Solidtime is a modern, open-source time-tracking application designed for freelancers and agencies. Built with PHP (Laravel) and Vue.js, it offers features like project and task management, client billing, and seamless data imports from tools like Toggl and Clockify. Available as a hosted cloud service or self-hosted via Docker, Solidtime provides a flexible, user-friendly solution for tracking time and managing work efficiently. In this step by step guide I will show you how to install Solidtime on your Synology NAS using Docker & Portainer.
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.
STEP 5
Now click the “Create” 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 Solidtime. After that, add the following instructions:
Source:
Protocol: HTTPS
Hostname: solidtime.yourname.synology.me
Port: 443
Check Enable HSTS
Destination:
Protocol: HTTP
Hostname: localhost
Port: 8172
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.
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 Compression then click Apply. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 10
Go to File Station and open the docker folder. Inside the docker folder, create one new folder and name it solidtime. Follow the instructions in the image below.
Note: Be careful to enter only lowercase, not uppercase letters.
STEP 11
Now create two new folders inside the solidtime folder that you have previously created at STEP 10 and name them db and storage. Follow the instructions in the image below.
Note: Be careful to enter only lowercase, not uppercase letters.
STEP 12
Now create three new folders inside the storage folder that you have previously created at STEP 11 and name them app, framework, logs. Follow the instructions in the image below.
Note: Be careful to enter only lowercase, not uppercase letters.
STEP 13
Now create two new folders inside the framework folder that you have previously created at STEP 12 and name them cache and views. Follow the instructions in the image below.
Note: Be careful to enter only lowercase, not uppercase letters.
STEP 14
Right click on the solidtime folder that you have previously created at STEP 10 then click Properties. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 15
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 16
Select Everyone then click the Edit tab. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 17
Check all Read and Write Permissions. Click Done. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 18
After you click Done on STEP 17, check “Apply to this folder, sub-folders and files“. Click Save. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 19
Follow my step by step guide on how to activate SMTP for your Gmail account. This step is mandatory. Note: If you don’t want to use the easiest way for SMTP with Google and you already have SMTP details from your own Mail Server, you can just skip this STEP and use your personalized email SMTP details instead.
STEP 20
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.
STEP 21
In the Name field type in solidtime. Follow the instructions in the image below.
services: db: image: postgres:17 container_name: Solidtime-DB hostname: solidtime-db security_opt: - no-new-privileges:true healthcheck: test: ["CMD", "pg_isready", "-q", "-d", "solidtime", "-U", "solidtimeuser"] timeout: 45s interval: 10s retries: 10 volumes: - /volume1/docker/solidtime/db:/var/lib/postgresql/data:rw environment: POSTGRES_DB: solidtime POSTGRES_USER: solidtimeuser POSTGRES_PASSWORD: solidtimepass restart: on-failure:5 app: container_name: Solidtime-APP image: solidtime/solidtime:main ports: - 8172:8000 volumes: - /volume1/docker/solidtime/storage/logs:/var/www/html/storage/logs:rw - /volume1/docker/solidtime/storage:/var/www/html/storage:rw - /volume1/docker/solidtime/storage/app:/var/www/html/storage/app:rw environment: CONTAINER_MODE: http AUTO_DB_MIGRATE: true healthcheck: test: [ "CMD-SHELL", "curl --fail http://localhost:8000/health-check/up || exit 1" ] env_file: - stack.env depends_on: - db restart: on-failure:5 scheduler: container_name: Solidtime-SCHEDULER image: solidtime/solidtime:main volumes: - /volume1/docker/solidtime/storage/logs:/var/www/html/storage/logs:rw - /volume1/docker/solidtime/storage:/var/www/html/storage:rw - /volume1/docker/solidtime/storage/app:/var/www/html/storage/app:rw environment: CONTAINER_MODE: scheduler healthcheck: test: [ "CMD-SHELL", "supervisorctl status scheduler:scheduler_00" ] env_file: - stack.env depends_on: - db restart: on-failure:5 queue: container_name: Solidtime-QUEUE image: solidtime/solidtime:main volumes: - /volume1/docker/solidtime/storage/logs:/var/www/html/storage/logs:rw - /volume1/docker/solidtime/storage:/var/www/html/storage:rw - /volume1/docker/solidtime/storage/app:/var/www/html/storage/app:rw environment: CONTAINER_MODE: worker WORKER_COMMAND: "php /var/www/html/artisan queue:work" healthcheck: test: [ "CMD-SHELL", "supervisorctl status worker:worker_00" ] env_file: - stack.env depends_on: - db restart: on-failure:5
STEP 22
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 file“. Follow the instructions in the image below. 🔒Note: Support my work to unlock the password. You can use this password to download any file on mariushosting forever!
