--- title: OpenHuman on VPS — Deployment Within an Hour description: "Step-by-step guide to installing OpenHuman on a VPS: Docker, Caddy, HTTPS, and connecting the desktop app. All errors and solutions — tested on is*hosting." image: https://blog.ishosting.com/hubfs/blog/openhuman-on-vps/openhuman-on-vps.png --- [VPS](https://ishosting.com/en/vps) [Dedicated hosting](https://ishosting.com/en/dedicated) [VPN](https://ishosting.com/en/vpn) [Storage](https://ishosting.com/en/storage) [About us](https://ishosting.com/en/about) [Client area](https://my.ishosting.com/en/account) [is\*hosting Blog](https://blog.ishosting.com/en) - [News](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/tag/news) - [VPS](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/tag/vps) - [Hosting](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/tag/hosting) - [Technology](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/tag/technology) - [is\*ai](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/tag/isai) - Other - [Marketing](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/tag/marketing) - [Security](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/tag/security) [News](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/tag/news) Categories [Search](https://blog.ishosting.com/hs-search-results) Hosting Services [About Us](https://ishosting.com/en/about) [Client Area](https://my.ishosting.com/en/account) [News](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/tag/news) [VPS](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/tag/vps) [Hosting](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/tag/hosting) [Technology](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/tag/technology) [is\*ai](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/tag/isai) [Marketing](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/tag/marketing) [Security](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/tag/security) [VPS](https://ishosting.com/en/vps) [Dedicated hosting](https://ishosting.com/en/dedicated) [VPN](https://ishosting.com/en/vpn) [Storage](https://ishosting.com/en/storage) 1. [Blog](https://blog.ishosting.com/en) 2. [How to](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/tag/how-to) 3. How to Deploy OpenHuman on a VPS: Step-by-Step Guide How to # How to Deploy OpenHuman on a VPS: Step-by-Step Guide Step-by-step guide to installing OpenHuman on a VPS: Docker, Caddy, HTTPS, and connecting the desktop app. All errors and solutions — tested on is\*hosting. [Alex I.](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/author/alex-i) 9 Jun 2026 7 min reading ![How to Deploy OpenHuman on a VPS: Step-by-Step Guide](https://blog.ishosting.com/hubfs/blog/openhuman-on-vps/openhuman-on-vps.png) Table of Contents - [Step 1: Order a VPS](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/openhuman-on-vps#step-1-order-a-vps) - [Step 2: Connect to Your Server via SSH](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/openhuman-on-vps#step-2-connect-via-ssh) - [Step 3: Install Docker](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/openhuman-on-vps#step-3-install-docker) - [Step 4: Clone OpenHuman and Configure](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/openhuman-on-vps#step-4-clone-and-configure) - [Step 5: Build and Start OpenHuman](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/openhuman-on-vps#step-5-build-and-start) - [Step 6: Fix the Entrypoint](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/openhuman-on-vps#step-6-fix-entrypoint) - [Step 7: Set Up a Domain with HTTPS](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/openhuman-on-vps#step-7-domain-https) - [Step 8: Download and Connect the Desktop App](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/openhuman-on-vps#step-8-connect-desktop-app) - [Step 9: Verify Everything Works](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/openhuman-on-vps#step-9-verify) OpenHuman is an open-source personal AI assistant by TinyHumans AI. Unlike chatbots that forget you after each session, OpenHuman builds a persistent memory — it ingests your documents, emails, and messages into a local knowledge base and remembers context across weeks. It runs as a desktop