Docker Compose

By the end of this page you have Kanesh running with Docker Compose, with every setting in one .env file.

Before you start

• Docker with the Compose plugin (docker compose version)
• The Kanesh image. During the preview, build it from source and set KANESH_IMAGE=kanesh.

1. Download the two files

• docker-compose.yml
• env.example, saved as .env

mkdir kanesh && cd kanesh
curl -fsSLO https://YOUR_KANESH_SITE/compose/docker-compose.yml
curl -fsSL https://YOUR_KANESH_SITE/compose/env.example -o .env
chmod 600 .env

2. Pick a database

Database	In .env	Start command
SQLite	DATABASE_DRIVER=sqlite	docker compose up -d
PostgreSQL	DATABASE_DRIVER=postgres, DB_PASSWORD, DATABASE_URL	docker compose --profile postgres up -d
MySQL	DATABASE_DRIVER=mysql, DB_PASSWORD, DATABASE_URL	docker compose --profile mysql up -d

The database services only start with their profile, so SQLite installs run a single container.

Note: MySQL uses a go-sql-driver DSN such as kanesh:secret@tcp(mysql:3306)/kanesh, not a mysql:// URL.

3. Review the important settings

Setting	Why it matters
COOKIE_SECURE=true	Required behind HTTPS
MCP_ENABLED=true	Turns on the MCP endpoint for Codex and Claude Code
SETTINGS_ENCRYPTION_KEY	Needed to save secrets such as the SMTP password from Studio; back it up
TRUSTED_PROXIES	Set it behind a reverse proxy, or every client shares one rate-limit budget
DEMO_MODE	Keep false. When true, the owner credentials are shown on the login screen

See Configuration for every variable.

4. Start and claim

docker compose up -d
docker compose cp kanesh:/data/claim-token ./claim-token

Open http://127.0.0.1:8080, paste the token and create the owner.

File storage

Uploads are stored in the database by default. To keep them in S3 or MinIO, set STORAGE_DRIVER=s3 and the S3_* variables. See File uploads and storage.

Next steps

• Database setup
• MCP for agents
• Access control