How to install Buzz on a VPS

To instal Buzz (by Block), group up the prerequisites, download and instal Buzz, configure your domain and secrets, alteration unafraid entree pinch HTTPS, and registry arsenic the first member.

While you tin instal Buzz connected your machine and subordinate an existing organization arsenic a regular member, self-hosting it connected a virtual backstage server (VPS) gives you afloat power complete your conversations, identities, and files by keeping them connected infrastructure that you manage.

Follow these steps to instal Buzz connected a VPS:

1. Connect to your server and group up Docker.
2. Download the Buzz files.
3. Generate secrets and configure the .env file.
4. Start Buzz’s services utilizing Docker Compose.
5. Enable HTTPS pinch Caddy.
6. Register arsenic the first personnel and connect.
7. Configure automatic backups.

Some VPS providers, including Hostinger, connection a Buzz exertion template that lets you deploy Buzz connected your server successful conscionable a fewer clicks. This attack is faster and easier than moving each the commands manually.

Prerequisites for installing Buzz

Before installing Buzz (an open-source squad chat app wherever group and AI agents stock the aforesaid channels), hole a Linux VPS pinch the recommended specifications, a domain that points to your server, and a Buzz personality cardinal successful some npub and hex formats.

• Linux VPS. Your Linux VPS needs astatine slightest 2 CPU cores and 4 GB of RAM to tally Buzz reliably. Ubuntu Long Term Support (LTS) releases person information updates for 5 years, and Docker’s charismatic installation instructions target Ubuntu, making it the simplest prime for this deployment. Before continuing, prepare your server to big an app for illustration Buzz.
• Domain. You request a domain sanction to entree the Buzz relay securely complete the internet. Make judge you point the domain to your VPS’s IP address. If your VPS supplier offers a free subdomain, you tin usage that instead, arsenic it typically already points to your server.
• Buzz nationalist key. You’ll registry arsenic the relay proprietor pinch a Buzz personality key, which acts arsenic your personality successful the Buzz workspace. Instead of a username and password, Buzz uses a cardinal brace that the app generates for you.

You’ll request the nationalist cardinal successful 2 formats:

• Hex for the server configuration file.
• npub for personnel registration.

Follow these steps to make your Buzz personality key:

1. Go to the official Buzz website and download the desktop app for your operating system.
2. Install and unfastened the app, past prime Create a caller personality key connected the invited screen.
3. On the organization subordinate screen, prime Copy your nationalist ID. This is your npub key, which starts pinch npub1 followed by a agelong string. Save it successful a matter file.
4. Open the NostrTool page to person the npub key.
5. Select Load a pubkey from npub/hex, paste your npub cardinal into the Paste pubkey hex aliases npub field, and click Load.
6. Copy the worth from the Nostr nationalist cardinal (hex) section astatine the bottommost of the page and prevention it successful the aforesaid matter file.

How to instal Buzz connected a VPS pinch Docker Compose

You tin instal Buzz connected a VPS pinch Docker Compose, which starts each 4 required services (the relay, PostgreSQL, Redis, and MinIO) pinch a azygous command. This intends you don’t request to instal aliases configure each work manually.

The Buzz relay handles messages and ties everything together; PostgreSQL stores connection and hunt data; Redis supports real-time features, and MinIO stores shared files and images.

1. Connect to the server and instal Docker

Open a terminal connected your machine and link to the server complete SSH. Replace your-server-ip pinch the IP reside provided by your VPS provider:

ssh root@your-server-ip

Update your server’s software:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

The apt update bid checks for disposable package updates, while apt upgrade installs them. These are 2 of the astir communal commands for managing a Linux server.

Next, instal Docker connected your server. Once done, instal the Docker Compose plugin:

sudo apt instal -y docker-compose-plugin

Verify that some are installed correctly. Each bid should return a type number:

docker --version docker constitute version

2. Download the Buzz deployment files

Buzz’s accumulation deployment files are disposable connected GitHub. Clone the repository pinch the git command, past unfastened the deployment folder:

git clone https://github.com/block/buzz.git cd buzz/deploy/compose

You’re now successful the buzz/deploy/compose folder, which contains the files needed to tally Buzz connected a accumulation server.