app on your Mac or PC, connected to a server (the "core") that does the heavy lifting. We deployed the whole thing on an is\*hosting VPS. This guide documents every step, every error we hit, and every fix. The process took about an hour total, most of it waiting for Rust to compile. ## What You'll Need - An is\*hosting VPS (with 8+ GB RAM) - A Mac or Windows computer - A Google, GitHub, or Twitter account (for OpenHuman login) - About 60 minutes (40 of which is waiting for compilation) ## Step 1: Order a VPS Head to [is\*hosting](https://ishosting.com/en/vps) and order a **VPS** with: - **RAM:** 8 GB minimum - **Storage:** 40 GB NVMe - **OS:** Ubuntu 24 - **Location:** pick whatever's closest to you Price: $24.99/mo (or $21.24/mo on an annual plan) for Medium VPS + $10/mo extra for additional RAM. Or $39.99/mo (or $31.99/mo on an annual plan) for [Premium VPS](https://ishosting.com/en/vps/159_1y?city=chicago). *We tried the setup on Medium VPS + 4 GB RAM.* OpenHuman's core is written in Rust, and compiling Rust from source requires 6-8 GB of peak memory. With the stock 4 GB, the build process gets killed by the OS (OOM). We learned this the hard way — 40 minutes of compilation, then signal: 9 and start over. After payment, you'll receive an **IP address** and **root password** via email. Save both. ###### Premium VPS VPS configuration right for OpenHuman: 8 GB RAM and 50 GB SSD. [Get VPS](https://ishosting.com/en/vps/159_1y?city=chicago) ## Step 2: Connect to Your Server via SSH **Mac:** Open Terminal. **Windows:** Download [Tabby](https://tabby.sh/) or use PowerShell. Type: ``` ssh root@YOUR_IP_ADDRESS ``` Replace YOUR\_IP\_ADDRESS with the actual IP from your email. Example: ``` ssh root@37.252.10.8 ``` First connection will ask: "Are you sure you want to continue connecting?" — type yes and press Enter. Then paste your password. **The password won't show on screen** — that's normal. Just paste and hit Enter. When you see root@server:~# — you're in. ## Step 3: Install Docker OpenHuman runs in a Docker container. One command installs it: ``` curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | bash ``` Wait for completion (1-2 minutes). You'll see some warnings about rootless mode — ignore them. ## Step 4: Clone OpenHuman and Configure Download the source code: ``` cd /root git clone https://github.com/tinyhumansai/openhuman.git cd openhuman ``` Create the config file: ``` cp .env.example .env ``` Generate a secure token (this is the password your desktop app will use to connect to the server): ``` openssl rand -hex 32 ``` **Copy the output** — you'll need it twice: once for the server config, once for the desktop app. Edit the config: ``` nano .env ``` Scroll to the very end of the file and add one line: ``` OPENHUMAN_CORE_TOKEN=PASTE_YOUR_TOKEN_HERE ``` Everything else can stay as defaults — BACKEND\_URL defaults to production, OPENHUMAN\_APP\_ENV defaults to production. Save: Ctrl+O → Enter → Ctrl+X. ## Step 5: Build and Start OpenHuman This is the big step. Docker will compile the Rust core from source: ``` docker compose up -d ``` You'll see a yellow warning: "pull access denied for openhuman-core" — that's normal. The pre-built image isn't on Docker Hub, so it builds locally instead. **This takes 10-20 minutes.** The terminal will show compilation progress. Don't close it. ![1](https://blog.ishosting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog/openhuman-on-vps/1.png?width=473&height=400&name=1.png) **If the build fails with signal: 9:** Your server ran out of memory. You need at least 8 GB RAM for compilation. See Step 1 — add +4 GB RAM via support ticket and try again. When it finishes, you'll see four green checkmarks: ``` ✔ Image openhuman-core:local Built ✔ Network openhuman_default Created ✔ Volume openhuman-workspace Created ✔ Container openhuman-core Started ``` ## Step 6: Fix the Entrypoint (You'll Probably Need This) Check if the core is actually running: ``` curl -s http://localhost:7788/health ``` If you get a JSON response with "pid" — skip to Step 7. If you get nothing or "Connection refused," check the logs: ``` docker logs openhuman-core --tail 20 ``` **If you see chown: Operation not permitted repeating in a loop:** The container's entrypoint