Stirling-PDF is a powerful locally hosted web based PDF manipulation tool using Docker and AI that allows you to perform various operations on PDF files, such as splitting merging, converting, reorganizing, adding images, rotating, compressing, and more. In this step by step guide I will show you how to install Stirling-PDF on your Synology NAS using Docker and Portainer.

💡Note: This guide works perfectly with the latest Stirling-PDF v0.37.1 release.

💡Note: Check out my new guide on how to Install Stirling-PDF on Your UGREEN NAS.

• STEP 1

Please Support My work by Making a Donation.

• 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

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

• STEP 4

Now create three new folders inside the stirling folder that you created at STEP 3 and name them config, data, logs. Follow the instructions in the image below.
Note: Be careful to enter only lowercase, not uppercase letters.

• STEP 5

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 6

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

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

services:
  stirling-pdf:
    container_name: Stirling-PDF
    image: stirlingtools/stirling-pdf
    mem_limit: 4g
    cpu_shares: 1024
    security_opt:
      - no-new-privileges:true
    healthcheck:
      test: timeout 10s bash -c ':> /dev/tcp/127.0.0.1/8080' || exit 1
      interval: 10s
      timeout: 5s
      retries: 3
      start_period: 90s
    ports:
      - 7890:8080
    volumes:
      - /volume1/docker/stirling/data:/usr/share/tessdata:rw # Required for extra OCR languages
      - /volume1/docker/stirling/config:/configs:rw
      - /volume1/docker/stirling/logs:/logs:rw
    environment:
     PUID: 1026
     PGID: 100
     DOCKER_ENABLE_SECURITY: true # or false
     SECURITY_ENABLELOGIN: true #or false
     SECURITY_INITIALLOGIN_USERNAME: marius
     SECURITY_INITIALLOGIN_PASSWORD: mariushosting   
     INSTALL_BOOK_AND_ADVANCED_HTML_OPS: false #or true
     SECURITY_CSRFDISABLED: true #or false
     SYSTEM_DEFAULTLOCALE: en_US # or fr_FR or de_DE
     UI_APPNAME: mariusPDF
     UI_HOMEDESCRIPTION: mariushosting PDF Description
     UI_APPNAMENAVBAR: mariushosting PDF
     SYSTEM_MAXFILESIZE: 5000 # Set the maximum file size in MB
     METRICS_ENABLED: true
     SYSTEM_GOOGLEVISIBILITY: false # or true
    restart: on-failure:5

Note: Before you paste the code above in the Web editor area below, change the value numbers for PUID and PGID with your own values. (Follow my step by step guide on how to do this.)
Note: Before you paste the code above in the Web editor area below, change the values for SECURITY_INITIALLOGIN_USERNAME and type in your own username. marius is an example for a username. You will need the Username later at STEP 10. ⚠️Warning: Do NOT use Special Characters for the username.
Note: Before you paste the code above in the Web editor area below, change the values for SECURITY_INITIALLOGIN_PASSWORD and type in your own password. mariushosting is an example for a password. . You will need this password later at STEP 10. ⚠️Warning: Do NOT use Special Characters for the password.
Note: Before you paste the code above in the Web editor area below, change the value for SYSTEM_DEFAULTLOCALE. Examples: en_US for English, de_DE for German, fr_FR for French etc. (Select your current Default Language from this list.)
Note: Before you paste the code above in the Web editor area below, change the value for UI_APPNAME. Choose a name for the app in the Homepage. mariusPDF is an example of a Homepage name.
Note: Before you paste the code above in the Web editor area below, change the value for UI_HOMEDESCRIPTION. Choose a name for the app Description. mariushosting PDF Description is an example of a Description.
Note: Before you paste the code above in the Web editor area below, change the value for UI_APPNAMENAVBAR. Choose a name for the Navigation bar. mariushosting PDF is an example of a Navigation bar name.

• STEP 7

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.

⌛Now just wait because the Stirling-PDF image is about 1.6GB.

• STEP 8

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

• STEP 9

🟢Please Support My work by Making a Donation. Almost 99,9% of the people that install something using my guides forget to support my work, or just ignore STEP 1. I’ve been very honest about this aspect of my work since the beginning: I don’t run any ADS, I don’t require subscriptions, paid or otherwise, I don’t collect IPs, emails, and I don’t have any referral links from Amazon or other merchants. I also don’t have any POP-UPs or COOKIES. I have repeatedly been told over the years how much I have contributed to the community. It’s something I love doing and have been honest about my passion since the beginning. But I also Need The Community to Support me Back to be able to continue doing this work.

• STEP 10

The installation process can take up to a few seconds/minutes. It will depend on your Internet speed connection. Now open your browser and type in http://Synology-ip-address:7890 Add your own Username and Password that you have previously created at STEP 6 then click Sign in. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 11

Your Stirling PDF dashboard at a glance!

• STEP 12

You can easily change the language and the theme from light to dark. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 13

All the Stirling PDF Tools at a glance!

Enjoy Stirling-PDF!

🆘TROUBLESHOOTING

If you encounter issues by using this container, make sure to check out the Common Docker issues article.

Note: If you want to run the Stirling-PDF container over HTTPS, check How to Run Docker Containers Over HTTPS. In order to make Stirling-PDF work over https, it’s also mandatory to set up WebSocket.

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 Stirling-PDF 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 Saturday / January 18th, 2025 at 7:47 PM