Complete Guide to Installing Plausible Analytics on Ubuntu 24.04

Plausible Analytics is a lightweight, open-source web analytics platform. It's privacy-focused and provides a simple alternative to Google Analytics. This guide will walk you through the steps to install Plausible Analytics on an Ubuntu 24.04 server.

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have the following:

1. A server running Ubuntu 24.04 with root or sudo privileges.
2. A domain name pointed to your server's IP address (e.g., analytics.example.com).
3. Docker and Docker Compose installed on your server.
4. Basic knowledge of using the Linux command line.

Step 1: Update System Packages

Start by updating your server's package index and upgrading installed packages:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Restart your server if any kernel updates were installed:

sudo reboot

Step 2: Install Docker and Docker Compose

Install Docker

If Docker is not already installed, follow these steps:

1. Install required dependencies:

   sudo apt install -y ca-certificates curl gnupg
   

2. Add Docker's official GPG key:

   sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings
   curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg
   sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg
   

3. Set up the Docker repository:

   echo \\"deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs) stable\\" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null
   

4. Install Docker:

   sudo apt update
   sudo apt install -y docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin
   

Verify Docker Installation

Check Docker's version to confirm successful installation:

docker --version

Install Docker Compose (Standalone)

If Docker Compose is not already available, install it manually:

1. Download the Docker Compose binary:

   sudo curl -L "https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/download/v2.22.0/docker-compose-$(uname -s)-$(uname -m)" -o /usr/local/bin/docker-compose
   

2. Apply executable permissions:

   sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-compose
   

3. Verify the installation:

   Once you have completed the setup, ensure everything is working as expected:

   • Check if all containers are running:

     docker ps
     

     You should see containers for the application and database running.

   • Access the web interface:

     Open your browser and navigate to your domain (e.g., https://analytics.example.com). You should see the Plausible Analytics login or setup page.

   • Inspect logs for errors:

     docker-compose logs -f
     

     Review the output to confirm that there are no errors in the containers. docker-compose --version ```

Step 3: Set Up Plausible Analytics

Clone the Plausible Analytics Repository

Navigate to a suitable directory and clone the official Plausible Analytics repository:

git clone https://github.com/plausible/hosting.git plausible-analytics
cd plausible-analytics

Configure the .env File

Copy the example environment file:

cp example.env .env

Edit the .env file using your preferred text editor:

nano .env

Update the following variables:

• SECRET_KEY_BASE: Generate a random string using a tool like OpenSSL:

  openssl rand -base64 64
  

• BASE_URL: Set to your domain name (e.g., https://analytics.example.com).

• POSTGRES_USER and POSTGRES_PASSWORD: Set custom credentials for the PostgreSQL database.

Save and exit the file.

Update the Docker Compose Configuration (Optional)

If needed, modify the docker-compose.yml file to fit your requirements, such as changing ports or adding custom volumes.

Step 4: Set Up a Reverse Proxy with HTTPS

Plausible Analytics uses HTTP by default. You can secure your installation with HTTPS using Nginx and Let's Encrypt.

Install Nginx and Certbot

Install Nginx and Certbot:

sudo apt install -y nginx certbot python3-certbot-nginx

Configure Nginx

Create a new Nginx configuration file for your domain:

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/analytics.example.com

Add the following configuration:

server {
    server_name analytics.example.com;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://localhost:8000;
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
    }

    listen 80;
}

Enable the configuration and reload Nginx:

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/analytics.example.com /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl reload nginx

Obtain an SSL Certificate

Run Certbot to obtain and install an SSL certificate:

sudo certbot --nginx -d analytics.example.com

Test automatic certificate renewal:

sudo certbot renew --dry-run

Step 5: Start Plausible Analytics

Use Docker Compose to start the services:

docker-compose up -d

Verify that the containers are running:

docker ps

Step 6: Access the Plausible Analytics Dashboard

Open your web browser and navigate to your domain (e.g., https://analytics.example.com).

Follow the on-screen instructions to create an admin account and set up your first site.

Step 7: Add Plausible Analytics to Your Website

To start tracking analytics, add the Plausible Analytics script to your website's <head> section:

<script async defer data-domain="yourdomain.com" src="https://analytics.example.com/js/script.js"></script>

Replace yourdomain.com with your website's domain name.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues, check the following:

1. Docker logs:

   docker-compose logs -f
   

2. Nginx logs:

   sudo tail -f /var/log/nginx/error.log
   

3. Environment variables: Ensure all required variables are correctly set in the .env file.

Conclusion

You have successfully installed Plausible Analytics on your Ubuntu 24.04 server. Enjoy a privacy-focused, lightweight analytics solution for your website!