---
title: "Deploy Chamilo LMS | Open Source Moodle Alternative"
description: "Self-host Chamilo e-learning platform. Courses, quizzes, certs & more"
category: "CMS"
url: https://railway.com/deploy/chamilo
---

# Deploy Chamilo LMS | Open Source Moodle Alternative

Self-host Chamilo e-learning platform. Courses, quizzes, certs & more

**[Deploy Chamilo LMS | Open Source Moodle Alternative on Railway](https://railway.com/template/chamilo)**

- **Creator:** Heimdall
- **Category:** CMS
- **Total deploys:** 22

## Template content

### Chamilo https://raw.githubusercontent.com/chamilo/chamilo-lms/master/public/img/pwa-icons/icon-512.png 

- **Image:** ipeos/chamilo:1.11
- **Start command:** `/bin/sh -c 'a2dismod mpm_event 2>/dev/null; a2enmod mpm_prefork 2>/dev/null; apache2-foreground'`
- **Public domain:** Yes

### MariaDB https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/homarr-labs/dashboard-icons/svg/mariadb.svg

- **Image:** mariadb:10.11

## Documentation

![Chamilo LMS logo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/Chamilo_LMS.svg)

# Deploy and Host Chamilo LMS on Railway

Deploy Chamilo LMS on Railway to get a fully managed e-learning platform running in minutes. Self-host Chamilo LMS with this template that pre-configures Chamilo 1.11 with a MariaDB database, persistent storage for courses and uploads, and a public HTTPS domain — ready for the built-in installation wizard.

Chamilo is an open-source learning management system focused on ease of use, accessibility, and low resource consumption. It powers online courses, corporate training programs, and academic institutions across 180+ countries.

## Getting Started with Chamilo LMS on Railway

Once the deployment completes, open the public URL to access the Chamilo installation wizard. Select your language, then enter the MariaDB connection details: host is `MariaDB.railway.internal`, port `3306`, database user `chamilo`, and the password set in your MariaDB environment variables. Set the database name to `chamilo`.

Create your administrator account with a strong password during the wizard. After installation completes, log in to the admin panel to configure your portal name, timezone, and default language. Your first action should be creating a course — navigate to **Create a course** from the dashboard to start building your curriculum.

## About Hosting Chamilo LMS

Chamilo LMS is a free, open-source e-learning and content management system maintained by the Chamilo Association. It provides a complete platform for creating and delivering online courses, managing learners, tracking progress, and issuing certificates.

- **Course authoring** with SCORM, xAPI, and LTI support for content interoperability
- **20+ quiz question types** including multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, matching, and drag-and-drop
- **Learning analytics** with detailed progress tracking, course completion rates, and participation metrics
- **Gamification** with points, badges, and leaderboards to drive learner engagement
- **Video conferencing** integration with BigBlueButton and OpenMeetings for virtual classrooms
- **Skills management** and certificate generation based on completed training paths
- **GDPR-compliant** with European privacy and security standards built in

The template deploys two services: the Chamilo PHP/Apache application server and a MariaDB 10.11 database for storing courses, user data, and learning records.

## Why Deploy Chamilo LMS on Railway

- One-click infrastructure with managed MariaDB and persistent volumes
- HTTPS enabled by default with Railway's TLS-terminating proxy
- Scale vertically by adjusting Railway service resources as your learner base grows
- No server administration — Railway handles containers, networking, and storage
- Full data ownership with self-hosted deployment

## Common Use Cases for Self-Hosted Chamilo LMS

- **Corporate training platforms** — onboard employees, track compliance training, and manage skill development programs
- **Academic institutions** — deliver blended learning courses with quizzes, assignments, and grade books
- **Certification programs** — build learning paths that automatically issue certificates on completion
- **Non-profit education** — provide free or low-cost e-learning to underserved communities with minimal infrastructure costs

## Dependencies for Chamilo LMS on Railway

- **Chamilo** — `ipeos/chamilo:1.11` (Chamilo 1.11.28, PHP 7.4, Apache)
- **MariaDB** — `mariadb:10.11` (relational database for courses, users, and learning records)

### Environment Variables Reference for Chamilo LMS

| Variable | Service | Description |
|----------|---------|-------------|
| `PORT` | Chamilo | HTTP listening port (80) |
| `PHP_MEMORY_LIMIT` | Chamilo | PHP memory allocation |
| `PHP_UPLOAD_MAX_FILESIZE` | Chamilo | Maximum upload file size |
| `MYSQL_DATABASE` | MariaDB | Database name |
| `MYSQL_USER` | MariaDB | Database user |
| `MYSQL_PASSWORD` | MariaDB | Database password |

