Is it really compatible with S3?

Garage implements the S3 API, so standard clients and SDKs work against it unchanged — including backup tools such as restic. Coverage is the common S3 surface, not every last AWS-specific extension; check the project documentation if you rely on an unusual call.

Can I use it as a MinIO replacement?

For the common self-hosted case — an S3 endpoint for backups and applications — yes. Garage is lighter and its licence is AGPLv3, with no feature reserved for a paid edition. It is a different project, not a drop-in fork, so validate your specific integrations.

Does a single node give me redundancy?

No. A single-node install stores one copy of your data on one machine, so keep the usual backup discipline. Garage's replication is designed for a multi-node cluster, which the same binary supports when you add machines.

Spin up a data platform quickly.

Garage

S3-compatible object storage in a single Rust binary — for backups, static assets and any application that speaks S3, on your own server.

1 GB (2 GB recommended) RAM 1 vCPU Port 3900 (S3) · 3903 (admin) Available

Tech stack

DockerRustSQLite

Minimum RAM1 GB (2 GB recommended)

Minimum CPU1 vCPU

Default port3900 (S3) · 3903 (admin)

Compatible OSChoice of Linux distributions

Garage is an S3-compatible object store built by Deuxfleurs for small, self-hosted, geo-distributed deployments. It is written in Rust, ships as a single distroless container, and is designed to stay lightweight and easy to operate rather than to scale to petabytes.

What you get on a ServOrbit VPS is an S3 endpoint of your own: a bucket, an access key and a secret key, ready for any S3 client or SDK — restic and Borg for backups, an application storing user uploads, a static site behind a CDN, or a database dumping its archives. Because the API is the standard S3 one, existing tooling works unchanged.

Garage has no web console. Administration goes through the `garage` command-line tool and an HTTP admin API, which is a deliberate design choice rather than a missing feature: the daemon stays small and the operational surface stays narrow. If you need a browser interface, community projects provide one on top of the admin API.

The single-node deployment installed here creates its bucket and its S3 credentials at first boot, with no manual cluster layout step. The same binary later grows into a multi-node, geo-distributed cluster if you need replication across machines.

Key features

S3-compatible API — existing clients, SDKs and backup tools work without modification.

Single Rust binary in one distroless container, with no database server to run alongside it.

Bucket and S3 credentials created automatically at first boot, ready to use immediately.

HTTP admin API for scripted administration of buckets, keys and cluster status.

Grows from a single node to a geo-distributed cluster with replication when you need it.

AGPLv3 — free software, with no feature held back behind a commercial edition.

When to use this solution?

1

Off-site backup target

Point restic, Borg or any S3-aware backup tool at an endpoint of your own rather than at a cloud provider. Because the API is the standard S3 one, your existing tooling works unchanged: only the endpoint and the credentials differ.

2

Object storage for your application's uploads

Move the files your application keeps — attachments, avatars, generated documents — off the application server's disk and into Garage. Any S3 library in your language connects to it, which keeps the door open to relocating the data later without rewriting your upload code.

3

Origin for static assets behind a CDN

Serve your static assets from a Garage bucket and let a CDN cache them at the edge. The origin stays on your own server, with no object-storage provider account involved.

4

S3 endpoint for development and CI

Give your development environments and CI pipelines a real S3 endpoint, without opening an account at a cloud provider or circulating the credentials of a production bucket.

Deploy Garage on your VPS

Guide optimized for ServOrbit Cloud VPS.

01

Order the VPS

Order a ServOrbit VPS, then pick Garage from the Marketplace. Garage is frugal: one vCPU and 1 GB of RAM are enough for a backup endpoint. Disk is the resource to size, according to the volume you intend to store.

02

What the installation deploys

An init container writes /etc/garage/garage.toml, then the dxflrs/garage:v2.3.0 container starts in single-node mode. Three persistent volumes hold the configuration, the metadata and the data. Garage creates its cluster, its bucket and its S3 credentials on first boot: no manual layout, bucket or key sequence is required.

03

Signing in for the first time

Garage has no sign-in screen: administration goes through the garage command-line tool and the HTTP admin API. Read your access key and secret key in your ServOrbit client area, under the service's credentials.

04

Connecting your first S3 client

Configure your S3 client with the service endpoint, the garage region and those credentials, then check that you can list the bucket created at install time. You can then create your own buckets and keys with the garage tool, keeping the initial credentials for administration.

Frequently asked questions

No, and that is by design. Administration goes through the garage command-line tool and an HTTP admin API. The daemon stays small and its operational surface narrow. Community projects provide a browser interface on top of the admin API if you want one.

They are generated at installation and surfaced in your ServOrbit client area, under the service's credentials. You can create additional keys and buckets afterwards with the garage CLI.

Embed the deploy button

Maintaining a project that uses Garage? This button lets your readers deploy it on a VPS in one click, without reading Docker documentation.

Markdown

[![Deploy Garage on ServOrbit](https://servorbit.com/brand/deploy/button.svg)](https://servorbit.com/vps-cloud?template=garage&utm_source=deploy-badge&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=garage)

HTML

<a href="https://servorbit.com/vps-cloud?template=garage&utm_source=deploy-badge&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=garage"><img src="https://servorbit.com/brand/deploy/button.svg" alt="Deploy Garage on ServOrbit" height="40"></a>

The button points to a VPS order with the template preselected. The image is served from servorbit.com — nothing to host on your side.

Complementary solutions

Application Deployment & DevOps

Activate Garage on your infrastructure.

Dedicated Cloud VPS — IPv4 included, European datacenter, support included. Your data never leaves your server.

Recommended configuration: 1 GB (2 GB recommended) RAM · 1 vCPU