Education
Self-host Kiwix on a VPS
Offline access to the world’s knowledge.
Serve Wikipedia and other references as ZIM files, ideal for offline and low-bandwidth settings.
Why self-host Kiwix?
Kiwix makes vast reference libraries available offline, which is invaluable for disconnected or bandwidth-limited users.
How to install Kiwix
- 1
Provision a VPS
Choose a plan with room for your data as well as the app.
- 2
Install the stack
Install Single Go/Rust binary + Nginx.
- 3
Deploy the application
Follow the project’s official install guide for your distribution.
- 4
Enable HTTPS
Serve it on your own domain behind a reverse proxy with a certificate.
- 5
Back it up
Schedule a database dump plus a copy of any uploaded files to an off-box location.
Practical tips
- Give Kiwix its own database user with rights only on its own schema.
- Reverse-proxy Kiwix and terminate TLS at the proxy so certificates are managed in one place.
- Take a VPS snapshot before major upgrades so you can roll back cleanly.
- Keep Kiwix patched — most self-hosting incidents are unpatched software.
Frequently asked questions
- How much RAM does Kiwix need?
- Plan on 1–2 GB for typical use; add headroom if you expect many concurrent users.
- What stack does Kiwix run on?
- Single Go/Rust binary + Nginx.
- Can I run other things on the same VPS?
- Yes — size the plan so Kiwix plus your other workloads fit in RAM with room to spare.
Looking for something else? Popular alternatives include Internet-in-a-Box, Calibre-Web, Ollama (local data) — browse all app guides.