Learn how to set up Ghost CMS with Docker, MySQL, and Nginx on Ubuntu. A secure and scalable configuration with HTTPS, backups, and production-ready best practices.
Introduction
Ghost is a fast, modern publishing platform, and Docker allows us to run it in a clean, scalable, and predictable environment. In this guide, we set up Ghost with Docker Compose, connect it to MySQL, and configure Nginx with SSL for production use.
Prerequisites
Before we begin, ensure we have the following:
- An Ubuntu 24.04 on dedicated server or KVM VPS.
- Basic Linux Command Line Knowledge.
- A domain name pointing A DNS record to server IP.
Step 1: Install Docker (Latest Method)
Install Docker using the official repository.
Add Docker's official GPG key:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install ca-certificates curl
sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings
sudo curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc
sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc
Add the repository to Apt sources:
sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.sources <<EOF
Types: deb
URIs: https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu
Suites: $(. /etc/os-release && echo "${UBUNTU_CODENAME:-$VERSION_CODENAME}")
Components: stable
Signed-By: /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc
EOF
sudo apt update
Install the Docker packages.
sudo apt install -y docker-ce
Verify:
docker --version
docker compose version
Enable Docker:
systemctl enable docker
systemctl start docker
Step 2: Create Project Structure
We will create separate directory for ghost cms deployment.
mkdir -p /var/www/ghost
cd /var/www/ghost
Step 3: Create Docker Compose File
Create file:
nano docker-compose.yml
Paste:
services:
ghost:
image: ghost:latest
container_name: ghost_app
restart: unless-stopped
depends_on:
- db
environment:
url: https://yourdomain.com
database__client: mysql
database__connection__host: db
database__connection__user: ghost
database__connection__password: strongpassword
database__connection__database: ghost_db
NODE_ENV: production
volumes:
- ./ghost_content:/var/lib/ghost/content
ports:
- "127.0.0.1:2368:2368"
db:
image: mysql:8.0
container_name: ghost_db
restart: unless-stopped
environment:
MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: rootpassword
MYSQL_DATABASE: ghost_db
MYSQL_USER: ghost
MYSQL_PASSWORD: strongpassword
command: --default-authentication-plugin=mysql_native_password
volumes:
- ./db_data:/var/lib/mysql
Start Docker services
docker compose up -d
Check status:
docker compose ps
Ghost is now running internally at:
http://127.0.0.1:2368
Step 4: Configure Nginx Reverse Proxy
Install Nginx:
sudo apt install -y nginx
Create config:
sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/ghost
Add:
server {
listen 80;
server_name yourdomain.com www.yourdomain.com;
location / {
proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:2368;
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 https;
proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
proxy_set_header Connection "upgrade";
}
}
Enable site:
ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/ghost /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
nginx -t
systemctl restart nginx
Firewall Configuration
ufw allow OpenSSH
ufw allow 'Nginx Full'
ufw enable
Step 5: Enable SSL (Let’s Encrypt)
Install Certbot:
apt install -y certbot python3-certbot-nginx
Run:
certbot --nginx -d yourdomain.com -d www.yourdomain.com
Auto-renew is already configured:
systemctl status certbot.timer
Step 6: Access Ghost Admin
Open:
https://yourdomain.com/ghost
Complete setup:
- Create admin user
- Configure publication
- Set branding
Step 7: Backup Strategy (Production Essential)
Backup content:
tar -czvf ghost_content_backup.tar.gz ghost_content
Backup database:
docker exec ghost_db mysqldump -u ghost -pstrongpassword ghost_db > db_backup.sql
Schedule via cron for automation.
Step 8: Updating Ghost Safely
docker compose pull
docker compose up -d
Never update without backup unless you enjoy rebuilding everything from scratch.
Enable Monitoring
docker logs -f ghost_app
Summary
We have seen how to install GhostCMS on Ubuntu 24.04 using Docker.This guide presents a structured approach to setting up Ghost CMS using Docker in a production-ready environment. It covers the complete process from installing Docker using the official repository to configuring a containerized Ghost application with a MySQL database.
The setup includes creating a clean project structure, defining services using Docker Compose, and running Ghost in a secure and isolated environment. Nginx is configured as a reverse proxy to manage incoming traffic efficiently, followed by enabling HTTPS using Let’s Encrypt for secure communication.
