables change the value for APP_DOMAIN. Type in your own synology.me DDNS that you have previously created at STEP 6 without https at the beginning. šµ
Note: On the Environment variables change the value for ADMIN_DOMAIN. Type in your own synology.me DDNS that you have previously created at STEP 6 without https at the beginning. šµ
Note: On the Environment variables change the value for SESSION_DOMAIN. Type in your own synology.me DDNS that you have previously created at STEP 6 without https at the beginning. šµ
Warning: Do not change any of the other values.
STEP 21
After you made the changes, click the Web editor button. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 22
Scroll down on the page until you see a button namedĀ 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.
STEP 23
If everything goes right, you will see the following message at the top right of your screen: āSuccess Stack successfully deployedā.
STEP 24
Go back toĀ STEP 1Ā or you will deal with karma š.
STEP 25
Now open your browser and type in your HTTPS/SSL certificate like this https://pixelfed.yourname.synology.me In my case it’s https://pixelfed.mariushosting.synology.me If everything goes right, you will see the Pixelfed Login page. Click Register. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 26
Type in your own Name, Username and Password. Confirm your Password then click Register. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 27
Your main Pixelfed page will look like this.
STEP 28
Give Administrator rights to the user you have previously created at STEP 26. On the left sidebar in Portainer, click Containers. Identify your Pixelfed-WEB instance, then click on the little terminal icon. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 29
After you click on the little terminal icon at STEP 28, a new page will open. Click Connect. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 30
After you click Connect at STEP 29, a Console will open. Copy paste the code below and confirm by pressing Enter on your keyboard to start the admin rights process. Follow the instructions in the image below.
php artisan user:admin 1
STEP 31
After you click Enter on your Keyboard at STEP 30, you will get a message that says: “Add admin privileges to this user?” Type in Yes and confirm by pressing Enter on your keyboard. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 32
After a few seconds you will get a message in the terminal that says: “Successfully changed permissions!“.
STEP 33
On the left sidebar in Portainer, click Containers. Identify your Pixelfed-WEBĀ instance, select it then click Restart. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 34
Go back toĀ STEP 1Ā or you will deal with karma š.
STEP 35
Now open your browser and type in your HTTPS/SSL certificate like this https://pixelfed.yourname.synology.me In my case it’s https://pixelfed.mariushosting.synology.me If everything goes right, you will see the Pixelfed Login page. Type in your own Email and Password that you have previously created at STEP 26 then click LOGIN. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 36
At the top right of the page, under user profile, click Admin Dashboard. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 37
Type in your own Password that you have previously created at STEP 26 then click Confirm Password. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 38
Your Admin Dashboard at a Glance! For extra admin Settings, follow STEP 42 further down. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 39
In the Pixelfed dashboard under your profile on the right click UI Settings. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 40
Select Dark Mode theme to switch to dark mode. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 41
Your Dark Mode theme will look like this.
STEP 42
If you want to add more extra Admin Settings, go to Portainer then click Stacks. Click on pixelfed. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 43
Click on the Editor tab then scroll down the page a little bit. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 44
Change the values for ENABLE_CONFIG_CACHE and CUSTOM_EMOJI from false to true then scroll down the page until you find the Update the stack button. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 45
Click Update the stack. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 46
After you click Update the stack at STEP 45, a new pop up window will open. Click Update. Follow the instructions in the image below.
Enjoy Pixelfed!
Note: Can I run Docker on my Synology NAS?Ā See the supported models.
Note: Find outĀ how to update the Pixelfed 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 Tuesday / May 30th, 2023 at 10:01 PM