Productivity
Self-host Penpot on a VPS
An open-source design and prototyping tool.
Design UIs and prototypes with a Figma-style app that you host yourself.
Why self-host Penpot?
Penpot gives design teams a collaborative tool with no vendor lock-in and your files staying yours.
How to install Penpot
- 1
Provision a VPS
Choose a plan with room for your data as well as the app.
- 2
Install the stack
Install Clojure + PostgreSQL + Redis.
- 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 Penpot its own database user with rights only on its own schema.
- Reverse-proxy Penpot 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 Penpot patched — most self-hosting incidents are unpatched software.
Frequently asked questions
- How much RAM does Penpot need?
- Plan on 4 GB for typical use; add headroom if you expect many concurrent users.
- What stack does Penpot run on?
- Clojure + PostgreSQL + Redis.
- Can I run other things on the same VPS?
- Yes — size the plan so Penpot plus your other workloads fit in RAM with room to spare.
Looking for something else? Popular alternatives include Figma (hosted), Excalidraw, Inkscape — browse all app guides.