How to Install Pixelfed on Your Synology NAS

How to Install Pixelfed on Your Synology NAS

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.

šŸ’”Note: This guide works perfectly with the latest Pixelfed v0.11.8Ā release.

  • STEP 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.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 1

  • STEP 5

Now click the ā€œCreateā€ button. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Pixelfed 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 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

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 3

  • 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.

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.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 4

  • STEP 9

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

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 5

  • 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.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 6

  • 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.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 7

  • 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.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 8

  • 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.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 9

  • STEP 14

Select Everyone then click the Edit tab. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 10

  • STEP 15

Check all Read and Write Permissions. Click Done. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 11

  • 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.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 12

  • 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.

1 Synology Portainer Add Stack

  • STEP 18

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

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

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.)

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 13

  • 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.

šŸ‘‰šŸ»Download stack.env file

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 14

  • STEP 20

Note: On the Environment variables change the value for APP_TIMEZONE and add your own TIMEZONE.  (Select your current Time Zone from this list.) 🟔
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. 🟣
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. šŸ”µ
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. šŸ”µ
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. šŸ”µ
Warning: Do not change any of the other values.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 15

  • STEP 21

After you made the changes, click the Web editor button. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 16

  • 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.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 17

  • STEP 23

If everything goes right, you will see the following message at the top right of your screen: ā€œSuccess Stack successfully deployedā€œ.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 18

  • STEP 24

Go back toĀ STEP 1Ā or you will deal with karma šŸ™‚.

  • 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.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 19

  • STEP 26

Type in your own Name, Username and Password. Confirm your Password then click Register. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 20

  • STEP 27

Your main Pixelfed page will look like this.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 21

  • 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.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 22

  • 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.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 23

  • 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

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 24

  • 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.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 25

  • STEP 32

After a few seconds you will get a message in the terminal that says: “Successfully changed permissions!“.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 26

  • 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.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 27

  • STEP 34

Go back toĀ STEP 1Ā or you will deal with karma šŸ™‚.

  • 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.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 28

  • STEP 36

At the top right of the page, under user profile, click Admin Dashboard. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 29

  • 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.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 30

  • STEP 38

Your Admin Dashboard at a Glance! For extra admin Settings, follow STEP 42 further down. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 31

  • STEP 39

In the Pixelfed dashboard under your profile on the right click UI Settings. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 32

  • STEP 40

Select Dark Mode theme to switch to dark mode. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 33

  • STEP 41

Your Dark Mode theme will look like this.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 34

  • 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.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 35

  • STEP 43

Click on the Editor tab then scroll down the page a little bit. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 36

  • 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.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 37

  • STEP 45

Click Update the stack. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 38

  • 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.

Pixelfed Synology NAS Set up 39

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