---
title: Requirements
description: The server, network access and accounts you need before you install Metis Suite.
---

Check this list before you run the installer.

## Server

- **An Ubuntu server.** The bootstrap script installs Docker from Docker's Ubuntu package repository with `apt-get`. Other systems are not covered by the script.
- **Root access.** You run the script as root, or with `sudo`.
- **OpenSSL 3.** The script uses it to generate keys for the bundled database server. Current Ubuntu releases include it.
- **Docker with the Compose plugin.** If Docker is not installed, the script installs Docker Engine and the Compose plugin for you. If Docker is already installed, the script only adds the Compose plugin when it is missing. The stack needs Docker Compose v2.

No minimum CPU, memory or disk size is published. Size the server for the number of people who will use it and the amount of mail they keep.

The server must stay on all the time. By default, background work (scheduled sends, snooze reminders and workflows) runs inside the app, so a server that sleeps or scales to zero stops that work. See [Background work](/self-hosting/configure/background-work) for other options.

## Network

- **Outbound access** to `ghcr.io` (where the Metis Suite images and the list of releases come from) and `raw.githubusercontent.com` (where the script downloads the Compose file). When the script installs Docker, it also needs `download.docker.com` and your Ubuntu package mirrors.
- **Ports 80 and 443** reachable from the internet once you serve the instance on a domain. Port 443 is used over TCP, and over UDP for HTTP/3.
- **A domain name** that you can point at the server, for HTTPS. You can install first and add the domain later. Until then, the app is reachable only from the server itself, through an SSH tunnel.

## Accounts and services

You need at least one way for users to connect their mail, calendars or files. Pick any of these:

- An OAuth client from Google, Microsoft or Zoho. See [Sign-in providers](/self-hosting/configure/sign-in-providers).
- Your own IMAP, CalDAV, S3, WebDAV, FTP or SFTP servers. See [Server lists](/self-hosting/configure/server-lists).
- A mail gateway on your own domain. See [Mail gateways](/self-hosting/mail-gateways).

You can add these after the install, from the owner dashboard. These are optional:

- An API key for an AI model provider, to turn on the assistant and other AI features. See [AI models](/self-hosting/configure/ai-models).
- A Resend account or an SMTP server, so the instance can send sign-in links and invitations. See [Outgoing email](/self-hosting/configure/outgoing-email).