Chatstead
EN TR
Documentation

Install and manage it yourself — no experience needed

If you can copy and paste, you can run Chatstead. Here’s the whole journey, in plain language. The full manuals ship inside the package.

Install in minutes

On a fresh Ubuntu 22.04 / 24.04 server with sudo access:

  1. 1

    Upload the package

    Copy chatstead.zip to your server (replace USER and the IP with yours):

    scp chatstead.zip USER@YOUR_SERVER_IP:~/
  2. 2

    Connect to the server

    Open an SSH session:

    ssh USER@YOUR_SERVER_IP
  3. 3

    Run one command

    This unzips and installs everything — the app, service and firewall. Early on it asks for your domain (optional):

    sudo apt-get install -y unzip && unzip -o chatstead.zip -d chatstead && sudo bash chatstead/deploy/install.sh
  4. 4

    Open the address it prints

    A friendly setup wizard creates your admin account and workspace name. There is no default password. When you finish, you’re signed in.

Point a domain at your server

For trusted HTTPS (a green padlock), your domain needs to resolve to your server. Two ways — pick one.

A) Use your existing DNS (easiest)

At your registrar or Cloudflare, add an A record for your domain pointing to your server’s IP. Takes about two minutes. Recommended for almost everyone.

B) Run your own name servers

Chatstead’s server can also be your DNS authority (ns1/ns2.yourdomain.com) with BIND9 — no external DNS provider at all. Fully self-hosted. Step-by-step commands are in the included DNS guide.

Then re-run the installer with your domain and it obtains a free Let’s Encrypt certificate automatically. Make sure ports 80 and 443 are open, including in your provider’s cloud firewall.

Let your team in

You’re in control of who can join.

Add users yourself

Admin panel → Users → Add. Enter a name, username and password — the account works immediately.

Or open self-registration

Admin panel → Registration & Security → “Allow users to register themselves”. A Register link appears on the login screen. Optionally require email verification or admin approval.

Make it your brand

Admin panel → Branding → set your workspace name, logo and icon. Changes apply instantly.

Everyday operations

A few commands cover almost everything. Run them on the server.

View logsjournalctl -u localchat -f
Restartsudo systemctl restart localchat
Check healthcurl -k https://localhost:3443/api/health
Back up data & filessudo bash /opt/localchat/deploy/backup.sh
Update (data preserved)upload the new package, re-run the installer

The complete manuals are included

Every purchase ships full documentation — Quick Start, Admin Guide, User Guide, DNS setup, Configuration and FAQ — right inside the package, so your team always has the answers on hand.

Try the live demo ↗ Get Chatstead