Host for your friends.
Your hardware, your rules.
Running an Orbitr server is like hosting a Minecraft server — your PC becomes the hub and your friends connect over the internet. Your messages, images, and files live on YOUR computer.
What does hosting mean?
You run the server
Orbitr Server is a standalone app that runs on your computer (or a VPS). It stores all the messages, files, and voice data for your community. Think of it like a game server — one person runs it, everyone else connects.
Your friends use the client
Everyone else downloads Orbitr (the client). They click your invite link, create an identity, and they're in. No email, no sign-up forms, no app store purchases. The client is separate from the server — you can run both on the same machine, or on different ones.
No data leaves your network
Unlike traditional chat platforms, your data never passes through a company's cloud. Messages, files, and voice streams go directly between your server and your friends. You can verify this yourself — the Orbitr server and client code is source-available on GitHub. (Pulsar's optional managed services are a separate, closed-source offering.)
Choose your hosting path
Two ways to run an Orbitr server, from easiest to most advanced.
Orbitr Server App
Recommended for desktopA standalone desktop application with a setup wizard and admin panel. Download, install, run the wizard, and your server is live. No command line, no configuration files.
- ✓ Windows today (macOS and Linux coming later)
- ✓ Visual setup wizard
- ✓ Built-in admin panel
- ✓ Bundled Postgres; voice relay installed automatically on first launch
Docker
AdvancedFor users who already run Docker infrastructure. A Dockerfile and compose config are included in the repo. Works on any Linux server, VPS, or NAS that supports Docker.
git clone https://github.com/OrbitrChat/OrbitrChat-public
cd OrbitrChat-public
docker compose -f docker/docker-compose.yml up -dPlatform support
| Platform | Server App (GUI) | Headless (CLI) | Docker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows | ✓ | — | WSL2 |
| macOS | Coming later | — | ✓ |
| Linux (x64) | Coming later | Coming later | ✓ |
| Linux (ARM64) | Coming later | Coming later | ✓ |
Security FAQ
Common questions about self-hosting security.
Is hosting right for your setup?
Making a server reachable from the internet only works, and only makes sense, when you control the network. Use a managed address instead if:
- You're on a network you don't own: public, cafe, hotel, dorm, office, or apartment-building / shared wifi. You can't safely change those routers, and opening them up isn't yours to do.
- You're behind CGNAT or your ISP blocks inbound ports. Direct hosting can't work no matter what you set.
- You'd rather not expose your home's public IP. A successful connection reveals it to whoever connects.
For any of these, route around it with a tunnel or reverse proxy to give your server a permanent address with your IP kept private: see the Public Access guide.
Can people hack into my server?
Orbitr follows security best practices: rate limiting, input validation, CSRF protection, and encrypted connections by default. The same protections used by production web applications. That said, any internet-facing service has some inherent risk. We recommend keeping your server software up to date and putting it behind a reverse proxy if you're not comfortable with port forwarding.
Does hosting expose my IP address?
By default, direct connections reveal your server's IP to connected clients. Putting the server behind a reverse proxy hides your IP for chat and the web interface, but voice still flows through your TURN relay (so peers see that IP during calls). For full IP masking across both chat and voice, route your TURN relay through a proxy or VPN as well.
What happens if my PC goes offline?
If your server machine is off, nobody can connect until it's back on. For always-on availability, consider a VPS or a low-power always-on machine. All messages and files are stored on the server machine, so they'll be there when it comes back.
Am I responsible for my users' content?
As a server host, you control what happens on your server. You can moderate, remove content, and ban users. You're responsible for the content hosted on your hardware the same way you'd be responsible for anything stored on your own computer.
Is my data backed up?
Orbitr Server includes tools for database backups, but you're responsible for running them. The admin panel lets you trigger a backup on demand at any time. For off-site safety, copy those backups to separate storage on a schedule.
Hosting responsibility
When you host an Orbitr server, you are the operator. You're responsible for keeping the software updated, securing your network, backing up your data, and moderating content. Orbitr provides the tools — automatic updates, built-in security, admin controls — but the responsibility is yours.
Ready to host?
Download Orbitr Server, run the setup wizard, and share the invite link. Most people are live in just a few minutes.