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You can run Fathom Lite on a Linux VPS by installing the release binary, compiling it from source, or running its Docker image; storing its configuration and database persistently; placing NGINX and HTTPS in front of it; and registering a systemd service so it survives reboots. After the dashboard is available, create a site, add the tracking snippet to that site’s pages, and verify a real-time visit.
Fathom Lite is the MIT-licensed, self-hosted predecessor to the current hosted Fathom Analytics product. The project describes Lite as no longer receiving new features but still maintained for bug fixes; that status can change, so check the repository’s current README and release notes before deploying.
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What you are actually self-hosting
Fathom Lite is an earlier open-source version of Fathom Analytics. Hosted Fathom is managed for you; with Lite, you operate the VPS, operating system, database, updates, backups, monitoring and security. The Lite code is released under the MIT license.
The distinction matters when planning a deployment. A working web page is only one part of the system: the application needs a writable working directory, a persistent database, a secret, an administrator account and a process manager. Visitors then send tracking requests to the public HTTPS address, while NGINX forwards those requests to the local Fathom process.
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The installation guide used for many examples is dated 2019-03-14. Paths and command-line options may have changed in newer releases, so compare each command with the current project documentation before using it in production.
Choose a deployment method
| Method | Documented path | Best fit | Important operational point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Release binary | Download the platform release, extract it into /usr/local/bin, make it executable, then run fathom --version. |
A conventional VPS installation with direct host control. | You manage the binary, service account, working directory and upgrades on the host. |
| Build from source | Install Go and NPM, clone the repository, run make build, configure it, create a user and start ./fathom server. |
Operators who need a source build or want to inspect and modify the code. | Build tooling and dependency versions become part of your maintenance workload. |
| Docker | Build with docker build -t fathom ., or run the published image with docker run -d -p 8080:8080 usefathom/fathom:latest. |
Hosts already using container workflows. | Mount persistent storage for the database and configuration; do not treat the latest tag as immutable. |
For a first VPS deployment, the release binary is usually the simplest to troubleshoot because systemd, files and logs are visible directly on the host. Docker is a sound packaging choice when you already have a repeatable image, volume and update process. A source build is most useful when the release artifact does not support your platform or you require source-level control.
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Prepare the VPS
Set the basic requirements
- A current Linux distribution with an administrative account capable of installing packages and creating services.
- A DNS name such as
analytics.example.compointing to the VPS address. Use an A record for IPv4 and an AAAA record only when IPv6 is correctly configured. - Enough disk space for the application, logs and the database. SQLite is convenient for a single instance, but its file must remain on persistent storage.
- SSH access for initial installation and emergency recovery.
Create a dedicated, non-root service account (for example, fathom) and a directory such as /var/lib/fathom. Give that account ownership of the working directory and database. Running the web process as root is unnecessary and increases the impact of an application compromise.
Limit network exposure
Use the VPS firewall to allow SSH and the public web ports (HTTP 80 and HTTPS 443). Do not expose Fathom’s internal listener directly to the internet when NGINX is the public entry point. Binding Fathom to localhost means only the reverse proxy can reach it.
Install Fathom Lite with the release binary
- Download the release archive matching the VPS CPU architecture and operating system from the project’s current release page. Do not assume an old archive or an x86-64 build works on an ARM VPS.
- Extract the executable into
/usr/local/binand make it executable. Confirm the binary is on the path withfathom --version - Create and enter the persistent working directory, for example
/var/lib/fathom. The production guide places the application configuration in a file named.envin this working directory. - Start a foreground test from that directory with
fathom serverStop it after confirming that it starts without configuration or permission errors; systemd will run it permanently later.
The documented example uses SQLite. Adapt the values to your installation and generate a long, random secret rather than copying an example value.
FATHOM_SERVER_ADDR="127.0.0.1:9000"
FATHOM_GZIP="true"
FATHOM_DEBUG="false"
FATHOM_DATABASE_DRIVER="sqlite3"
FATHOM_DATABASE_NAME="fathom.db"
FATHOM_SECRET="replace-with-a-long-random-secret"The database name is relative to the working directory in this arrangement, so the resulting fathom.db must be included in your backup plan. The project documents MySQL and PostgreSQL configuration separately; use an external database when your availability, concurrency or backup requirements justify the additional service.