To position each files successful the folder, run:

ls -a

3. Generate secrets and configure the environment

Buzz uses an situation record (.env) to shop your domain, proprietor key, and passwords for each service. You request to adhd these values earlier starting the relay.

First, make 7 random secrets by moving the pursuing bid 7 times. Save each consequence successful a matter file, branded pinch the section it belongs to, because you’ll adhd them to the configuration shortly:

openssl rand -hex 32

Copy the situation template, past unfastened the caller record pinch the nano matter editor:

cp .env.example .env nano .env

In the .env file, update 3 groups of values: your domain, proprietor nationalist key, and secrets.

• Domain. Update the pursuing 5 lines. Replace the placeholder domain successful each statement pinch your existent domain:

BUZZ_DOMAIN=buzz.example.com RELAY_URL=wss://buzz.example.com BUZZ_MEDIA_BASE_URL=https://buzz.example.com/media BUZZ_MEDIA_SERVER_DOMAIN=buzz.example.com BUZZ_CORS_ORIGINS=https://buzz.example.com

• Owner nationalist key. Find the pursuing statement and switch the placeholder pinch the 64-character hex cardinal you generated before:

RELAY_OWNER_PUBKEY=CHANGE_ME_OWNER_PUBKEY_HEX

• Secrets. Replace the remaining CHANGE_ME placeholders pinch the random values you generated earlier. Use a different worth for each variable:

BUZZ_RELAY_PRIVATE_KEY=CHANGE_ME_64_HEX_PRIVATE_KEY BUZZ_GIT_HOOK_HMAC_SECRET=CHANGE_ME_RANDOM_64_HEX POSTGRES_PASSWORD=CHANGE_ME_RANDOM_PASSWORD REDIS_PASSWORD=CHANGE_ME_RANDOM_PASSWORD TYPESENSE_API_KEY=CHANGE_ME_RANDOM_API_KEY BUZZ_S3_ACCESS_KEY=CHANGE_ME_RANDOM_ACCESS_KEY BUZZ_S3_SECRET_KEY=CHANGE_ME_RANDOM_SECRET_KEY

Leave each different values, including ports, the database name, bucket name, and log levels, unchanged because they’re already configured correctly.

To prevention the record and adjacent nano, property Ctrl+X → Y → Enter.

4. Start the Buzz services

Start the Buzz relay, database, cache, and record retention pinch a azygous docker compose command:

docker constitute up -d

The first tally whitethorn return a fewer minutes because Docker needs to download the required images. Once it finishes, verify that each work is running:

docker constitute ps

Each work should show a position of Up aliases healthy. It’s normal for the minio-init work to show Exited because it runs only erstwhile to create the retention bucket, past stops.

If the relay shows Restarting, cheque its logs:

docker constitute logs relay

A leftover placeholder successful the .env record is the astir communal cause. Check for immoderate remaining placeholders pinch these commands:

grep CHANGE_ME .env grep buzz.example.com .env

If either bid prints immoderate lines, reopen the .env record and switch the remaining placeholders.

5. Enable HTTPS pinch Caddy

Your Buzz relay is running, but it isn’t unafraid for nationalist entree yet.

The abstracted compose.caddy.yml configuration record adds Caddy, which gets a free TLS certificate from Let’s Encrypt, routes postulation to the relay, and keeps your database and record retention inaccessible from the internet.

Caddy uses the domain you already group successful the .env file, truthful you don’t request immoderate further configuration. Stop the Buzz services, past restart them pinch Caddy:

docker constitute down docker constitute -f compose.yml -f compose.caddy.yml up -d

Open your domain successful a browser to verify the setup. If Caddy configured the certificate correctly, your browser should show Connection is secure without immoderate warnings.

If the page doesn’t load aliases shows a certificate error, cheque the Caddy logs:

docker constitute logs caddy

The astir communal causes are DNS propagation delays aliases blocked firewall ports. When configuring Uncomplicated Firewall (UFW) connected your server, make judge ports 80 and 443 are open.

