---
title: "Deploy Apache Answer"
description: "Apache Answer 2.0: Q&A community platform, with Postgres. Admin preset."
category: "Blogs"
url: https://railway.com/deploy/apache-answer-2
---

# Deploy Apache Answer

Apache Answer 2.0: Q&A community platform, with Postgres. Admin preset.

**[Deploy Apache Answer on Railway](https://railway.com/template/apache-answer-2)**

Machine-readable deploy manifest (JSON, validated by TemplateCI): https://railway.com/deploy/apache-answer-2/manifest.json

- **Creator:** Agaz Self-Host
- **Category:** Blogs

## Template content

### answer https://raw.githubusercontent.com/apache/answer-website/7673ed76dd11102c6c5bbe86674640fdf69495f2/static/img/head-icon.png

- **Image:** apache/answer:2.0.2
- **Health check:** /healthz
- **Public domain:** Yes

### Postgres https://devicons.railway.app/i/postgresql.svg

- **Image:** ghcr.io/railwayapp-templates/postgres-ssl:18

## Documentation

# Deploy and Host Apache Answer on Railway

Apache Answer is a question-and-answer platform from the Apache Software Foundation, in the style of Stack Overflow. People ask questions, post answers, vote, tag and earn reputation. It works as a public community forum, a product help center or an internal knowledge base for a team, with plugins for login and search.

## About Hosting Apache Answer

This template runs the official `apache/answer:2.0.2` image with a Railway PostgreSQL database. The web installer is skipped: on first boot Answer creates its tables, sets the site name and URL, and creates the admin account from the variables. Uploaded files and the config live on a Railway volume, and all content is stored in Postgres, so everything survives redeploys. Registration stays open by default, as in upstream, and new accounts must confirm their email, so add SMTP settings in the admin panel or switch registration to invite-only there. Both services fit comfortably on the Hobby plan.

## Common Use Cases

- A public Q&A community around a product or open-source project
- An internal knowledge base where a team asks and answers questions
- A support forum that reduces repeated tickets

## Dependencies for Apache Answer Hosting

- `apache/answer:2.0.2` (official image)
- Railway PostgreSQL
- A Railway volume at `/data`

### Deployment Dependencies

- [Apache Answer website](https://answer.apache.org)
- [Apache Answer on GitHub](https://github.com/apache/answer)
- [Apache Answer 2.0.2 release](https://github.com/apache/answer/releases/tag/v2.0.2)

### Implementation Details

| Service | Source | Networking | Storage |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| answer | `apache/answer:2.0.2` | public domain on 80 | volume at `/data` |
| Postgres | Railway PostgreSQL | private | Railway volume |

| Variable | Default | Purpose |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `AUTO_INSTALL` | `true` | Runs the installer on first boot |
| `ADMIN_NAME` / `ADMIN_EMAIL` | `admin` / `admin@example.com` | Admin account |
| `ADMIN_PASSWORD` | generated | Admin password (first boot only) |
| `SITE_URL` | `https://${{RAILWAY_PUBLIC_DOMAIN}}` | Public URL |
| `DB_HOST` | `${{Postgres.PGHOST}}:${{Postgres.PGPORT}}` | Database host and port |

Notes:

- Configure SMTP under Admin > Settings > SMTP so sign-up and password-reset emails work.
- To keep the site private, set Admin > Login > Allow new registrations to invite-only or off.

This is a community-maintained deployment package and does not imply affiliation with or endorsement by the Apache Software Foundation.

## Why Deploy Apache Answer on Railway?

Railway is a singular platform to deploy your infrastructure stack. Railway will host your infrastructure so you don't have to deal with configuration, while allowing you to vertically and horizontally scale it.

By deploying Apache Answer on Railway, you are one step closer to supporting a complete full-stack application with minimal burden. Host your servers, databases, AI agents, and more on Railway.


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