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Here is a guide for those who want to install a small NodeBB forum on their Synology NAS using Docker.

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This guide is designed for those with no knowledge in servers management in CLI (command line interface), all the installation described here can be carried out in the DSM interface from Synology.

For larger installations a Dedicated Server / VPS or hosting services like NodeBB Instant Hosting is probably preferable but for a small community or for testing purposes, this solution is functional.

Prerequisites:

• A static IP address from your ISP or a Dynamic DNS configured from the NAS. (I would not detail this part, I consider that you already have it)

• A Domain name that redirects to your NAS. (From Synology DDNS, GoDaddy, Bluehost, OVH, etc...)

• Ports 80/443 open in your router and that redirect to your NAS

• A compatible Synology NAS with DSM 6.2.x or later (see list below)

Applied Models:

20 series:	FS6400, FS3400, RS820RP+, RS820+, DS620slim, SA3600, SA3400, SA3200D
19 series:	RS1619xs+, RS1219+, DS2419+, DS1819+, DS1019+, DVA3219
18 series:	FS1018, RS3618xs, RS2818RP+, RS2418RP+, RS2418+, RS818RP+, RS818+, DS3018xs, DS1618+, DS918+, DS718+, DS218+
17 series:	FS3017, FS2017, RS18017xs+, RS4017xs+, RS3617xs+, RS3617RPxs, RS3617xs, DS3617xs, DS1817+, DS1517+
16 series:	RS18016xs+, RS2416RP+, RS2416+, DS916+, DS716+, DS716+II, DS216+, DS216+II
15 series:	RS815RP+, RS815+, RC18015xs+, DS3615xs, DS2415+, DS1815+, DS1515+, DS415+
14 series:	RS3614xs+, RS3614RPxs, RS3614xs, RS2414RP+, RS2414+, RS814RP+, RS814+
13 series:	RS10613xs+, RS3413xs+, DS2413+, DS1813+, DS1513+, DS713+
12 series:	RS3412RPxs, RS3412xs, RS2212RP+, RS2212+, RS812RP+, RS812+, DS3612xs, DS1812+, DS1512+, DS712+, DS412+
11 series:	RS3411RPxs, RS3411xs, RS2211RP+, RS2211+, DS3611xs, DS2411+, DS1511+, DS411+, DS411+II
*10 series:	RS810RP+, RS810+, DS1010+, DS710+

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First Step: Docker and Database

(We choose a redis database here given that we want to set up a fast small forum)

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• Install Docker on your Synology from the Package Center

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• Go in Registry and search for Redis. Then we download the latest bitnamli/redis Image by double-clicking on it. We're not using official Redis image for ease because Bitnami's image allows us to add environment variables that will be useful in the Synology GUI (the redis password in our case).

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• Once the image is downloaded, you can found it in the Image tab. Then launch it.

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• Name the container as you want (redis-nodebb in my case) and click Advanced Settings

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• Check Enable auto-restart

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• Go to Port Settings and set local port to 6379.

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• Go to Environment and add the variable REDIS_PASSWORD with a solid password by pressing the "+" button. (do not copy mypassword in my image example).

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• Click Apply and you should see your container starting in Container tab

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Second Step: NodeBB

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• Return in Registry tab and search and download latest nodebb/docker image

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• Go to Image tab. Launch nodebb/docker. Name it as you want, then go to Advanced Settings

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• Enable auto-restart

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• In Port Settings set local port to 4567 then Apply then Next and finally Apply again.

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• You should now see your two containers with redis and nodebb started in Container tab

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• Configure NodeBB installer on http://your-nas-ip:4567 in your favorite browser (your-nas-ip should be the same from Synology DSM access. Something like 192.168.X.X)

  • Note that in "Web address" you must indicate the external url of your forum with your own domain name with HTTPS. I don't detail in this tutorial how to buy a domain name, but if you only want to use nodebb locally, just leave the default url.

  • Fill in your login details for the administrator.

  • Fill in the information for the database as shown below

  • Click Install

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Third Step: Persistent Storage

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Datas in Docker containers are not persistent by default. However, it is essential for a forum to have control over the data and be able to perform backups and restores. This is why Docker allows us to mount volumes to associate a folder on your NAS with folders inside the containers.

