> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.opus-host.de/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Host Your Own Nextcloud Instance on Your Free VPS

> Self-host Nextcloud on your Opus Host VPS with Docker Compose — your own private cloud for files, calendars, and contacts, with HTTPS.

Nextcloud is a self-hosted alternative to Dropbox, Google Drive, and iCloud combined. Running it on your Opus Host VPS gives you a private cloud for files, calendars, contacts, and photos that you fully control.

We will use Docker Compose because it is the fastest, cleanest way to get Nextcloud running with a proper database.

## Prerequisites

* Docker and Docker Compose installed. See [Docker](/guides/docker).
* A domain pointing to your VPS. See [Custom Domain](/guides/custom-domain).
* Ports 80 and 443 open. See [Firewall](/vps/firewall).

## 1. Create the project folder

```bash theme={null}
mkdir -p ~/nextcloud && cd ~/nextcloud
```

## 2. Write the compose file

Create `docker-compose.yml`:

```yaml theme={null}
services:
  db:
    image: mariadb:11
    restart: unless-stopped
    command: --transaction-isolation=READ-COMMITTED --log-bin=binlog --binlog-format=ROW
    volumes:
      - db:/var/lib/mysql
    environment:
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: change-this-root-password
      MYSQL_DATABASE: nextcloud
      MYSQL_USER: nextcloud
      MYSQL_PASSWORD: change-this-db-password

  app:
    image: nextcloud:stable
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "8080:80"
    volumes:
      - nextcloud:/var/www/html
    environment:
      MYSQL_HOST: db
      MYSQL_DATABASE: nextcloud
      MYSQL_USER: nextcloud
      MYSQL_PASSWORD: change-this-db-password
      NEXTCLOUD_TRUSTED_DOMAINS: cloud.example.com
    depends_on:
      - db

volumes:
  db:
  nextcloud:
```

Replace the passwords and `cloud.example.com` with your own values.

## 3. Start it

```bash theme={null}
docker compose up -d
```

Check the logs until Nextcloud finishes initializing:

```bash theme={null}
docker compose logs -f app
```

## 4. Put Nginx in front and add HTTPS

Install Nginx if you have not already:

```bash theme={null}
sudo apt install -y nginx
```

Create `/etc/nginx/sites-available/cloud.example.com`:

```nginx theme={null}
server {
    listen 80;
    server_name cloud.example.com;
    client_max_body_size 10G;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:8080;
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
        proxy_request_buffering off;
    }
}
```

Enable it and reload:

```bash theme={null}
sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/cloud.example.com /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl reload nginx
```

Add HTTPS with Certbot (see [Let's Encrypt SSL](/guides/lets-encrypt-ssl)):

```bash theme={null}
sudo certbot --nginx -d cloud.example.com
```

## 5. Finish the setup in the browser

Open `https://cloud.example.com` and create your admin account. Nextcloud will finish its first-run setup automatically.

## Everyday commands

```bash theme={null}
# View logs
docker compose logs -f

# Update to the latest Nextcloud version
docker compose pull
docker compose up -d

# Run occ (Nextcloud's command-line tool)
docker compose exec --user www-data app php occ status

# Stop everything
docker compose down
```

## Back it up

Nextcloud's data lives in two Docker volumes (`db` and `nextcloud`). Include both in your backup strategy, or take a [panel backup](/panel/backups) of the whole VPS before major changes.

<Tip>
  Bump `client_max_body_size` in the Nginx config if you want to upload large files. The 10 GB above is a sensible default for a self-hosted cloud.
</Tip>

<Warning>
  Nextcloud stores every file you upload plus a full database. Keep an eye on disk usage — see [Resource Limits](/vps/resource-limits) — or you will run out of space faster than you think.
</Warning>