script can't change file ownership on the Docker volume. This is a known issue on VPS environments. Fix — edit the Docker Compose file to bypass the entrypoint: ``` nano /root/openhuman/docker-compose.yml ``` Find the services: → openhuman-core: block and add these two lines right under openhuman-core: (with proper indentation — 4 spaces): ``` user: "0:0" entrypoint: ["/usr/local/bin/openhuman-core", "serve"] ``` Save, then restart: ``` docker compose down docker compose up -d ``` Wait 5 seconds, then verify: ``` curl -s http://localhost:7788/health ``` You should get a JSON response. Check logs for errors: ``` docker logs openhuman-core --tail 10 ``` **If you see Failed to create workspace directory errors:** Fix by recreating the Docker volume: ``` docker compose down docker volume rm openhuman-workspace docker volume create openhuman-workspace docker compose up -d ``` (Ignore the warning about "volume already exists but was not created by Docker Compose" — it's harmless.) ## Step 7: Set Up a Domain with HTTPS The OpenHuman desktop app requires an HTTPS connection — it won't connect to a plain http:// IP address. You need a domain name and an SSL certificate. **If you don't have a domain**, use DuckDNS (free): - Go to [duckdns.org](https://www.duckdns.org/), sign in with Google - Create a subdomain (e.g., myopenhuman) — it becomes myopenhuman.duckdns.org - Set the IP to your VPS IP address **Install Caddy** (a web server that handles SSL automatically): ``` apt install -y caddy ``` **Configure Caddy:** ``` nano /etc/caddy/Caddyfile ``` Delete everything in the file (hold Ctrl+K until empty) and paste: ``` YOUR_DOMAIN.duckdns.org { reverse_proxy localhost:7788 } ``` Replace YOUR\_DOMAIN.duckdns.org with your actual DuckDNS domain. Save and restart: ``` systemctl restart caddy ``` Wait 10-15 seconds. Caddy automatically obtains an SSL certificate from Let's Encrypt. **Open the firewall ports:** ``` ufw allow 7788/tcp ufw allow 443/tcp ``` Test from your Mac terminal (not the SSH session): ``` curl -v https://YOUR_DOMAIN.duckdns.org/health ``` Should return HTTP/1.1 200 OK. ## Step 8: Download and Connect the Desktop App Download OpenHuman for Mac from [tinyhumans.ai/openhuman](https://tinyhumans.ai/openhuman) Install the DMG. Launch the app. On the first screen, you'll see **Select a Runtime** options. Choose **Run on the Cloud** and paste: - **URL:** https://YOUR\_DOMAIN.duckdns.org/rpc - **Token:** the token you generated in Step 4 ![2](https://blog.ishosting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog/openhuman-on-vps/2.png?width=386&height=400&name=2.png) Click **Test Connection** — it should show "Connected." Then click **Continue**. **Then sign in** with Google, GitHub, or Twitter. **If sign-in fails** ("could not start"): make sure the workspace directory error is fixed (Step 6). OAuth needs a working workspace to store session data.  ![3](https://blog.ishosting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog/openhuman-on-vps/3.png?width=478&height=400&name=3.png) After login, you'll see the setup screen: **Simple** or **Run Custom**. - **Simple** — OpenHuman manages models for you, $1 free credit included - **Run Custom** — bring your own API keys (OpenRouter, Anthropic, etc.) Pick whichever suits you. ![4](https://blog.ishosting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog/openhuman-on-vps/4.png?width=524&height=400&name=4.png) ## Step 9: Verify Everything Works Once past the setup screen, try sending a message in the chat. The agent should respond. ![5](https://blog.ishosting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/blog/openhuman-on-vps/5.png?width=411&height=500&name=5.png) Check that the server is healthy: ``` docker logs openhuman-core --tail 10 ``` Logs should show clean -> ok entries without errors. ###### VPS Get dedicated resources and KVM isolation for experiments worldwide. [Compare plans](https://ishosting.com/en/vps) ## Troubleshooting ### Build fails with signal: 9 (OOM kill) The Rust compilation needs 6-8 GB peak RAM. If your VPS has 4 GB, the OS kills the process. **Fix:** Add +4 GB RAM to your VPS via support ticket ($10/mo). Or order Premium (8 GB) from the start. ### chown: Operation not permitted loop The