STEP 23
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 SUPER_ADMINS. Type in your own admin email address that you want to use for your Solidtime instance. You will need this email later at STEP 37.
Note: On the Environment variables change the value for MAIL_FROM_ADDRESS and type in your own Gmail address. STEP 19.
Note: On the Environment variables change the value for MAIL_USERNAME and type in your own Gmail address. STEP 19.
Note: On the Environment variables change the value for MAIL_PASSWORD and type in your own Gmail APP Password. STEP 19.
STEP 24
After you make the changes, scroll up the page a little bit, then click the Web editor button. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 25
Scroll down on the page until you see a button named 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 26
If everything goes right, you will see this message at the top right of your screen: “Success Stack successfully deployed“.
STEP 27
On the left sidebar in Portainer, click Containers. Identify your Solidtime-APP instance and make sure it’s marked as unhealthy. Click on the little terminal icon. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 28
After you click on the little terminal icon at STEP 27, a new page will open. Click Connect. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 29
After you click Connect at STEP 28, a Console will open. Copy Paste the code below and follow the instructions in the image.
php artisan self-host:generate-keys
STEP 30
Once the code is inserted, confirm by pressing Enter on your keyboard to start the key generation process. After some seconds, you will get 3 different Keys. APP_KEY, PASSPORT_PRIVATE_KEY and PASSPORT_PUBLIC_KEY. Copy the autogenerated keys and save them in a safe place like notepad – you will need them later at STEP 33. ⚠️Note: Make sure you copy the keys after the = and make sure you include the colons “”.
STEP 31
On the left Sidebar in Portainer, click Stacks then solidtime. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 32
Click the Editor tab, then Environment variables. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 33
Note: On the Environment variables change the value for APP_KEY and type in the APP_KEY value that you have previously generated at STEP 30, with the “” included.
Note: On the Environment variables change the value for PASSPORT_PRIVATE_KEY and type in the PASSPORT_PRIVATE_KEY value that you have previously generated at STEP 30, with the “” included.
Note: On the Environment variables change the value for PASSPORT_PUBLIC_KEY and type in the PASSPORT_PUBLIC_KEY value that you have previously generated at STEP 30, with the “” included.
Scroll down the page until you’ll find the Update the stack button. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 34
Click Update the stack. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 35
A new pop up window will open. Click Update. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 36
Now open your browser and type in your HTTPS/SSL certificate like this https://solidtime.yourname.synology.me that you have previously created at STEP 6. In my case it’s https://solidtime.mariushosting.synology.me If everything goes right, you will see the Solidtime login page. Click Register here!. Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 37
Type in your own details. Check the agree button, then click Register. ⚠️Note: Make sure to type in the Email that you have previously added at STEP 23 for the (SUPER_ADMINS). Follow the instructions in the image below.
STEP 38
Check your Gmail Email. You should receive the Solidtime email. Click Verify Email Address. Follow the instructions in the image below. ⚠️Note: If the email does not come, this means your SMTP details that you have previously added at STEP 23 are not correct.
STEP 39
Your Solidtime dashboard at a glance!
Enjoy Solidtime!
If you encounter issues by using this container, make sure to check out the Common Docker issues article.
One of the most important things you need to know about Solidtime is that anyone can register for a new account. Follow my step by step guide below to disable registration of new users in Solidtime. Go to Portainer then click Stacks. Edit your environment variables. Change the value for APP_ENABLE_REGISTRATION from true to false then scroll down the page until you find the Update the stack button. Click Update the stack. Follow the instructions in the image below.
Note: Can I run Docker on my Synology NAS? See the supported models.
Note: How to Back Up Docker Containers on your Synology NAS.
Note: Find out how to update the Solidtime 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 Wednesday / March 12th, 2025 at 12:01 AM