How to Self-Host Activepieces with Docker Compose

What Is Activepieces?

Activepieces is an open-source (MIT) workflow automation platform designed to replace Zapier. It has a clean step-by-step flow builder, 200+ integrations called “pieces,” and supports branching, loops, and code steps. It’s one of the fastest-growing self-hosted automation tools, positioning itself as the truly open-source alternative to n8n and Zapier.

Prerequisites

• A Linux server (Ubuntu 22.04+ recommended)
• Docker and Docker Compose installed (guide)
• 2 GB of free disk space
• 1 GB of RAM (minimum)
• A domain name (optional, for webhooks and remote access)

Docker Compose Configuration

Create a docker-compose.yml file:

services:
  activepieces:
    image: ghcr.io/activepieces/activepieces:0.79.3
    container_name: activepieces
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "8080:80"
    environment:
      # Encryption key (REQUIRED — 32 hex characters)
      # Generate with: openssl rand -hex 16
      AP_ENCRYPTION_KEY: ${AP_ENCRYPTION_KEY}
      # JWT secret (REQUIRED)
      # Generate with: openssl rand -hex 32
      AP_JWT_SECRET: ${AP_JWT_SECRET}
      # Frontend URL (set to your public URL)
      AP_FRONTEND_URL: ${AP_FRONTEND_URL:-http://localhost:8080}
      # PostgreSQL connection
      AP_POSTGRES_DATABASE: activepieces
      AP_POSTGRES_HOST: postgres
      AP_POSTGRES_PORT: 5432
      AP_POSTGRES_USERNAME: activepieces
      AP_POSTGRES_PASSWORD: ${AP_POSTGRES_PASSWORD}
      # Redis connection
      AP_REDIS_HOST: redis
      AP_REDIS_PORT: 6379
      # Execution settings
      AP_EXECUTION_MODE: UNSANDBOXED
      AP_ENVIRONMENT: prod
      # Telemetry (disable if desired)
      AP_TELEMETRY_ENABLED: "false"
      # Polling interval (seconds)
      AP_TRIGGER_DEFAULT_POLL_INTERVAL: 5
      # Webhook timeout
      AP_WEBHOOK_TIMEOUT_SECONDS: 30
      # Flow execution timeout
      AP_FLOW_TIMEOUT_SECONDS: 600
    depends_on:
      postgres:
        condition: service_healthy
      redis:
        condition: service_healthy
    volumes:
      - activepieces-cache:/usr/src/app/cache
    networks:
      - activepieces-net

  postgres:
    image: postgres:14.4
    container_name: activepieces-postgres
    restart: unless-stopped
    environment:
      POSTGRES_DB: activepieces
      POSTGRES_USER: activepieces
      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: ${AP_POSTGRES_PASSWORD}
    volumes:
      - activepieces-db:/var/lib/postgresql/data
    healthcheck:
      test: ["CMD-SHELL", "pg_isready -U activepieces -d activepieces"]
      interval: 10s
      timeout: 5s
      retries: 5
    networks:
      - activepieces-net

  redis:
    image: redis:7.0.7
    container_name: activepieces-redis
    restart: unless-stopped
    volumes:
      - activepieces-redis:/data
    healthcheck:
      test: ["CMD", "redis-cli", "ping"]
      interval: 10s
      timeout: 5s
      retries: 5
    networks:
      - activepieces-net

volumes:
  activepieces-db:
  activepieces-redis:
  activepieces-cache:

networks:
  activepieces-net:

Create a .env file alongside:

# REQUIRED: Generate encryption key (32 hex characters)
# Run: openssl rand -hex 16
AP_ENCRYPTION_KEY=your-32-hex-char-key-here

# REQUIRED: Generate JWT secret
# Run: openssl rand -hex 32
AP_JWT_SECRET=your-jwt-secret-here

# REQUIRED: Database password — change this
AP_POSTGRES_PASSWORD=activepieces-secure-password

# Your public URL (important for webhooks)
AP_FRONTEND_URL=http://localhost:8080

Start the stack:

docker compose up -d

Initial Setup

1. Wait ~30 seconds for database migrations
2. Access Activepieces at http://your-server:8080
3. Create your admin account on the registration page
4. The first registered user becomes the platform admin
5. You’ll be guided through creating your first flow

Configuration

Creating a Flow

1. Click “New Flow” from the dashboard
2. Select a trigger (Schedule, Webhook, or app-specific trigger)
3. Add steps: click ”+” to add actions
4. Configure each step with the required credentials and parameters
5. Test the flow with sample data
6. Publish to activate the flow