default entrypoint tries to change file ownership inside the container. On VPS Docker setups, this fails silently and loops forever. **Fix:** Add user: "0:0" and override the entrypoint in docker-compose.yml: ``` services: openhuman-core: user: "0:0" entrypoint: ["/usr/local/bin/openhuman-core", "serve"] ``` ### Failed to create workspace directory The workspace volume has wrong permissions after the chown fix. **Fix:** ``` docker compose down docker volume rm openhuman-workspace docker volume create openhuman-workspace docker compose up -d ``` ### Desktop app says "Unreachable: Failed to fetch" The app can't connect to your server. Three possible causes: - **Port not open.** Run ufw allow 7788/tcp and ufw allow 443/tcp on the server. - **Using http:// instead of https://.** The app requires HTTPS. Set up Caddy (Step 7). - **Wrong URL.** Make sure it's https://YOUR\_DOMAIN/rpc — with /rpc at the end. Verify connectivity from your Mac terminal: ``` curl -v https://YOUR_DOMAIN.duckdns.org/health ``` ### "Cloud core needs an update" / version mismatch The server core version doesn't match the desktop app version. Update the server to match: ``` cd /root/openhuman git fetch --tags git checkout v0.54.0 docker compose down docker compose build --no-cache docker compose up -d ``` Replace v0.54.0 with whatever version the desktop app expects. Check the latest at [github.com/tinyhumansai/openhuman/releases](https://github.com/tinyhumansai/openhuman/releases). This triggers another 20-minute rebuild. ### OAuth sign-in fails ("could not start") Usually caused by the workspace directory not being created. Fix the workspace (see above), restart the container, and try again. If it still fails, try a different sign-in method (GitHub instead of Google, or vice versa). ## Useful Commands ``` docker compose up -d # start OpenHuman docker compose down # stop OpenHuman docker compose restart # restart after config changes docker logs openhuman-core --tail 30 # view recent logs docker exec openhuman-core openhuman-core --version # check version curl -s http://localhost:7788/health # health check systemctl status caddy # check Caddy/SSL status ``` ## What You've Built After following this guide, you have: - OpenHuman core running 24/7 on a VPS in a Docker container - HTTPS access via Caddy + free DuckDNS domain - Desktop app on your Mac connected to the remote core - Persistent memory and workspace that survives restarts - Auto-restart via Docker's restart policy The core keeps running even when your laptop is off. Your memory, integrations, and agent state live on the server. ## What's Next Once you're comfortable: - **Connect integrations** — Gmail, Google Calendar, GitHub, Notion, Slack - **Build your memory tree** — let OpenHuman ingest your documents and emails - **Add voice** — OpenHuman supports speech-to-text and text-to-speech - **Set up cron tasks** — automate recurring agent workflows - **Try local models** — run Ollama on the same VPS for fully private inference (needs 16 GB+ RAM) Full documentation: [tinyhumans.gitbook.io/openhuman](https://tinyhumans.gitbook.io/openhuman) ###### VPS in the US US VPS in 5 cities. Manage every instance from a single account. [From $5.94/mo](https://ishosting.com/en/vps/us) Table of Contents - [Step 1: Order a VPS](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/openhuman-on-vps#step-1-order-a-vps) - [Step 2: Connect to Your Server via SSH](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/openhuman-on-vps#step-2-connect-via-ssh) - [Step 3: Install Docker](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/openhuman-on-vps#step-3-install-docker) - [Step 4: Clone OpenHuman and Configure](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/openhuman-on-vps#step-4-clone-and-configure) - [Step 5: Build and Start OpenHuman](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/openhuman-on-vps#step-5-build-and-start) - [Step 6: Fix the Entrypoint](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/openhuman-on-vps#step-6-fix-entrypoint) - [Step 7: Set Up a Domain with HTTPS](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/openhuman-on-vps#step-7-domain-https) - [Step 8: Download and Connect the Desktop App](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/openhuman-on-vps#step-8-connect-desktop-app) - [Step 9: Verify Everything Works](https://blog.ishosting.com/en/openhuman-on-vps#step-9-verify) ## Related articles ![How to Install Vaultwarden on a VPS: Self-Hosted Password Manager](https://blog.ishosting.com/hubfs/blog/vaultwarden-on-vps/vaultwarden-on-vps.png) How to ### How to Install Vaultwarden on a VPS: Self-Hosted Password Manager A step-by-step guide to installing Vaultwarden on a VPS in 15 minutes. 