---
title: "Deploy Baalda Server"
description: "The local-first Markdown second brain."
category: "AI/ML"
url: https://railway.com/deploy/baalda-server
---

# Deploy Baalda Server

The local-first Markdown second brain.

**[Deploy Baalda Server on Railway](https://railway.com/template/baalda-server)**

- **Creator:** Naveed Harri's Projects
- **Category:** AI/ML
- **Total deploys:** 1

## Template content

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

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

### baalda

- **Source:** naveedharri/baalda
- **Health check:** /health
- **Public domain:** Yes

## Documentation

# Deploy and Host Baalda Server on Railway

  Baalda is a local-first second brain: your notes are plain Markdown files on your
  own disk that an AI can edit directly and that teammates can edit together in real
  time. The Baalda Server is the sync backend that makes the second half possible —
  multi-device sync, team vaults, and live collaboration.

  ## About Hosting Baalda Server

  The server is a single Node process backed by Postgres. It terminates one HTTPS
  port that carries both the REST API and the CRDT WebSocket, so there is nothing
  else to route. It stores only opaque binary Yjs documents — your Markdown never
  travels the wire, and each client re-derives its own files and search index from
  the CRDT state. Deploying it means Postgres, a signing secret, and a public URL;
  this template wires all three automatically and applies database migrations before
  the service accepts traffic. After deploying, paste the generated URL into the
  desktop app's Server settings and create an account.

  ## Common Use Cases

  - Sync one person's vault across several machines without handing notes to a third party
  - Run a shared team vault with per-folder permissions, presence, and live editing
  - Give cloud AI agents an MCP endpoint into a vault, governed by the same permissions as people
- Run a shared team vault with per-folder permissions, presence, and live editing
- Give cloud AI agents an MCP endpoint into a vault, governed by the same permissions as people

## Dependencies for Baalda Server Hosting

- PostgreSQL 16 (included in this template)

### Deployment Dependencies

- [Baalda on GitHub](https://github.com/naveedharri/baalda)
- [Self-hosting guide](https://github.com/naveedharri/baalda/blob/main/docs/DEPLOY.md)
- [Desktop app releases](https://github.com/naveedharri/baalda/releases)

## Why Deploy Baalda Server on Railway?

Railway provisions the Postgres instance, generates a unique signing secret per
deployment, and runs migrations before cutover — so a working sync backend comes up
without any manual configuration. Billing features stay off in self-hosted mode,
which means no vault or member limits.

## Similar templates

- [Chat Chat](https://railway.com/deploy/-WWW5r) — Chat Chat, your own unified chat and search to AI platform.
- [stella](https://railway.com/deploy/stella) — Self-host stella with web, API, Postgres, Redis, and object storage.
- [Hermes Agent | OpenClaw Alternative with Dashboard](https://railway.com/deploy/hermes-agent-or-openclaw-alternative-wit) — Self-Hosted Hermes AI Agent for Telegram, Discord & Slack

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