Why CapRover + RamNode?
CapRover Benefits
- • One-click app deployments
- • Automatic SSL certificates via Let's Encrypt
- • Built-in load balancer and reverse proxy
- • Docker-based containerization
- • Easy database management
- • Zero-downtime deployments
RamNode Advantages
- • Competitive pricing with excellent performance
- • Multiple data center locations
- • SSD and NVMe storage and high-speed networking
- • Reliable uptime and support
- • Flexible configurations
Prerequisites
Before we begin, ensure you have:
Server Requirements
- • RamNode VPS with at least 1GB RAM (2GB+ recommended)
- • Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04 LTS
- • A domain name pointing to your VPS IP
- • SSH access to your server
Knowledge Requirements
- • Basic command line knowledge
- • SSH connection skills
- • Basic understanding of Docker concepts
- • Domain configuration basics
Initial Server Configuration
Connect to your RamNode VPS and update the system:
ssh root@your-server-ipapt update && apt upgrade -yCreate a non-root user (optional but recommended):
adduser caprover
usermod -aG sudo caprover
su - caprover💡 Tip: Replace "your-server-ip" with your actual RamNode VPS IP address.
Configure Firewall
Install and configure UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall):
sudo ufw allow OpenSSH
sudo ufw allow 80/tcp
sudo ufw allow 443/tcp
sudo ufw allow 3000/tcp
sudo ufw enable⚠️ Warning: Make sure SSH is allowed before enabling UFW to avoid losing access!
Install Docker
CapRover requires Docker to function. Install Docker using the official installation script:
curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com -o get-docker.sh
sudo sh get-docker.shsudo usermod -aG docker $USERLog out and back in for the changes to take effect, then verify Docker is working:
docker --version
docker run hello-world✅ Docker is now installed and ready for CapRover.
Install CapRover Server
Run the CapRover installation command:
docker run -p 80:80 -p 443:443 -p 3000:3000 -d \
--name captain-captain \
--restart=unless-stopped \
-v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock \
-v /captain:/captain \
caprover/caprover🚀 CapRover server is now running!
Initial CapRover Setup
Wait for the container to start (about 30 seconds), then access CapRover at:
http://your-domain.com:3000The default password is captain42. You'll be prompted to change this immediately.
During the initial setup, you'll need to:
- • Set your root domain (e.g.,
yourdomain.com) - • Configure your email for Let's Encrypt SSL certificates
- • Change the default password
Install CapRover CLI
On your local machine, install the CapRover CLI tool:
npm install -g caprover💡 Note: If you don't have Node.js installed, download it from nodejs.org.
Connect to Your CapRover Instance
From your local machine, connect to your CapRover server:
caprover serversetupEnter the following information when prompted:
- • Setup a new CapRover server: Yes
- • IP address of server: Your RamNode VPS IP
- • CapRover server URL: https://captain.yourdomain.com
- • New CapRover name: Choose a memorable name
- • CapRover server password: The password you set earlier
Deploy Your First Application
For this example, we'll deploy a simple Node.js application. Create the following files:
{
"name": "my-caprover-app",
"version": "1.0.0",
"description": "Sample CapRover application",
"main": "app.js",
"scripts": {
"start": "node app.js"
},
"dependencies": {
"express": "^4.18.0"
}
}const express = require('express');
const app = express();
const PORT = process.env.PORT || 3000;
app.get('/', (req, res) => {
res.send('Hello from CapRover on RamNode!');
});
app.listen(PORT, () => {
console.log(`Server running on port ${PORT}`);
});{
"schemaVersion": 2,
"dockerfilePath": "./Dockerfile"
}FROM node:16-alpine
WORKDIR /app
COPY package*.json ./
RUN npm install --production
COPY . .
EXPOSE 3000
CMD ["npm", "start"]Deploy the application:
caprover deployFollow the prompts:
- • Select your CapRover server
- • Enter your app name (e.g.,
my-first-app) - • Choose whether to create the app if it doesn't exist
Configure Your Application
Visit https://captain.yourdomain.com and log in to access the web interface.
App Settings
- • Set environment variables
- • Configure custom domains
- • Enable SSL certificates
- • Set up persistent storage
- • View logs and metrics
Custom Domain Setup
- • Go to Apps → Your App Name
- • Click on "HTTP Settings"
- • Add your custom domain
- • Enable HTTPS with Let's Encrypt
- • Force HTTPS redirection
Advanced Configuration
CapRover includes one-click apps for popular databases and services:
Monitoring and Maintenance
Viewing Logs
- • Real-time logs
- • Application metrics
- • Resource usage
Backup Strategy
- • Database dumps
- • Application data
- • CapRover configuration
# Update CapRover
docker service update captain-captain --image caprover/caprover:latest
# Update system packages
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -yTroubleshooting Common Issues
Security Best Practices
Essential Security
- • Change default passwords
- • Use SSH keys
- • Regular updates
- • Firewall configuration
Optimization Tips
- • Right-size your VPS
- • Monitor resource usage
- • Optimize Docker images
- • Clean up unused resources
🎉 Congratulations! You've successfully deployed CapRover on your RamNode VPS. This setup gives you enterprise-grade deployment tools without the complexity or expense of major cloud platforms.