### Deployment Dependencies

- **Runtime:** PHP 7.4, Apache 2.4, MariaDB 10.11
- **Docker Hub:** [ipeos/chamilo](https://hub.docker.com/r/ipeos/chamilo), [mariadb](https://hub.docker.com/_/mariadb)
- **GitHub:** [chamilo/chamilo-lms](https://github.com/chamilo/chamilo-lms)
- **Docs:** [Chamilo Documentation](https://docs.chamilo.org)

## Hardware Requirements for Self-Hosting Chamilo LMS

| Resource | Minimum | Recommended |
|----------|---------|-------------|
| CPU | 1 vCPU | 2 vCPU |
| RAM | 512 MB | 2 GB |
| Storage | 1 GB | 10 GB+ |
| Runtime | PHP 7.4+, MariaDB 10.x | PHP 7.4+, MariaDB 10.11 |

Chamilo is lightweight compared to alternatives like Moodle. A basic installation with under 100 users runs comfortably on 512 MB RAM. Scale storage based on course content volume — video-heavy courses require significantly more disk space.

## Self-Hosting Chamilo LMS with Docker

Pull the official community Docker image and run Chamilo with a MariaDB database:

```
docker run -d --name chamilo-db \
  -e MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=rootpass \
  -e MYSQL_USER=chamilo \
  -e MYSQL_PASSWORD=chamilopass \
  -e MYSQL_DATABASE=chamilo \
  -v chamilo_db:/var/lib/mysql \
  mariadb:10.11
```

```
docker run -d --name chamilo \
  --link chamilo-db:mysql \
  -p 8080:80 \
  -v chamilo_data:/var/www/html \
  ipeos/chamilo:1.11
```

Access `http://localhost:8080` and complete the installation wizard. Enter `mysql` as the database host (the linked container alias), `chamilo` as the user, and `chamilopass` as the password.

## Is Chamilo LMS Free to Self-Host?

Chamilo LMS is 100% free and open-source under the GNU/GPLv3 license. There are no licensing fees, user limits, or feature restrictions. The Chamilo Association also offers Chamilo Pro — a hosted version with professional support for organizations that prefer managed hosting. When self-hosting on Railway, your only cost is the infrastructure usage on your Railway plan.

## Chamilo LMS vs Moodle for Self-Hosting

| Feature | Chamilo LMS | Moodle |
|---------|------------|--------|
| Ease of use | 10/10 (minimal clicks) | 7.7/10 (steeper curve) |
| Resource usage | Lightweight (~512 MB RAM) | Heavier (~2 GB RAM minimum) |
| Course authoring | 9.2/10 | 8.0/10 |
| Plugin ecosystem | Moderate | Very large |
| SCORM/xAPI | Full support | Full support |
| License | GNU/GPLv3 | GNU/GPLv3 |
| Market share | 1% | 7.4% |

Chamilo is the better choice for organizations that prioritize ease of use and low resource consumption. Moodle offers a larger plugin ecosystem and community but requires more server resources and administrative expertise.

## FAQ

**What is Chamilo LMS and why should you self-host it?**
Chamilo is an open-source learning management system focused on ease of use and accessibility. Self-hosting gives you full control over your data, no user limits, and the ability to customize the platform to your organization's needs.

**What does this Railway template deploy for Chamilo LMS?**
This template deploys two services: the Chamilo PHP/Apache application server (`ipeos/chamilo:1.11`) and a MariaDB 10.11 database. Both services include persistent volumes for data durability across redeployments.

**Why does Chamilo LMS need a MariaDB database on Railway?**
Chamilo stores all course content, user accounts, learning records, quiz results, and certificates in a relational database. MariaDB provides the MySQL-compatible storage engine that Chamilo requires.

**How do I configure Chamilo LMS after deploying on Railway?**
After deployment, visit the public URL to access the installation wizard. Enter `MariaDB.railway.internal` as the database host, port `3306`, user `chamilo`, and the password from your MariaDB environment variables. The wizard handles database table creation and initial configuration.

**Can I migrate an existing Chamilo installation to Railway?**
Yes. Export your existing MariaDB database with `mysqldump`, import it into the Railway MariaDB service, and copy your `/var/www/html` directory contents to the Chamilo volume. Update the database connection details during the installation wizard to point to the new MariaDB service.

**How do I enable BigBlueButton video conferencing in self-hosted Chamilo?**
After installation, navigate to **Administration > Plugins** and enable the BigBlueButton plugin. Configure the BBB server URL and shared secret in the plugin settings. Note that BigBlueButton itself requires a separate server with UDP support — it cannot run on Railway.


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