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Build from source instead
The repository lists Go and NPM as prerequisites. A typical source workflow is:
- Install versions of Go and NPM supported by the current repository.
- Clone the repository into a build directory.
- Run
make build - Review the generated configuration and place the resulting executable and persistent files in the same locations used by a binary installation.
- Create the required initial user before starting the server.
- Launch it for a foreground test with
./fathom server
Because build dependencies and scripts can evolve, use the repository’s current instructions rather than assuming that the 2019 command sequence remains unchanged. Keep a record of the commit or release used for production so that you can reproduce the binary during recovery.
Run Fathom in Docker
Use a local build
docker build -t fathom .Build from a checked-out source tree when you want a controlled image. Tag the image with a version or commit identifier in your own registry instead of relying solely on a mutable tag.
Run the published image
docker run -d --name fathom
-p 127.0.0.1:8080:8080
-v /var/lib/fathom:/var/lib/fathom
usefathom/fathom:latestThe published documentation shows the shorter docker run -d -p 8080:8080 usefathom/fathom:latest form. Binding the port to localhost is safer when NGINX is on the same VPS. The volume example is an operational arrangement: choose a mount point that contains the database and any configuration the image expects, then verify the container’s documented paths for the release you selected.
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Container replacement deletes a container’s writable layer. Keep the SQLite file or external database on a persistent volume, and inject the application secret through a protected environment file or secret mechanism rather than baking it into an image. Review image age, tags and release notes before every production update; latest is not a promise of immutability.
Initialize the administrator and configuration
Fathom requires an initial administrator account. The source-build instructions explicitly include user creation; the exact command or first-run screen can vary by release, so follow the current README for that step. Use a unique, long password and store it in your password manager. Do not reuse the VPS, database or email password.
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Keep .env, database files and Docker environment files outside any directory NGINX serves as static content. Restrict their permissions to the service account and administrators. If you change the secret after data exists, confirm the release’s behavior first; changing secrets can invalidate sessions or signed data.
Put NGINX in front of Fathom
NGINX supplies the public domain, forwards requests to Fathom’s localhost listener and preserves the client and host information needed by the application. Create a server block for your DNS name. The production guide’s example forwards these headers to a local listener on port 9000:
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listen 80;
server_name analytics.example.com;
location / {
proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
proxy_set_header Host $host;
proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:9000;
}
}If you selected Docker with localhost port 8080, change the upstream to http://127.0.0.1:8080. Keep the Fathom bind address and NGINX upstream consistent; a mismatch produces a gateway error even when the application itself is healthy.
Validate and reload NGINX:
sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl reload nginxAt this stage, an HTTP request to the domain should reach Fathom. Do not expose the internal port separately in the VPS firewall or a cloud security group.
Enable HTTPS with Certbot
After DNS resolves and the HTTP server block responds, install Certbot and its NGINX integration using your distribution’s supported packages. Request the certificate with:
sudo certbot --nginx -d analytics.example.comCertbot can edit the NGINX configuration and arrange renewal. Test renewal with the dry-run option supported by your installed Certbot version, and verify that the HTTPS virtual host redirects or rejects unintended plaintext access. Keep port 80 reachable when the chosen ACME challenge requires it.
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Use the HTTPS URL for both dashboard access and tracking. Mixed-content restrictions, incorrect proxy headers or a certificate that does not cover the exact hostname can make the script appear installed while browsers silently block requests.
Make the service survive reboots
Create a systemd unit that runs under the dedicated account, uses the persistent working directory and restarts after a crash. Adapt paths and the internal address to your installation:
[Unit]
Description=Fathom Lite analytics
After=network-online.target
Wants=network-online.target
[Service]
Type=simple
User=fathom
Group=fathom
WorkingDirectory=/var/lib/fathom
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/fathom server
Restart=always
RestartSec=5
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.targetSave it as /etc/systemd/system/fathom.service, then run:
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sudo systemctl enable fathom
sudo systemctl start fathom
sudo systemctl status fathomThe documented unit uses Restart=always, a working directory and ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/fathom server. The non-root user and group shown above are hardening choices; ensure the account can read the executable, read .env and write the database directory.
For diagnostics, inspect recent service logs with journalctl -u fathom. Test both a service restart and a full VPS reboot before declaring the deployment complete. A service that starts manually but fails under systemd usually has a path, permission, environment or working-directory problem.