• In File Station > docker folder, create a new folder nodebb.
  You should have something like: /volume1/docker/nodebb

Note: You have to identify the absolute path of your folder depending on your volumes on your NAS. In File Station, Right click on the folder > Properties > Location. For me, it's starting with /volume1.

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• Go to Control Panel > Task Scheduler and create a new task script

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• In General Settings let Root user and in Task Settings copy this example in Run command

docker cp nodebb-docker:/usr/src/app/public/uploads /volume1/docker/nodebb

docker cp redis-nodebb:/bitnami/redis/data /volume1/docker/nodebb

if you've named your containers differently than I have, you have to change: nodebb-docker:/ and redis-nodebb:/ according to yours.

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• Click OK, then select your script and Run it

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• You should now have two new folders in /docker/nodebb. One /data and one /uploads. Check that they are present and not empty. You can then remove the script you created previously if it succeeded.

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• Return in Docker > Container tab, and turn off the Redis and NodeBB containers

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• Click Edit on your nodebb container turned off, and go to Volume tab > Add Folder

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• Select: /docker/nodebb/uploads on your NAS, and mount it to: /usr/src/app/public/uploads. Then Apply

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• Do the same procedure to your redis container by mounting /docker/nodebb/data to /bitnami/redis/data

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• Restart the two containers and check that there is no fail. (if container can't start, there is a problem in the mounted folders or permissions)

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Fourth Step: SSL and Reverse proxy

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Your forum should already be operational at this stage, but we now want to be able to access it from the outside (internet) with a domain name and an SSL certificate
(the green padlock in the address bar of your browser).

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• Go to Control Panel > Security > Certificate. And Click Add

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• Add a new certificate with method Get a Certificate from Let's Encrypt (you have to open and redirect port 80/443 to your Synology to make it work)

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• Set your domain name for your forum and your personnal email address.

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• If the request is accepted, your certificate should appear here

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• Go to Application Portal > Reverse proxy > Create

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• Name your Rule. Set the hostname with your domain name, the same from your certificate. Fill port 443 and Destination.

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• In Custom Header, select Create > Websocket. Then click OK to valid the Rule.

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• Go to Control panel > Security > Certificate. And click Configure. You have to associate the NodeBB rule you just created in the reverse proxy with the certificate you created earlier. Then validate by clicking on OK.

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• NodeBB should now be up and running and accessible locally at http://your-nas-IP:4567 as well as from the internet at https://forum.yourdomainname.com.

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I hope this tutorial will help beginners. I think modern NAS can help everyone to get started for those who find it complicated to install NodeBB on their own. It's an easier introduction for them IMO compared to an installation from scratch on a CLI server.

If you have any questions or if I have made any mistakes in this tutorial, please let me know so that I can correct them.

@cregox You're doing exactly what I said earlier, you're confusing everything. NodeBB is an server app, not a service.
Moreover, the comparison with Wikipedia is dishonest because of course consulting wikipedia is free (just like consulting community.nodebb.org) while the hosting costs of wikipedia are huge. (several millions of dollars per month in servers).

Knowing if the NodeBB app is free or not is not subjective, I objectively didn't take a single dollar out of my pocket to install and use this app.

On the other hand yes indeed I had to come up with money to host the app but in this case you have to consider that absolutely nothing in this world is free and you have to remove this word from the dictionary because just thinking is not free since to have an idea, you have to get your brain working which needs purchased food to work, and it's the same to move your hands and your eyes...

Do we really have to go that far to accept the fact that nodeBB is free and it's not subjective?

So, free or not free at all?
More seriously, we really need to distinguish between a service and an app...
NodeBB is NOT a service. If you want one, it's called NodeBB Instant Hosting https://nodebb.org/pricing
But if you want a free app (what we're talking about), it's there: https://github.com/NodeBB/NodeBB/releases

We've already talked about buying hardware, electricity, etc., but that's irrelevant, it's another subject for which the NodeBB app can't do anything, because even with all the will in the world, no developer on this planet can make time, food, or electricity free, and it is not attributable to the application itself.

@youhosi It's perfect !
Thank you for your help.

