Deploy and Host Managed Documize Service with one click on Railway

Documize is a powerful open-source documentation and knowledge management platform that helps teams create, organize, and share internal or external documentation seamlessly. Available on GitHub, it combines the simplicity of a wiki with the structure of a documentation tool, making it ideal for businesses, developers, and organizations looking to build collaborative documentation systems while maintaining full control of their data.

About Hosting Documize on Railway (Self Hosting Documize on Railway)

Self-hosting Documize gives you total control over your documentation data, storage, and configuration. Unlike third-party documentation services, hosting on your own infrastructure ensures that your internal documentation remains private, secure, and customizable to fit your needs.

Railway makes the process of deploying and managing Documize incredibly straightforward. With its one-click deploy feature, you can set up a full Documize instance complete with its database and backend in minutes.

Why Deploy Managed Documize Service on Railway

Deploying Documize on Railway provides a seamless, automated way to run your knowledge management system. Railway handles scaling, uptime, and infrastructure management while you focus on building content and collaboration workflows.

You get the best of both worlds: the power and flexibility of self-hosting Documize with the convenience of a managed platform that automates maintenance, scaling, and security.

Railway vs DigitalOcean:

DigitalOcean requires manual configuration of servers, databases, and updates to host Documize. On Railway, you can deploy Documize instantly without worrying about server management or patching.

Railway vs Linode:

While Linode provides raw VPS power, it requires manual scaling and system administration. Railway automates everything from deployment to updates, ensuring your Documize instance runs smoothly without extra sysadmin effort.

Railway vs Vultr:

Hosting on Vultr means handling your own networking, OS updates, and backup strategy. Railway simplifies this by providing an integrated, managed environment where Documize runs securely and efficiently with minimal setup.

Railway vs AWS Lightsail:

AWS Lightsail involves multiple configuration steps and manual scaling. Railway offers one-click Documize deployment with built-in scaling and minimal setup - no need to manage complex cloud configurations.

Railway vs Hetzner:

Hetzner is cost-effective for power users but requires in-depth technical management. Railway removes that barrier, letting users deploy and manage Documize easily through an intuitive dashboard.

Common Use Cases for Documize

Here are some of the most popular use cases for Documize:

Internal Documentation: Centralize company policies, workflows, and knowledge bases in one searchable hub.
Product Documentation: Create user guides, release notes, and developer documentation with version control.
Team Collaboration: Enable real-time collaboration for project planning, design specs, and sprint retrospectives.
Wiki Replacement: Replace outdated wikis with modern, structured documentation that’s easy to navigate and maintain.
Client Knowledge Base: Build branded, external-facing documentation portals for clients or users.

![Documize self-hosted documentation Image](https://res.cloudinary.com/dojdzamvk/image/upload/v1761751125/zerabase_2x_twirgz.webp "Deploying Documize on Railway platform”)

Dependencies for Documize Hosted on Railway

To host Documize on Railway, you’ll need the following dependencies:

Database: PostgreSQL or MySQL for storing documentation and metadata.
Runtime Environment: Node.js (for the backend API).
Storage: Persistent storage for uploaded files and assets.

Deployment Dependencies for Managed Documize Service

Railway’s managed Documize deployment automatically provisions a database, runtime environment, and secure storage, so you don’t need to configure these manually.

Implementation Details for Documize (Knowledge Management System)

To deploy Documize on Railway, you typically set the following environment variables:

DOCUMIZE_DB_HOST
DOCUMIZE_DB_USER
DOCUMIZE_DB_PASS
DOCUMIZE_DB_NAME

These variables help connect your Documize backend to the database securely.

How Documize Compares to Other Documentation Platforms

Documize vs Confluence

Documize is open source and self-hostable, giving you complete control over your documentation. Confluence, while feature-rich, is proprietary and hosted by Atlassian, with limited customization and higher recurring costs.

