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MantleMantle docs

Get a server

Rent a small Linux server, add your SSH key and connect to it. Most of it is copy and paste, and it is easier than it looks.

A VPS (virtual private server) is a Linux machine you rent by the month from a hosting company. It is always on and has its own public IP address, so you can reach your brain from anywhere.

Pick a host

Host Notes
Contabo Our recommendation. Affordable, and it also sells domains and runs DNS, so the server, the domain and its record sit in one control panel.
Hetzner Data centres in Europe and the US.
DigitalOcean Simple control panel, many regions.
Vultr Many regions.
OVHcloud Data centres in Europe, North America and Asia.

Any host that gives you a Linux server with root access works.

Choose the size

Shape Memory CPU Disk
Full stack 8 GB or more 4 vCPU 40 GB or more
Small server 4 GB 2 vCPU 40 GB

Pick Ubuntu (the latest LTS) as the operating system.

Make an SSH key

An SSH key lets you sign in to the server without a password. You make it once, on your own computer.

  1. Open Terminal (macOS, Linux) or PowerShell (Windows) and run:

    Terminal window
    ssh-keygen -t ed25519

    Press Enter to accept each default.

  2. Show the public half of the key and copy the whole line:

    Terminal window
    cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub

    In PowerShell, use type $env:USERPROFILE\.ssh\id_ed25519.pub.

Never share the other file, id_ed25519. It is the private half.

Order and connect

  1. Order the server. Paste the public key where the host asks for an SSH key. At Contabo you set a password on the order, then add the key in the Customer Control Panel or when you install the operating system.

  2. Wait for the email or panel page with the server’s IP address.

  3. Connect:

    Terminal window
    ssh root@<ip>

    Type yes the first time, to trust the server.

  4. Install Docker, which Mantle runs in:

    Terminal window
    curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh

Check it worked

On the server, docker compose version prints a version number.

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