Why deploy Easypanel on your VPS
Easypanel positions itself as a modern, visual alternative to CapRover or Dokku. It relies on Docker and Nixpacks to automatically build your applications from a Git repository, without you having to write a Dockerfile. Its interface, more recent and more ergonomic than most open-source panels, lets you manage applications, databases, certificates and domains in a few clicks. Easypanel natively integrates Traefik as a reverse proxy: each deployed application automatically gets its Let's Encrypt certificate and its routing. It's an excellent compromise between the simplicity of a commercial PaaS and the control of a server you own, particularly well suited to agencies that regularly deploy client projects.
The concrete benefits of Easypanel
- Automatic builds via Nixpacks: deploy Node, Python, PHP or Go without writing a Dockerfile.
- Modern, intuitive interface to manage apps, domains and databases.
- Traefik built in: reverse proxy and Let's Encrypt SSL configured automatically.
- One-click databases: PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Redis ready to use.
- Deployment from GitHub with automatic rebuild on every push.
- Templates for popular applications (WordPress, n8n, Ghost…) deployable instantly.
Prerequisites for Easypanel
Easypanel embeds Traefik and a Nixpacks builder, which requires a bit more memory than a Portainer. Count on at least 2 GB of RAM and 1 vCPU to start; aim for 4 GB of RAM and 2 vCPU as soon as you host several applications with their databases, since Nixpacks builds temporarily consume a lot of RAM. Plan for 30 GB of SSD disk. The recommended system is a clean Ubuntu LTS; Docker is installed automatically by the Easypanel script. On the DNS side: configure an A record for the panel domain (panel.mydomain.com) and, ideally, a wildcard *.mydomain.com for your applications. Ports 80, 443 and 3000 must be open for the initial installation.
Install Easypanel and deploy an application
Launch the automated installation
On a clean Ubuntu, run the official script: curl -sSL https://get.easypanel.io | sh. It installs Docker, Traefik and Easypanel in a few minutes, then displays the panel access URL.
Create the administrator account
Open http://IP_DU_VPS:3000, create your admin account with a strong password, then configure the panel domain in the settings. Easypanel will automatically generate an SSL certificate for panel.mydomain.com.
Create a project and an application
In the interface, create a project (grouping your services), then add an application of type “App”. Link your GitHub repository or specify a Docker image. Easypanel automatically detects the stack via Nixpacks.
Add a database and variables
In the same project, add a “PostgreSQL” service in one click. Easypanel generates the credentials; inject them into your application via the “Environment” tab. Services within the same project communicate over an internal Docker network.
Configure the domain and deploy
In the application's “Domains” tab, add mon-app.mydomain.com: Easypanel configures Traefik and obtains the SSL certificate automatically. Click “Deploy”: Nixpacks builds the image and brings the application online.
Enable automatic deployment by connecting a GitHub webhook: every push to your production branch triggers a Nixpacks rebuild with no intervention. For client projects, create a separate “Project” per client in order to isolate networks and databases. On a memory-limited VPS, watch the RAM during Nixpacks builds and add swap: Node compilations or heavy images can saturate a small server and cause the deployment to fail.
