How to Install Nextcloud All-in-One on Linux

Article Contents

What is Nextcloud?

Nextcloud is an open-source platform that offers a powerful alternative to popular cloud storage services like Google Drive and Dropbox. It’s like your own personal cloud, hosted on your own server or through a trusted provider. Think of it as a secure, private hub for all your files, documents, communication, and collaboration needs. Here’s what makes Nextcloud special:

Ownership and control: You own your data and manage who has access to it. Unlike with traditional cloud services, Nextcloud puts you in the driver’s seat, giving you complete control over security, privacy, and data retention.
Flexibility and customization: Nextcloud is infinitely customizable. You can add and remove apps and features to tailor it to your specific needs, whether you’re an individual user, a small business, or a large organization.
Open source and community-driven: Being open-source means constant improvements and innovation from a dedicated global community. Nextcloud is constantly evolving, with new features and updates regularly released.
Powerful collaboration tools: Nextcloud goes beyond simple file storage. It offers built-in apps for team communication (video conferencing, chat), calendar and contact management, collaborative document editing, and more.

Best Use Cases for Nextcloud

Nextcloud shines in various scenarios, but here are some of its most popular use cases:

Individuals: Securely store and sync personal files like photos, videos, documents, and music across all your devices. Share files with friends and family with granular control over access permissions.
Small businesses and teams: Collaborate on projects with colleagues, share files internally and externally, communicate through video conferencing and chat, and manage calendars and contacts.
Educational institutions: Provide students and faculty with a secure platform for file storage, sharing, and collaboration. Use Nextcloud for online learning materials, group projects, and communication.
Healthcare organizations: Store and share sensitive patient data securely while complying with HIPAA regulations. Nextcloud’s encryption and access control features ensure patient privacy.
Anyone concerned about privacy and data security: If you’re wary of handing your data over to large corporations, Nextcloud offers a secure and private alternative for all your digital needs.

These are just a few examples, and the possibilities are endless. If you value control, flexibility, and privacy for your digital life, Nextcloud might be the perfect solution for you.

Pros and Cons of Nextcloud

But before you dive in, it’s essential to weigh the pros and cons to see if it fits your needs.

Pros:

Ownership and control: You own your data and manage who has access to it, unlike traditional cloud services where your data resides on someone else’s servers.
Flexibility and customization: Add and remove apps and features to tailor Nextcloud to your specific needs, making it ideal for individuals, businesses, and organizations.
Open source and community-driven: Constant improvements and innovation from a dedicated global community ensure Nextcloud’s ongoing development and evolution.
Powerful collaboration tools: Built-in apps for video conferencing, chat, calendar and contact management, collaborative document editing, and more, fostering seamless teamwork.
Offline access: Work on your files even without an internet connection, a significant advantage over purely cloud-based platforms.
Strong security: Features like end-to-end encryption and two-factor authentication safeguard your data against unauthorized access.
Cost-effective: Self-hosting Nextcloud can be cheaper than paid cloud storage plans, especially for long-term use or large amounts of data.

Cons:

Technical setup: Setting up and maintaining Nextcloud yourself requires some technical knowledge, unlike the plug-and-play simplicity of popular cloud services.
Server management: You’re responsible for server maintenance, backups, and updates, which can be an added burden for non-technical users.
Limited mobile apps: While Nextcloud offers mobile apps, their functionality and user experience might not match dedicated cloud service apps.
Community support: While the Nextcloud community is helpful, it might not provide the same level of immediate support as dedicated customer service teams offered by large cloud providers.
Potential performance limitations: Self-hosted servers might not offer the same high-performance infrastructure and scalability as large cloud providers, especially for heavy workloads.

Ultimately, the decision to use Nextcloud depends on your individual needs and priorities. If you value privacy, control, and flexibility, and are comfortable with some technical responsibility, Nextcloud can be a powerful and cost-effective solution. However, if you prioritize ease of use and readily available support, traditional cloud storage services might be a better fit.

I hope this comprehensive overview of Nextcloud’s pros and cons helps you make an informed decision!

Nextcloud on a Budget: Minimum Requirements for Ubuntu 20.04 LTS

Want to ditch the big cloud guys and host your own private cloud with Nextcloud? “Nextcloud All-in-One” (AIO) makes it easy, even for tech newbies. But before you blast off, make sure your server has the muscle to handle it. Here’s what you’ll need for a smooth ride:

The Brains:

CPU: Think of it as the engine. Two cores will do the basics, but a beefier Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 will give you more oomph.
RAM: The memory bank. 4GB gets you started, but 8GB will keep things zippy when you’re juggling files and collaborating.
Storage: Your digital warehouse. 50GB is the bare minimum, but consider how much stuff you plan to store and what apps you’ll use.

The Software Stack:

Ubuntu 20.04 LTS: Your operating system, like the foundation of your house. This stable version of Ubuntu is perfect for Nextcloud.
Docker: Imagine it as a container ship for your apps. The latest stable version is all you need.
Docker Compose (optional): Think of it as the harbor master, making container management a breeze. Not essential, but handy.

Don’t Forget the Network:

Internet: A reliable connection is key. Aim for at least 10 Mbps upload speed for smooth syncing and collaboration.

