Deploy and Host File Convert on Railway

Transmute is an open-source, self-hosted file conversion platform that supports over 2,000 file format conversions across images, videos, audio, documents, spreadsheets, subtitles, fonts, and structured data. It includes a modern web interface, a REST API, and built-in authentication, allowing you to convert files privately without relying on third-party conversion services.

About Hosting File Convert

Hosting Transmute on Railway provides a fully managed environment for running your own file conversion service while keeping all file processing within your infrastructure. This template deploys a single Transmute service with a Railway Volume for persistent file storage and user data. Railway automatically provisions HTTPS, public networking, and deployment management without requiring additional services such as databases or Redis. The built-in REST API enables integration with automation platforms like n8n, Make, and custom applications, while user authentication and per-user data isolation make the service suitable for both personal and team deployments.

Common Use Cases

• Convert documents, images, audio, video, and other files through a private web interface.
• Build automated file conversion workflows using the REST API with tools such as n8n or Make.
• Deploy a secure, self-hosted alternative to cloud-based file conversion platforms for teams and organizations.

Dependencies for File Convert Hosting

Transmute does not require an external database, Redis, or third-party API services.

Deployment Dependencies

Implementation Details

Docker

This template deploys the official container image:

ghcr.io/transmute-app/transmute

Railway automatically deploys the application without requiring custom build or start commands.

Public Networking

Generate a Railway domain from Settings → Networking → Generate Domain to securely access the web interface and REST API.

Environment Variables

Note: Railway automatically injects the application port. Do not manually set the PORT variable.

Example:

AUTH_ENABLED=true

DEFAULT_ADMIN_EMAIL=admin@example.com
DEFAULT_ADMIN_PASSWORD=strong-password

MAX_FILE_SIZE=1073741824

Persistent Storage

Transmute requires persistent storage for uploaded files, conversion data, and user information.

Add a Railway Volume:

1. Open the Transmute service.
2. Navigate to Settings → Volumes.
3. Select Add Volume.
4. Mount the volume using the path documented by the container image.

The application processes all files locally within your Railway deployment, ensuring they never leave your infrastructure during conversion.

Database

No external database is required.

Transmute uses a single-service architecture and does not require PostgreSQL, MySQL, Redis, or other infrastructure services for standard deployments.

Build & Start

The application runs directly from the official container image.

No custom build or start commands are required.

Accessing the Application

After deployment:

1. Generate a Railway public domain.
2. Open the generated URL.
3. Create the administrator account or use the credentials configured through environment variables.
4. Upload files through the web interface or use the REST API for automated conversions.
5. Generate API tokens from your account settings for integration with external applications and automation platforms.

Why Deploy File Convert 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 File Convert 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.