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Self-host Authentik

License
MIT (outside authentik/enterprise/)
GitHub stars
26,264, as of 8 Nov 2026
Latest release
version/2026.8.5, as of 8 Nov 2026
Host needs
2 CPU cores and 2 GB of RAM
Install method
Docker Compose
One-click template
Available
  • License: MIT (outside authentik/enterprise/) (Forkshelf license override, marked open core). The LICENSE file puts the authentik/enterprise/ directory under its own license and the website/ directory under CC BY-SA 4.0. Content outside those directories is under the "MIT" license.
  • Enterprise code: the authentik/enterprise/ directory has its own license. It "may only be used in production" if you agree to the Authentik Subscription Terms of Service and "have a valid authentik Enterprise Edition subscription for the correct number of user seats."
  • Editions: one image serves both. The docs say "Enterprise uses the same container images and upgrade process as the open source version", and Enterprise features stay off until you install a license key ("Enable them by installing a license key"). The pricing page lists the Open Source tier as "Free" and states no user cap for it.
  • Last commit: 8 Nov 2026 07:05 SGT, as of 8 Nov 2026. The repository is not archived.
  • GitHub stars, as of 8 Nov 2026: 26,264. Latest release, as of 8 Nov 2026: version/2026.8.5, published 21 Oct 2026 20:57 SGT.

Requirements

The Docker Compose guide asks for "A host with at least 2 CPU cores and 2 GB of RAM" and Podman or Docker Compose v2.
Disk is not stated in the official docs we read.

Docker or Docker Compose

The official guide is Docker Compose installation.
It says "This installation method is for test setups and small-scale production setups." The first step fetches the compose file with "wget https://docs.goauthentik.io/compose.yml".
The official compose file runs one server image, "${AUTHENTIK_IMAGE:-ghcr.io/goauthentik/server}:${AUTHENTIK_TAG:-2026.8.4}".

Hosting options

A Railway template for Authentik is at railway.com/deploy/authentik, created by Heimdall.
It was created on 18 Mar 2026 and showed "Total Projects 30" on 17 Oct 2026.
The 2 GB RAM need is above the Railway Free limit of "0.5 GB RAM per service".

Affiliate disclosure: Forkshelf earns a commission if you sign up for Railway through the links marked "Paid link" on this page. This does not change the order or content of any guide here.

To get started, create a Railway account (Paid link).

Backups and updates

Backups: the official guide is Backup and restore your authentik instance.
It says "The PostgreSQL database is the most important part of an authentik backup. Without it, authentik cannot be restored to a usable state." For the database it points to PostgreSQL-native tools such as pg_dump, pg_dumpall or continuous archiving.
Updates: the official guide is Upgrade authentik.
Take a database backup first, because "authentik does not support downgrading. Make sure to back up your database in case you need to revert an upgrade."

Alternatives

Authentik is listed on open-source alternatives to Auth0.
A related guide on this site is Self-host Keycloak, and Keycloak is compared in Auth0 vs Keycloak.