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Windows Server

Deploy Budibase from a Windows Server environment

This guide explains how to run Budibase when your infrastructure is based on Windows Server.

Before you begin

Budibase containers are Linux images. For production, we recommend running Budibase on a Linux host.

Docker Desktop is useful on Windows 10/11 for local development, but Docker's documentation states that Docker Desktop is not supported on Windows Server.

Option 1: Windows Server without a Linux VM

This can work, but is not our recommended production baseline.

Why:

  1. Budibase is published as Linux container images
  2. Docker Engine is available on Windows Server, but the native Windows Server path is centered on Windows containers
  3. To run Budibase, you still need a Linux container backend/runtime layer

If your goal is a supported, maintainable Windows Server deployment, use Option 2.

Option 2: Hyper-V + Ubuntu VM + Docker Engine (recommended for Windows Server)

This is the recommended path for Windows Server production environments.

1. Create a Linux VM with Hyper-V

Install and configure Hyper-V on your Windows Server host, then create an Ubuntu VM.

Minimum VM sizing:

  • 2 vCPU
  • 4GB RAM
  • Persistent disk for /data

Recommended starting point:

  • 4 vCPU
  • 8GB RAM
  • Persistent SSD-backed storage for /data

Use bridged/external networking so users can access Budibase over your network.

2. Install docker in the Ubuntu VM

Inside the Ubuntu VM:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y curl ca-certificates

Install Docker Engine and Docker Compose using Docker's Linux docs:

3. Create budibase folder

mkdir -p ~/budibase
cd ~/budibase

4. Download Budibase Docker setup

curl -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Budibase/budibase/master/hosting/docker-compose.yaml -o docker-compose.yaml
curl -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Budibase/budibase/master/hosting/.env -o .env

If you are running in production, update the secrets in .env before starting.

5. Start Budibase

docker compose up -d
docker compose ps

Open Budibase:

http://<server-ip>:10000

6. Open firewall/network access

Allow inbound TCP traffic to port 10000 on:

  1. The Ubuntu VM firewall
  2. Windows Server firewall (if applicable)
  3. Any external firewall/security group

7. Update Budibase

docker compose pull
docker compose up -d

Option 3: WSL2 + Ubuntu + Docker Desktop

This option is explicit and easy to follow for non-server Windows hosts that support Docker Desktop with WSL2 integration.

1. Install WSL2 + Ubuntu

Open PowerShell as Administrator:

wsl --install -d Ubuntu

Restart if prompted.

Then verify:

wsl -l -v

You should see Ubuntu running on version 2.

2. Install Docker Desktop

Install Docker Desktop:

During setup:

  1. Enable Use WSL 2 based engine
  2. Enable WSL integration

After install:

  1. Open Docker Desktop
  2. Wait until status is Running

3. Enable WSL integration (important)

In Docker Desktop:

  1. Go to Settings > Resources > WSL Integration
  2. Turn on Ubuntu
  3. Click Apply & Restart

4. Open Ubuntu (not PowerShell)

Open Ubuntu via:

wsl

You should now be in a Linux shell, for example:

conor@PC:~$

5. Install dependencies in Ubuntu

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y curl

6. Create Budibase folder

mkdir -p ~/budibase
cd ~/budibase

7. Download Budibase Docker setup

curl -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Budibase/budibase/master/hosting/docker-compose.yaml -o docker-compose.yaml
curl -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Budibase/budibase/master/hosting/.env -o .env

8. Start Budibase

docker compose up -d
docker compose ps

9. Open Budibase in your browser

http://localhost:10000

Daily usage (after setup)

wsl
cd ~/budibase
docker compose up -d

Supported environment and sizing summary

  • Windows Server without a Linux VM: can work if a Linux container backend is configured, but not the recommended baseline
  • Windows Server with Hyper-V + Ubuntu VM + Docker Engine: supported and recommended
  • Windows with WSL2 + Ubuntu + Docker Desktop: practical for local or non-server Windows hosts
  • Minimum sizing for the Budibase runtime: 2 vCPU / 4GB RAM
  • Recommended starting point for production: 4 vCPU / 8GB RAM, then scale based on workload and user count

Related links

Updated about 2 hours ago