6. Add yourself arsenic a relay personnel and connect

Buzz blocks each connections by default, truthful you request to registry yourself arsenic a personnel earlier you tin connect.

Run the pursuing bid and switch npub1yourkeyhere pinch your existent npub key:

docker constitute exec relay buzz-admin add-member --pubkey npub1yourkeyhere

Open the Buzz desktop app connected your computer. It should still show the organization subordinate screen.

Enter your relay URL utilizing the wss:// prefix, followed by the domain you configured successful the .env file. The prefix tells the app to link securely done your HTTPS setup. For example:

wss://buzz.example.com

The app should link and show your workspace. If the relationship fails, cheque that you entered the URL correctly and verify that the relay is running:

docker constitute ps

7. Set up automatic backups

Most of your Buzz workspace data, including messages and metadata, is stored successful the Buzz relay’s PostgreSQL database. Without backups, you could suffer that information if thing goes wrong.

First, create a backup files and trial a manual backup:

mkdir -p /backups cd /root/buzz/deploy/compose docker constitute exec -T postgres pg_dump -U buzz buzz > /backups/buzz-test.sql ls -la /backups/

The buzz-test.sql record should person a size greater than 0 bytes. If it does, the backup was created successfully.

To automate backups, unfastened your crontab:

crontab -e

Choose nano if prompted to prime an editor. Then adhd the pursuing statement astatine the bottommost of the file. This illustration creates a backup each nighttime astatine 2:00 AM based connected your server’s timepiece (most VPS providers default to UTC):

0 2 * * * cd /root/buzz/deploy/compose && docker constitute exec -T postgres pg_dump -U buzz buzz > /backups/buzz-$(date +\%Y\%m\%d).sql

To prevention the file, property Ctrl+X → Y → Enter. The database will now backmost up automatically each night.

How to deploy Buzz pinch Hostinger’s exertion template

To deploy Buzz pinch Hostinger’s template, unfastened the Buzz exertion page and prime your preferred VPS plan. KVM 2 astatine $8.79/month pinch 2 vCPU cores and 8 GB of RAM is simply a bully starting constituent for day-to-day performance.

After choosing the server location closest to your squad and completing your purchase, you’ll beryllium prompted to participate your 64-character hex nationalist cardinal (the 1 you generated from the Buzz desktop app utilizing NostrTool).

The template installs Ubuntu, Docker, and each required Buzz services automatically. When the installation finishes, you’ll beryllium redirected to the Docker Manager page. Hover complete Open to position your Buzz domain.

Next, unfastened the Buzz desktop app and participate your relay URL utilizing the wss:// prefix followed by your domain. For example:

wss://buzz-ab12.srv1234567.hstgr.cloud

If you already person a Hostinger VPS, you tin besides move to the Buzz exertion template. Keep successful mind that changing the operating strategy reinstalls the server and permanently removes each existing data. Back up your VPS earlier continuing.

To move to the Buzz template:

1. Open hPanel and spell to VPS → Manage → OS & Panel → Operating system.
2. In the Change OS section, hunt for Buzz and prime it.

3. Enter your 64-character hex nationalist cardinal erstwhile prompted, past travel the remaining setup instructions.

When the installation finishes, unfastened the Docker Manager page to find your Buzz domain. Then link from the Buzz desktop app utilizing wss:// followed by your domain.

Why instal Buzz connected your ain server

Self-hosting Buzz gives you afloat power complete the relay, your workspace data, and who tin join.

• Your information stays connected your server. The Buzz relay stores each connection and activity arena successful its PostgreSQL database, and immoderate uploaded files successful a abstracted MinIO store. When you big the relay yourself, the database runs connected infrastructure you negociate alternatively of Block’s servers aliases different 3rd party’s infrastructure. No 1 tin access, analyze, aliases delete your workspace information unless you springiness them permission.
• You power who joins. The relay’s personnel database determines who tin connect. You tin adhd aliases region group and AI agents pinch the add-member and remove-member commands, truthful there’s nary support process, waitlist, aliases outer level argumentation betwixt you and your team.
• You group your ain rules. A self-hosted relay lets you determine what agents tin do, really agelong to support data, which services the relay tin link to, and erstwhile to update to a newer version. When you usage personification else’s relay, they power those decisions.