Connecting Apps

Activepieces uses OAuth or API keys for connections:

1. Click on a step that requires authentication
2. Click “New Connection”
3. Follow the OAuth flow or enter the API key
4. The connection is encrypted and stored for reuse across flows

Supported Pieces (Integrations)

200+ integrations including:

Category	Examples
Communication	Slack, Discord, Telegram, Gmail, Microsoft Teams
Productivity	Google Sheets, Notion, Airtable, Todoist
CRM	HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive
Development	GitHub, GitLab, Jira, Linear
Marketing	Mailchimp, SendGrid, Facebook Ads
Storage	Google Drive, Dropbox, S3
AI	OpenAI, Anthropic, Hugging Face

Execution Modes

• UNSANDBOXED (default): Flows run in the main process. Simpler, lower resource usage.
• SANDBOXED: Each flow execution runs in isolation. More secure but requires Docker socket access.

Advanced Configuration (Optional)

External SMTP for Notifications

Add to the Activepieces environment:

environment:
  AP_SMTP_HOST: smtp.example.com
  AP_SMTP_PORT: 587
  AP_SMTP_USER: your-smtp-user
  AP_SMTP_PASSWORD: your-smtp-password
  AP_SMTP_SENDER_EMAIL: [email protected]

Custom Pieces

Activepieces supports creating custom pieces (integrations) using TypeScript. See the pieces framework documentation for building your own integrations.

Reverse Proxy

Behind Nginx Proxy Manager or Caddy, proxy to port 8080. Set AP_FRONTEND_URL to your public HTTPS URL — this is critical for webhook URLs.

For detailed reverse proxy setup, see Reverse Proxy Setup.

Backup

Back up PostgreSQL and Redis data:

# Database backup
docker exec activepieces-postgres pg_dump -U activepieces activepieces > activepieces_backup.sql

# Redis backup (optional — mostly cache)
docker exec activepieces-redis redis-cli BGSAVE

The database contains all flows, connections (encrypted), and execution history. For a full backup strategy, see Backup Strategy.

Troubleshooting

Flows Not Triggering

Symptom: Published flows with schedule or webhook triggers don’t fire.

Fix: Check that AP_FRONTEND_URL matches your actual URL. Webhook triggers require the URL to be reachable from the source. For schedule triggers, check container logs:

docker logs activepieces

High CPU Every 15 Minutes

Symptom: CPU spikes every 15 minutes.

Fix: This is a known issue in v0.78.x. Use v0.77.8 instead, which is stable. See the GitHub issues for status.

Connection OAuth Fails

Symptom: OAuth redirect fails or returns an error.

Fix: Ensure AP_FRONTEND_URL is set correctly and accessible from your browser. OAuth callbacks redirect to this URL. If using a reverse proxy, HTTPS must be properly configured.

Database Migration Errors on Startup

Symptom: Container crashes with migration errors after an upgrade.

Fix: Always back up your database before upgrading. If migrations fail, restore from backup and check the release notes for migration requirements.

Resource Requirements

• RAM: 200 MB idle (Activepieces) + 100 MB (PostgreSQL) + 50 MB (Redis). ~500 MB under active flow execution.
• CPU: Low when idle, moderate during flow execution
• Disk: 600 MB for application, grows with execution history

Verdict

Activepieces is the best truly open-source (MIT) workflow automation platform available. Its step-by-step builder is more intuitive than n8n’s canvas for simple workflows, and the 200+ integration library covers most common use cases. The MIT license means no restrictions on commercial use or modification.

Use Activepieces if: You want open-source licensing, a clean UI, and standard business workflow automation. It’s the closest self-hosted experience to Zapier.

Consider n8n instead if: You need more integrations (400+), advanced error handling, code execution in Python, or more mature multi-user features. See our n8n vs Activepieces comparison.

FAQ

Is Activepieces free for commercial use?

Yes. Activepieces uses the MIT license, which allows commercial use, modification, and redistribution without restrictions. The paid cloud version adds hosting and support.

How does Activepieces compare to Zapier?

Activepieces covers the core Zapier workflow: trigger → action → action. It supports branching, loops, and webhooks. Zapier has more integrations (6,000+) and a more mature platform, but Activepieces is free, self-hosted, and growing fast.

Can I import flows from Zapier or n8n?

No direct import. You’ll need to recreate workflows manually. Activepieces’ UI is similar enough to Zapier that the mental model transfers easily.

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