Create a site and install tracking
- Sign in to the Fathom dashboard over HTTPS.
- Create a site entry using the hostname you intend to measure.
- Copy the tracking snippet generated for that site.
- Place the script in the tracked website’s header, following the site’s deployment method. The support documentation specifies the site header.
- Publish the page and open it in a normal browser session.
- Return to the dashboard and check the real-time visitor count.
No analytics data appears merely because the dashboard is running. The site must exist in the dashboard and the snippet must be present on pages receiving visits. Test with browser developer tools: confirm the script loads from your Fathom hostname, the request uses HTTPS and no content-security-policy or ad-blocking error prevents it.
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Content-security policy
If the website sends a Content-Security-Policy header, allow the Fathom instance host in the directives required by the project. The README specifically calls out script-src and img-src. Add only the exact HTTPS origin you operate, then retest the page and the real-time dashboard.
Troubleshoot the common failure points
502 Bad Gateway from NGINX
- Check
systemctl status fathomandjournalctl -u fathom. - Confirm Fathom is listening on the address and port used in
proxy_pass. - For Docker, run
docker psand inspect container logs; verify that the port is published on localhost. - Check that the service account can read its environment file and write the database directory.
Dashboard loads but no visits appear
- Confirm the snippet is on the published page, not only in a local template.
- Check that its hostname matches the site created in the dashboard.
- Look for CSP violations, blocked mixed content, JavaScript errors or browser extensions blocking the request.
- Open the page from a separate network and watch the dashboard’s real-time count.
Data disappears after a container update
The database was probably stored in the container’s writable layer or an unmounted path. Stop the container, identify the release’s database location, mount a persistent volume there, and restore a known-good database backup before starting the replacement.
HTTPS issuance fails
Verify that DNS points to this VPS, port 80 is reachable for the selected challenge, NGINX answers the requested hostname and no other virtual host captures it. Resolve the HTTP configuration first, then rerun Certbot.
The service fails after reboot
Check the unit’s WorkingDirectory, executable path, user ownership and environment loading. Ensure the database volume is mounted before the service starts, particularly with Docker. A manual foreground launch as the service account can reveal permission errors that are hidden in a short systemd status summary.
Backups, updates and ongoing operations
Self-hosting transfers operational responsibility to you. Back up the SQLite database (or the external database using its native backup tools), the application configuration and the secret needed to restore the installation. Store backups separately from the VPS and perform restore tests; an untested copy is not a recovery plan.
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The published guide does not prescribe a backup interval, retention policy or uptime target. Set those according to the value of your analytics and your recovery-time requirements rather than presenting a generic schedule as a Fathom requirement.
Self-hosted Lite or hosted Fathom?
| Consideration | Fathom Lite on your VPS | Hosted Fathom |
|---|---|---|
| Operations | You administer Linux, the process, database, backups, updates, TLS and monitoring. | The provider manages the service; you primarily install the tracking script and use the dashboard. |
| Control | You choose the server location, network policy and storage architecture. | You accept the provider’s hosting architecture and controls. |
| Cost model | VPS, storage, administration time, maintenance and recovery work are your costs; a low server price is not the total cost. | A subscription can cost more than a bare VPS but includes managed operational work. |
| Software status | Lite is described as a previous open-source version with bug-fix maintenance and no new features at the time of the project statement. | The current hosted product is the actively managed offering. |
Server geography and privacy obligations depend on your organization, visitors and jurisdiction. A vendor comparison article discusses GDPR considerations, but it is not a regulator ruling; obtain current legal advice for your circumstances. Choose self-hosting when you can own the maintenance and need infrastructure control. Choose the hosted service when reducing administration and availability work matters more than running the stack yourself.
Quick Recap
Production checklist
- Choose a release binary, source build or Docker image and record the exact version.
- Create a non-root service account and persistent application directory.
- Set a strong secret, administrator password and protected configuration file.
- Use SQLite only with deliberate file persistence, or configure MySQL/PostgreSQL when appropriate.
- Bind Fathom to localhost when NGINX is the public endpoint.
- Allow only SSH, HTTP and HTTPS through the firewall.
- Validate and reload NGINX, then issue and test HTTPS with Certbot.
- Enable the systemd service and test restart and reboot recovery.
- Create the dashboard site, install the header snippet and check a real-time visit.
- Back up configuration and data, monitor logs and certificates, review updates, and test restoration.
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