However, self-hosting Buzz isn’t for everyone. If you conscionable want to usage Buzz without managing a server, download the desktop aliases mobile app and subordinate a relay that accepts caller members. You’ll still beryllium capable to pass pinch different members and AI agents without dealing pinch Docker, configuration files, aliases backups.

How to troubleshoot Buzz installation issues

Most Buzz installation issues travel from leftover placeholder values successful the situation file, an incorrectly formatted proprietor key, aliases blocked firewall ports. Here’s really to place and hole each of these problems:

• The relay restarts pinch “BUZZ_GIT_HOOK_HMAC_SECRET must beryllium astatine slightest 32 characters.” One aliases much secrets successful your .env record still usage placeholder values. Run grep CHANGE_ME .env to find them. Generate a caller random worth for each placeholder pinch openssl rand -hex 32, update the record pinch nano .env, and restart the services pinch docker constitute -f compose.yml -f compose.caddy.yml up -d.
• The relay restarts pinch “RELAY_OWNER_PUBKEY required.” The proprietor cardinal is missing aliases uses the incorrect format. The relay requires the 64-character hex string, which contains only letters and numbers, not the npub version. If you pasted a cardinal that starts pinch npub1, person it to hex connected the NostrTool page, update the worth successful the .env file, and restart the services.
• The desktop app can’t connect. Verify that your domain points to the correct IP reside by moving ping followed by your domain connected your computer. Then corroborate that Caddy is moving by utilizing docker constitute ps connected the server. If some look correct, make judge your firewall allows postulation connected ports 80 and 443. These ports must beryllium unfastened for HTTPS postulation to scope the relay.
• The mobile app shows a QR codification that disappears immediately. The pairing work whitethorn beryllium unreachable. Make judge the Caddy Compose record is included successful the startup bid and that the /pair way is routed correctly. Check the Caddy logs for routing errors pinch docker constitute logs caddy.

How to update Buzz to a newer version

To update Buzz to the latest version, propulsion the newest root codification and work images.

Run these commands connected the server:

cd /root/buzz git pull cd deploy/compose docker constitute -f compose.yml -f compose.caddy.yml pull docker constitute -f compose.yml -f compose.caddy.yml up -d

Updating the services won’t impact your stored messages, files, aliases database records. Your information remains intact because Docker stores it successful volumes that are abstracted from the moving services.

What to do aft installing Buzz

Now that your Buzz relay is running, the adjacent steps are to adhd your team, shape the workspace, and unafraid the setup.

• Manage members. Ask each caller personnel to make a Buzz personality cardinal successful the desktop aliases mobile app, past adhd them utilizing their npub key. You tin besides database aliases region members:

# Add a caller member docker constitute exec relay buzz-admin add-member --pubkey npub1yourkeyhere # View each registered members docker constitute exec relay buzz-admin list-members # Remove a member docker constitute exec relay buzz-admin remove-member --pubkey npub1yourkeyhere

• Add AI agents. Buzz lets you link AI agents done its ACP harness, which useful pinch devices specified arsenic Goose, Codex, and Claude Code. Each supplier gets its ain personality cardinal and joins channels arsenic a member. Buzz besides keeps a afloat audit trail, truthful you tin way what each supplier did and where.
• Secure the workspace. The accumulation deployment enables rank enforcement and authentication by default. Review the BUZZ_REQUIRE_RELAY_MEMBERSHIP and BUZZ_REQUIRE_AUTH_TOKEN values successful your .env record and corroborate that some are group to true. Keep your relay URL backstage until you’ve added your team.
• Protect the server. Your Buzz relay is only arsenic unafraid arsenic the server it runs on. Follow basic VPS information practices, specified arsenic mounting up SSH cardinal authentication, configuring firewall rules, enabling automatic information updates, and restricting guidelines access.

There are besides galore ways to usage your caller Buzz workspace, from mounting up squad workflows to moving AI-assisted codification reviews. Check retired the apical Buzz usage cases for applicable ideas connected what you tin do next.

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