---
title: From source
---

# (Not recommended): From source

:::caution

Installing from source is a bad idea in many ways:

- No isolation between applications
- Dependency conflicts on your root operating system
- Cumbersome update process
- Permission management
- Handling of conflicts

Therefore, we highly discourage you from using this as a normal user.
This method is only useful, when you want to develop on Homarr or extend it with your own functionality.

:::

## Prerequisites

- [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/en/download/)
- [pnpm](https://pnpm.io/installation)
- [Redis](https://redis.io/download)

## Steps

<ol>
  <li>
    Clone the Repository using <code>git clone https://github.com/homarr-labs/homarr.git</code>
  </li>
  <li>
    Enter the created directory using <code>cd homarr</code>
  </li>
  <li>
    Install all dependencies using <code>pnpm install</code>
  </li>
  <li>
    Copy the `.env.example` file to `.env`. Its `DB_URL='./db.sqlite'` value is ready for local use and stores the
    database in the cloned repository. Replace it with an absolute writable path such as
    `DB_URL='/home/username/homarr/db.sqlite'` if you want to store the database elsewhere.
  </li>
  <li>
    Run `openssl rand -hex 32` twice and set `AUTH_SECRET` and `SECRET_ENCRYPTION_KEY` to the two different generated
    values. Keep both values secret and preserve `SECRET_ENCRYPTION_KEY` with your backups.
  </li>
  <li>Run `pnpm run db:migration:sqlite:run` and wait that it completes</li>
  <li>Build the source using `pnpm build`</li>
  <li>
    Copy better-sqlite3.node files with `mkdir build` and `cp
    ./node_modules/better-sqlite3/build/Release/better_sqlite3.node ./build/better_sqlite3.node`
  </li>
  <li>Start a redis server using `redis-server`</li>
  <li>Run the server using `pnpm start`</li>
  <li>Open `http://localhost:3000` in your browser</li>
</ol>