# How to Deploy Plane: Complete Guide to Self-Hosting Deployment Options > Discover Plane deployment options: Docker Compose, Kubernetes, Swarm, all-in-one Docker, and CLI installer. Self-host Plane easily with this complete guide. - Repository: [Plane/plane](https://github.com/makeplane/plane) - Tags: how-to-guide - Published: 2026-06-20 --- **Plane supports five primary containerized deployment methods: Docker Compose for straightforward multi-service stacks, Kubernetes for production-grade orchestration, Docker Swarm for cluster-aware environments, an all-in-one Docker image for rapid testing, and a CLI installer for guided VM setup.** Plane is an open-source project management platform developed by Makeplane. The repository provides infrastructure-as-code templates that let you self-host Plane using whichever container orchestrator matches your operational requirements, from single-node Docker Compose to distributed Kubernetes clusters. ## Docker Compose Deployment The simplest way to run Plane locally or on a single VM is via the root-level [`docker-compose.yml`](https://github.com/makeplane/plane/blob/main/docker-compose.yml). This file defines the complete service stack—including the PostgreSQL database, Redis cache, Django backend API, Celery worker, and React frontend—making it ideal for small teams or development environments. Configuration is handled through a `variables.env` file located in `deployments/cli/community/`. Copy this template to the repository root, adjust the database credentials and secret keys, then start the stack: ```bash # Clone the repository git clone https://github.com/makeplane/plane.git cd plane # Configure environment variables cp deployments/cli/community/variables.env .env # Start the multi-container application docker compose up -d ``` The [`docker-compose.yml`](https://github.com/makeplane/plane/blob/main/docker-compose.yml) mounts persistent volumes for PostgreSQL data and exposes the web interface on port 3000 and the API on port 8000. ## Kubernetes Deployment For production environments requiring scalability and high availability, Plane provides raw Kubernetes manifests in `deployments/kubernetes/community/`. These manifests include Deployments for the API and worker pods, Services for internal communication, ConfigMaps for environment configuration, and optional Ingress resources for external traffic. According to the [`deployments/kubernetes/community/README.md`](https://github.com/makeplane/plane/blob/main/deployments/kubernetes/community/README.md), you should first update the `plane-config` ConfigMap with your database endpoints and secrets, then apply the manifests: ```bash # Apply all Kubernetes resources kubectl apply -f deployments/kubernetes/community/ # Verify the deployment status kubectl get pods -l app=plane ``` This method supports standard Kubernetes features like Horizontal Pod Autoscaling and Rolling Updates, making it suitable for GKE, EKS, or AKS clusters. ## Docker Swarm Deployment If your infrastructure already uses Docker Swarm, Plane includes a helper script at [`deployments/swarm/community/swarm.sh`](https://github.com/makeplane/plane/blob/main/deployments/swarm/community/swarm.sh) that converts the Compose definition into a Swarm stack. The script handles service creation, network configuration, and optional secret generation for database passwords. Deploy to a Swarm manager node with: ```bash cd deployments/swarm/community # Make the script executable and run the stack chmod +x swarm.sh ./swarm.sh up # Verify the stack is running docker stack ls ``` The Swarm configuration maintains service replicas across nodes and uses overlay networks for secure inter-service communication. ## All-In-One (AIO) Docker Image The `deployments/aio/community/Dockerfile` builds a single container image that bundles the Django backend, Celery worker, and React frontend into one process. This all-in-one image is useful for CI/CD pipelines, air-gapped environments, or quick demonstrations where you do not need service separation. Build and run the AIO image using: ```bash # Pull the pre-built image docker pull makeplane/plane:aio:latest # Run the container exposing web and API ports docker run -d \ -p 3000:3000 \ -p 8000:8000 \ makeplane/plane:aio ``` The AIO container internally manages process supervision via an init system, ensuring the worker and web server restart automatically if they fail. ## CLI Community Installer For automated setup on fresh virtual machines, the `deployments/cli/community/` directory contains an interactive installer script. The [`install.sh`](https://github.com/makeplane/plane/blob/main/install.sh) script generates the `.env` file, pulls the correct Docker images, and optionally runs database migrations, abstracting the manual configuration steps required by the raw Compose method. Execute the installer with: ```bash cd deployments/cli/community # Run the guided installation ./install.sh ``` The CLI installer checks for Docker and Docker Compose prerequisites, prompts for domain configuration, and can configure SSL certificates when deploying to public-facing servers. ## Summary - **Docker Compose** ([`docker-compose.yml`](https://github.com/makeplane/plane/blob/main/docker-compose.yml)) provides the fastest path to a working Plane instance on a single host. - **Kubernetes** manifests in `deployments/kubernetes/community/` support production workloads with auto-scaling and rolling deployments. - **Docker Swarm** users can leverage [`deployments/swarm/community/swarm.sh`](https://github.com/makeplane/plane/blob/main/deployments/swarm/community/swarm.sh) for cluster-aware container orchestration. - The **All-In-One** image (`deployments/aio/community/Dockerfile`) packages the entire application into a single container for isolated testing. - The **CLI Installer** ([`deployments/cli/community/install.sh`](https://github.com/makeplane/plane/blob/main/deployments/cli/community/install.sh)) automates environment setup and is ideal for first-time deployments on new VMs. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is the fastest way to test Plane locally? The **All-In-One Docker image** is the fastest deployment option for local testing. Running `docker run -p 3000:3000 -p 8000:8000 makeplane/plane:aio` starts the complete application stack without requiring external databases or configuration files. ### Can I deploy Plane on Kubernetes without using Helm? Yes. Plane provides raw Kubernetes manifests in `deployments/kubernetes/community/` that do not require Helm. You can deploy directly using `kubectl apply -f deployments/kubernetes/community/` after configuring the `plane-config` ConfigMap values. ### How do I migrate from Docker Compose to Kubernetes? First, export your data from the PostgreSQL container running in Docker Compose using `pg_dump`. Then, deploy Plane to Kubernetes using the manifests in `deployments/kubernetes/community/` and restore the database dump to the new PostgreSQL instance. Ensure you copy the `SECRET_KEY` and database credentials from your Compose `.env` file to the Kubernetes `plane-config` ConfigMap. ### What are the hardware requirements for self-hosting Plane? For the **Docker Compose** deployment, Plane requires at least 2 CPU cores and 4GB RAM to run the database, cache, and application services comfortably. **Kubernetes** deployments should allocate 1 CPU and 2GB RAM per pod for the API and worker services, with additional resources for the PostgreSQL and Redis StatefulSets.