How to Install PocketBase on Ubuntu 24.04

PocketBase is an open-source backend solution that provides a realtime database, authentication, file storage, and REST API—all in a single binary. This guide walks you through deploying PocketBase with systemd, creating a superuser, and securing access.

Step 1: Update and Prepare the System

First, make sure your system is up-to-date and install required dependencies:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install -y wget unzip curl git golang-go

These packages are necessary for downloading binaries, handling zip files, and optional Go development.

Step 2: Create PocketBase User and Directory

For security, run PocketBase under its own user:

sudo useradd -m -s /bin/bash pocketbase
sudo mkdir -p /opt/pocketbase
sudo chown pocketbase:pocketbase /opt/pocketbase
sudo chmod 755 /opt/pocketbase

Step 3: Download and Install PocketBase

Download the latest prebuilt Linux binary for PocketBase:

wget -O /tmp/pocketbase.zip "https://github.com/pocketbase/pocketbase/releases/download/v0.30.2/pocketbase_0.30.2_linux_amd64.zip"
sudo unzip /tmp/pocketbase.zip -d /opt/pocketbase
sudo chown -R pocketbase:pocketbase /opt/pocketbase
sudo chmod +x /opt/pocketbase/pocketbase

Create a directory for data storage:

sudo mkdir /opt/pocketbase/pb_data
sudo chown pocketbase:pocketbase /opt/pocketbase/pb_data

Step 4: Create a Systemd Service

To run PocketBase as a service and ensure it starts on boot:

sudo tee /etc/systemd/system/pocketbase.service > /dev/null <<EOF
[Unit]
Description=PocketBase service
After=network.target

[Service]
User=pocketbase
Group=pocketbase
WorkingDirectory=/opt/pocketbase
ExecStart=/opt/pocketbase/pocketbase serve --http="0.0.0.0:8090" --dir "/opt/pocketbase/pb_data"
Restart=always
RestartSec=5

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
EOF

Reload systemd and enable the service:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable pocketbase
sudo systemctl start pocketbase

Step 5: Create a Superuser

PocketBase requires a superuser for dashboard access:

sudo -u pocketbase /opt/pocketbase/pocketbase superuser upsert admin@example.com StrongPassword123! --dir /opt/pocketbase/pb_data

Replace admin@example.com and StrongPassword123! with your desired credentials.

Step 6: Open Firewall Port

If UFW is enabled, allow access to the PocketBase port:

sudo ufw allow 8090/tcp

Step 7: Access PocketBase

Once the service is running, you can access the dashboard:

• URL: http://<server-ip>:8090/_/

• Superuser: admin@example.com / StrongPassword123!

Conclusion

Installing PocketBase on Ubuntu 24.04 is straightforward using the prebuilt binaries and systemd service setup. By running PocketBase under its own user, creating a dedicated data directory, and enabling firewall rules, you ensure a secure and stable deployment. With the superuser account configured, you can immediately start managing your database, users, and APIs.

This setup provides a lightweight, production-ready backend that is easy to maintain, scalable, and accessible. Whether for personal projects or small-scale applications, PocketBase delivers a powerful all-in-one solution for realtime database management and API services.