Documize vs Notion

Notion is great for simple note-taking and collaboration, but it’s not ideal for structured documentation. Documize offers better organization, document control, and enterprise-grade data privacy.

Documize vs Wiki.js

Wiki.js is lightweight and focuses on simple documentation needs. Documize, on the other hand, provides a more complete documentation management system with templates, permissions, and version tracking.

Documize vs BookStack

BookStack offers a clean UI for documentation but lacks the flexibility and workflow automation features of Documize. Documize supports dynamic templates, API access, and more robust collaboration tools.

How to Use Documize

Using Documize is simple:

Deploy Documize on Railway - Set up your instance in one click.
Login and Configure - Access your admin dashboard and set up users, spaces, and permissions.
Create Documents - Start adding guides, pages, or templates for your team.
Collaborate and Organize - Use folders, tags, and permissions to organize and share documents.
Search and Access Anywhere - Enjoy full-text search, fast access, and real-time collaboration across your team.

How to Self Host Documize on Other VPS Platforms

Clone the Repository

Get the official code from GitHub: https://github.com/documize/community

Install Dependencies

Ensure Node.js, PostgreSQL, and a compatible web server are installed.

Configure Environment Variables

Set database credentials and runtime configurations (DOCUMIZE_DB_HOST, DOCUMIZE_DB_USER, DOCUMIZE_DB_PASS, DOCUMIZE_DB_NAME).

Start the Application

Run the backend using Node.js and expose the service via Nginx or another web server.

Access the Documize Dashboard

Once installed, log in via your browser, configure your instance, and start building documentation.

Deploying on Railway simplifies this entire process - no manual setup required. Deploy Now!

Features of Documize

Open-source and self-hostable documentation platform.
Integrated editor with markdown and WYSIWYG support.
Role-based access control for secure collaboration.
Template system for repeatable document creation.
API support for integrations and automation.

Official Pricing of Documize

Documize offers a Community Edition that is completely free and open source. This version is perfect for small teams and developers who want full control over their setup.

The Enterprise Edition includes additional features such as SSO integration, advanced permissions, workflow automation, and priority support. Enterprise pricing is available on request and is designed for larger organizations with compliance and scalability needs.

Self Hosting Documize vs Documize Cloud Plans

Self-hosting: Free and customizable, with full control over your documentation and data. You manage hosting and updates yourself (or via Railway).
Cloud Plans: Paid plans that include hosting, updates, security management, and enterprise support directly from the Documize team.

Monthly Cost of Self Hosting Documize on Railway

Hosting Documize on Railway typically costs $5–$10 per month for the main app and around $2–$5 for the PostgreSQL database.

System Requirements for Hosting Documize

CPU: 2+ cores
RAM: 2–4 GB
Storage: Minimum 10 GB SSD
Database: PostgreSQL or MySQL
Runtime: Node.js 14+

FAQs

What is Documize?

Documize is an open-source documentation and knowledge management tool designed for teams, offering collaborative writing, version control, and secure access.

How do I self host Documize?

You can self-host Documize using Node.js and PostgreSQL on your own server, or deploy it instantly with one click on Railway.

What are the key features of Documize?

Documize features markdown editing, role-based permissions, version tracking, API access, and integration capabilities for enterprise documentation workflows.

How do I deploy Documize on Railway?

Choose the Documize template on Railway, set your environment variables, and click Deploy Now - Railway automates the setup, scaling, and database provisioning.

What are the dependencies for Documize hosting?

You need Node.js, a PostgreSQL database, and minimal storage for document assets. Railway provisions all of these automatically.

How does Railway simplify Documize deployment compared to other VPS providers?

Railway automates hosting, scaling, and database configuration, while other VPS platforms require manual installation, patching, and maintenance.

How much does it cost to self host Documize on Railway?

On average, it costs around $5–$10 per month depending on resource usage, making it affordable for startups and enterprises alike.

Where can I find the official Documize source code?

You can find and contribute to Documize on GitHub at https://github.com/documize/community.