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Alex I. 26 May 2026 8 min reading ## Subscribe to Newsletter The latest news, profitable discounts, and informative articles - subscribe to the is\*hosting blog and be the first to receive a useful newsletter. - **Services** Services - [Virtual Private Servers](https://ishosting.com/en/vps) - [Dedicated Servers](https://ishosting.com/en/dedicated) - [Storage](https://ishosting.com/en/storage) - [VPN](https://ishosting.com/en/vpn) - [Special Offers](https://ishosting.com/en/special-offers) - --- - **Company** Company - [About Us](https://ishosting.com/en/about) - [Data Centers](https://ishosting.com/en/datacenters) - [Blog](https://blog.ishosting.com/en) - [Contacts](https://ishosting.com/en/about#offices) - --- - **Information** Information - [Knowledge Base](https://help.ishosting.com/en) - [Support](https://ishosting.com/en/support) - [Payments Methods](https://ishosting.com/en/payment-methods) - --- - **Account** Account - [Create Account](https://my.ishosting.com/en/register) --- © 2026 WEBRAIN OÜ, Harju maakond, Tallinn, Kesklinna linnaosa, Endla tn 4, 10142 - [![](https://blog.ishosting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/ishosting-theme/images/rating-sm.png?width=328&height=70&name=rating-sm.png) ![](https://blog.ishosting.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/ishosting-theme/images/rating.png?width=421&height=70&name=rating.png)](https://hostadvice.com/hosting-company/ishosting-reviews/#main-info) --- - [Terms of Use](https://ishosting.com/en/terms-of-use) - [Privacy Policy](https://ishosting.com/en/privacy-policy) - [KYC Policy](https://ishosting.com/en/kyc-policy) - [SLA](https://ishosting.com/en/service-level-agreement) - [AUP](https://ishosting.com/en/acceptable-use-policy) - en - [en](https://blog.ishosting.com/en) - [ru](https://blog.ishosting.com/ru/openhuman-on-vps) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "abstract" : "Step-by-step guide to installing OpenHuman on a VPS: Docker, Caddy, HTTPS, and connecting the desktop app. All errors and solutions — tested on is*hosting.", "alternativeHeadline" : "OpenHuman on VPS — Deployment Within an Hour", "articleSection" : "How to", "author" : { "@type" : "Organization", "name" : "Alex I.", "sameAs" : [ "https://www.linkedin.com/company/is-hosting", "https://twitter.com/ishostingcom", "https://www.instagram.com/is.hosting" ], "url" : "https://blog.ishosting.com/en/author/alex-i" }, "dateModified" : "2026-06-11T11:19:51.000Z", "datePublished" : "2026-06-09T10:08:46.000Z", "description" : "Step-by-step guide to installing OpenHuman on a VPS: Docker, Caddy, HTTPS, and connecting the desktop app. All errors and solutions — tested on is*hosting.", "headline" : "How to Deploy OpenHuman on a VPS: Step-by-Step Guide", "image" : [ { "@type" : "ImageObject", "height" : 1348, "name" : "How to Deploy OpenHuman on a VPS: Step-by-Step Guide", "url" : "https://25913237.fs1.hubspotusercontent-eu1.net/hubfs/25913237/blog/openhuman-on-vps/openhuman-on-vps.png", "width" : 2396 } ], "inLanguage" : "en", "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.ishosting.com/en/openhuman-on-vps", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "address" : [ { "@type" : "PostalAddress", "addressCountry" : "EE", "addressLocality" : "Tallinn", "addressRegion" : "Harju maakond", "postalCode" : "10120", "streetAddress" : "Kesklinna linnaosa, Tuukri tn 19-315" }, { "@type" : "PostalAddress", "addressCountry" : "GB", "addressLocality" : "London", "addressRegion" : "England", "postalCode" : "W1W 7LT", "streetAddress" : "85 Great Portland Street, First Floor" } ], "description" : "is*hosting is an IaaS provider since 2005. 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