Run Metabase on Dokku

Overview

This guide provides instructions on how to deploy Metabase, an open-source business intelligence tool, on a Dokku server using a custom Dockerfile.

Prerequisites

Before proceeding, ensure you have the following:

• A working Dokku host.
• The PostgreSQL plugin installed on Dokku.
• (Optional) The Let's Encrypt plugin for SSL certificates.

Setup Instructions

1. Create the App

Log into your Dokku host and create the metabase app:

dokku apps:create metabase

2. Configure the App

Install, Create, and Link PostgreSQL Plugin

1. Install the PostgreSQL plugin:

   dokku plugin:install https://github.com/dokku/dokku-postgres.git postgres

2. Create a PostgreSQL service:

   dokku postgres:create metabase

3. Link the PostgreSQL service to the app:

   dokku postgres:link metabase metabase

3. Configure the Domain and Ports

Set the domain for your app to enable routing:

dokku domains:set metabase metabase.example.com

Map the internal port 3000 to the external port 80:

dokku proxy:ports-set metabase http:80:3000

4. Deploy the App

You can deploy the app to your Dokku server using one of the following methods:

Option 1: Deploy Using dokku git:sync

If your repository is hosted on a remote Git server with an HTTPS URL, you can deploy the app directly to your Dokku server using dokku git:sync. This method also triggers a build process automatically. Run the following command:

dokku git:sync --build metabase https://github.com/d1ceward-on-dokku/metabase_on_dokku.git

Option 2: Clone the Repository and Push Manually

If you prefer to work with the repository locally, you can clone it to your machine and push it to your Dokku server manually:

1. Clone the repository:

   # Via SSH
   git clone git@github.com:d1ceward-on-dokku/metabase_on_dokku.git
   
   # Via HTTPS
   git clone https://github.com/d1ceward-on-dokku/metabase_on_dokku.git

2. Add your Dokku server as a Git remote:

   git remote add dokku dokku@example.com:metabase

3. Push the app to your Dokku server:

   git push dokku master

Choose the method that best suits your workflow.

7. Enable SSL (Optional)

Secure your app with an SSL certificate from Let's Encrypt:

1. Add the HTTPS port:

   dokku ports:add metabase https:443:9000

2. Install the Let's Encrypt plugin:

   dokku plugin:install https://github.com/dokku/dokku-letsencrypt.git

3. Set the contact email for Let's Encrypt:

   dokku letsencrypt:set metabase email you@example.com

4. Enable Let's Encrypt for the app:

   dokku letsencrypt:enable metabase

Wrapping Up

Congratulations! Your Metabase instance is now up and running. You can access it at https://metabase.example.com.

Happy data exploring!