Unraid
Install the Portabase Dashboard on Unraid from the Community Applications catalogue and back up the databases running on your server.
Unraid is a NAS operating system with a Docker-based application store. Portabase is published as an official template in Community Applications, so the Dashboard installs from the Apps tab with no docker-compose.yml to write.
Useful links: Portabase on Community Applications · Unraid website · Unraid documentation
The template does not ship a database. You need a reachable PostgreSQL 17 instance before you install - either the PostgreSQL container from Community Applications, or an external server. See the requirements for the rest.
Installation
Install PostgreSQL 17
From the Apps tab, install a PostgreSQL 17 container and create a database and a user for Portabase. Note the host, port, database name, user and password - you need them in the next step.
Add the Portabase template
Still in the Apps tab, search for Portabase, then select Portabase-Dashboard and click Install.
The template uses the official portabase/portabase:latest image, in bridge
network mode.
Fill in the required variables
| Field | Default | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| WebUI port | 8887 → container 80 | Change the host port if 8887 is taken |
/data | /mnt/user/appdata/portabase/dashboard | Persistent data, keep it on the array |
DATABASE_URL | - | postgresql://user:password@host:5432/portabase |
PROJECT_SECRET | - | Strong random hex value, see below |
PROJECT_URL | - | The Dashboard URL as the agents reach it, e.g. http://192.168.1.10:8887 |
AUTH_SIGNUP_ENABLED | - | Turn it off once your account exists |
AUTH_PASSKEY_ENABLED | true | Passkey authentication |
Optional variables - PROJECT_NAME, AUTH_DEFAULT_USER_NAME, AUTH_DEFAULT_USER,
AUTH_DEFAULT_PASSWORD, the SMTP settings and RETENTION_CRON - are documented on
the environment variables page.
Generate the secret
PROJECT_SECRET encrypts everything the agents exchange with the Dashboard, and
the credentials stored in it. Keep it backed up, and never change it once agents
are connected - previously encrypted data would no longer be readable.
From the Unraid terminal:
openssl rand -hex 32Apply and open the WebUI
Click Apply, wait for the container to start, then open
http://<unraid-ip>:8887 and follow
getting started.
To expose it on a domain with HTTPS, put it behind a reverse proxy - see the
reverse proxy guide - and set
PROJECT_URL to that public URL.
Backing up databases running on Unraid
Unraid runs each database as a Docker container. For the Agent to reach one, both containers need to share a network:
# List the Docker networks, then attach the agent to the right one
docker network ls
docker network connect <network> portabase-agentThen declare the database in the Dashboard using the container name as the host, and its normal
port. Containers on the default bridge network are also reachable at the Unraid IP on their
published port.
Per-engine settings - required grants, dump options, restore behaviour - are documented in the databases section.
Troubleshooting
- The container restarts in a loop.
DATABASE_URLis wrong or PostgreSQL is unreachable. Check the container log from the Unraid UI. - The agent shows as offline.
PROJECT_URLmust be the URL the agent can actually reach - the Unraid LAN IP, or the public HTTPS URL if you use a reverse proxy. See the agent configuration. - The agent cannot reach a database. Almost always a Docker network issue - see the section above.
- You changed
PROJECT_SECRET. Existing encrypted data cannot be recovered. Restore the previous value.
More answers in the FAQ.
Related pages
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