@gotwf Thanks!
Personally, I can't do without Docker anymore. Whether in production or for testing.
Using it with synology DSM, that's yet another story (no docker-composer for eg), but I think it's a good start for beginners.

duplicate
https://community.nodebb.org/topic/14814/have-a-hebrow-forum

@youhosi Unfortunately, there's nothing in the logs.
But in the chrome debug console, I noticed that an element has changed its name: <div data-widget-area="header">.
Where the old versions was: <div widget-area="header">
And if I modify the element by replacing it with <div widget-area="header"> as before, it works again and my widget is visible again.

For MP4 local Upload with plugin Composer Quill :

watch :

<a href\="/assets/uploads/files/((?:(?!\.mp4" target\="_blank">)(?:.|\n))*)\.mp4" target\="_blank">((?:(?!\.mp4</a>)(?:.|\n))*)\.mp4</a>

replace :

<video id="$1" src="/uploads/files/$1.mp4" controls style="width:800px"></video>

@cregox That would be like saying that it's not free because you have to pay for the electricity for the server, the internet connection, etc. NodeBB is really free that's a fact, but hosting and manage a server is not. However, the two things are quite different but also dependent on each other. Let's not confuse everything.

@youhosi Indeed, I just updated just now and it works great! Thanks for your reactivity!

@ᴅᴀʀᴛʜ-ᴠᴀᴅᴇʀ I have the same problem, yes. I stayed on previous versions for my site in production.
But since unfortunately this project was Archived on github, we'll probably have to find another theme.

@ᴅᴀʀᴛʜ-ᴠᴀᴅᴇʀ It probably crashes because of the plugins you installed and nodebb can't find them (nodebb-theme-oxide in particular)

I suggest you backup the redis database by copying the /data folder somewhere, then delete the contents of the original folder and also remove the config.json volume.

Erase and restart redis and nodebb container (It should be like a fresh install) then installs the plugins and themes listed in the log file (nodebb-plugin-teamspeak-verify, nodebb-widget-search-bar, nodebb-theme-oxide, etc)

When all plugins are installed and enabled, stop the nodebb container and restore the /data redis database with your backup, and remap config.json volume and I think it should be up.

Next time you want to upgrade, disable all plugins before restarting the container with the new image.

I still have issues with NodeBB 1.17.1.
The dark mode doesn't work anymore when it is selected, and there is a problem of resizing the images imported in the posts when I refresh the post, they are too wide and overflow (I don't have this problem with the persona theme)

@ᴅᴀʀᴛʜ-ᴠᴀᴅᴇʀ Hello, normally it is enough to stop and clear the container (not delete) with the function provided in synology, to re-download the new image in the registry and to restart the container again. You will also need to add a persistent volume to map the /usr/src/app/config.json file

Problems occur if you have installed plugins or themes. The docker image provided by nodebb is not really docker friendly so it will be possible, but more complicated.

I tried many solutions before choosing Nodebb. Flarum is not bad, but it still lacks too many features in my opinion, and I don't like the style of Discourse in which I get lost too easily in the interface.
In fact, I hesitated between Xenforo and NodeBB and the fact that NodeBB runs on nodejs and is free made me decide.

Just to point out that the last version 6.0.6 doesn't work well with the recent-cards plugin (v2.0.7)
When I click on the "next" button from the carousel, the page reloads and it doesn't slide. In dark mode there is also a color issue on the cards and the "next" button on the carousel goes over the user menu when drop down.
There is no problem without the recent-cards plugin, maybe it's a problem that comes from this plugin rather than the oxide theme.

@julian In this capitalist world, life is a business.

On the other hand, to have a service that is NEARLY free, there is always the possibility of having someone else pay for it for you. The best known are advertising, or patronage or volunteering. There's stealing, which is pretty good, too ^^

@scottalanmiller said in Some questions :

Likewise, to do this, the concept of free can't exist at all.

Yep. And if it can't exist, there's no point in wanting it anyway. In fact, it will make us even poorer for wanting it.

@scottalanmiller I figured all those supposedly free presents I got at Christmas were fake. If they were really gifts, they had to offer me the Hifi system, the house to store the equipment, the electricity bill for life, and a clone/duplicate of myself to listen to the music so it wouldn't cost me my free time.

@oplik0 You're not talking about an app, you're talking about a service. It's not for lack of saying it again, and again...