Open the Gates (Ports):

22: This is the backdoor for server management. Keep it locked tight!
8080/TCP: Mastercontainer Interface with self-signed certificate (works always, also if only access via IP-address is possible, e.g. https://ip.address.of.this.server:8080/)
80/TCP: redirects to Nextcloud (is used for getting the certificate via ACME http-challenge for the Mastercontainer)
8443/TCP: Mastercontainer Interface with valid certificate (only works if port 80 and 8443 are open/forwarded in your firewall/router and you point a domain to your server. It generates a valid certificate then automatically and access via e.g. https://public.domain.com:8443/ is possible.)
443/TCP: will be used by the Apache container later on and needs to be open/forwarded in your firewall/router
443/UDP: will be used by the Apache container later on and needs to be open/forwarded in your firewall/router if you want to enable http3
3478/TCP and 3478/UDP: will be used by the Turnserver inside the Talk container and needs to be open/forwarded in your firewall/router

Remember: These are the bare bones. If you have a bigger team or plan to store tons of data, you might need to upgrade your hardware for optimal performance. Check out the Nextcloud docs and community for tips on getting the most out of your setup.

So, ditch the data dragons and take control of your digital life with Nextcloud! With a little planning and the right gear, you’ll be hosting your own private cloud in no time.

Install Docker and Docker Compose:

apt update && 
apt upgrade -y &&
curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com -o get-docker.sh &&
sudo sh get-docker.sh &&
curl -SL https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/download/v2.13.0/docker-compose-linux-x86_64 -o /usr/local/bin/docker-compose &&
chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-compose &&
apt-get install docker-compose-plugin

Installation Nextcloud All-in-One:

Run Master Container:

Run the command below in order to start the container on Linux and without a web server or reverse proxy (like Apache, Nginx, Cloudflare Tunnel and else) already in place:

sudo docker run \
--init \
--sig-proxy=false \
--name nextcloud-aio-mastercontainer \
--restart always \
--publish 80:80 \
--publish 8080:8080 \
--publish 8443:8443 \
--volume nextcloud_aio_mastercontainer:/mnt/docker-aio-config \
--volume /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro \
nextcloud/all-in-one:latest

Explanation of the command:

sudo docker run This command spins up a new docker container. Docker commands can optionally be used without sudo if the user is added to the docker group (this is not the same as docker rootless, see FAQ below).
–init This option makes sure that no zombie-processes are created, ever. See https://docs.docker.com/engine/reference/run/#specify-an-init-process
–-sig-proxy=false This option allows to exit the container shell that gets attached automatically when using docker run by using [CTRL] + [C] without shutting down the container.
–name nextcloud-aio-mastercontainer This is the name of the container. This line is not allowed to be changed, since mastercontainer updates would fail.
–restart always This is the “restart policy”. always means that the container should always get started with the Docker daemon. See the Docker documentation for further detail about restart policies: https://docs.docker.com/config/containers/start-containers-automatically/
–publish 80:80 This means that port 80 of the container should get published on the host using port 80. It is used for getting valid certificates for the AIO interface if you want to use port 8443. It is not needed if you run AIO behind a web server or reverse proxy and can get removed in that case as you can simply use port 8080 for the AIO interface then.
–publish 8080:8080 This means that port 8080 of the container should get published on the host using port 8080. This port is used for the AIO interface and uses a self-signed certificate by default. You can also use a different host port if port 8080 is already used on your host, for example –publish 8081:8080 (only the first port can be changed for the host, the second port is for the container and must remain at 8080).
–publish 8443:8443 This means that port 8443 of the container should get published on the host using port 8443. If you publish port 80 and 8443 to the public internet, you can access the AIO interface via this port with a valid certificate. It is not needed if you run AIO behind a web server or reverse proxy and can get removed in that case as you can simply use port 8080 for the AIO interface then.
–volume nextcloud_aio_mastercontainer:/mnt/docker-aio-config This means that the files that are created by the mastercontainer will be stored in a docker volume that is called nextcloud_aio_mastercontainer. This line is not allowed to be changed, since built-in backups would fail later on.
–volume /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro The docker socket is mounted into the container which is used for spinning up all the other containers and for further features. It needs to be adjusted on Windows/macOS and on docker rootless. See the applicable documentation on this. If adjusting, don’t forget to also set WATCHTOWER_DOCKER_SOCKET_PATH! If you dislike this, see https://github.com/nextcloud/all-in-one/tree/main/manual-install.
nextcloud/all-in-one:latest This is the docker container image that is used.

fter the initial startup, you should be able to open the Nextcloud AIO Interface now on port 8080 of this server.

E.g. https://ip.address.of.this.server:8080

How does it work?

Imagine Nextcloud AIO as a handy robot captain managing your personal cloud ship. Inspired by other helpful tools, it talks directly to Docker to build and launch all the containers needed for your Nextcloud island. This means with one command, you get a full-featured Nextcloud set up, ready to sail!

Updates are a breeze too, no more waiting for clunky system updates because everything lives in its own container. And to top it off, you get a simple dashboard to easily manage your cloud island like a true captain!

This version avoids technical jargon like “docker daemon” and “docker socket” and uses a relatable nautical theme to explain the concept. It also emphasizes the user-friendly aspects and avoids plagiarism. I hope it’s easier to understand!

Watch Video Tutorial:

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Visual demonstration makes every step crystal clear.
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