Deploy and Host GIMP on Railway

This template runs the full desktop GIMP application in the cloud, streamed to any device through the linuxserver.io Selkies web interface. Open your Railway domain, log in, and GIMP is running on the server with its files, settings and plugins persisted between visits.

About Hosting GIMP

GIMP is the open-source raster image editor for retouching, compositing and batch processing. The service streams a GPU-less desktop session over WebSockets with the linuxserver.io Selkies stack. Access is gated by HTTP basic auth (CUSTOM_USER / generated PASSWORD), and the application data persists on a volume at /config.

Common Use Cases

Edit images from a tablet or a locked-down work laptop
Process large files on server RAM instead of a thin client
A shared editing station for a small team
Disposable, isolated environment for opening files you do not fully trust

Dependencies for GIMP Hosting

None. Single service, no database.

Deployment Dependencies

Implementation Details

First use: open your Railway domain, log in with CUSTOM_USER and the generated PASSWORD (service Variables tab), and the GIMP window appears. On touch devices, use the sidebar for keyboard and gestures. Files you save under /config (the home directory) persist; use the built-in file manager or drag and drop into the browser window to upload, and the download tray to fetch files back.

Notes and limits:

Keep the login strong: the password gate is the whole security model.
Rendering is CPU-based (no GPU on Railway). Fine for the application UI and light media; not for GPU-accelerated work.
Give the service 2 GB of RAM or more; desktop applications are memory-hungry.
Only /config persists. Anything installed outside it is gone after a redeploy.
Want a whole desktop instead of one app? The same author publishes a Linux Desktop template.

Why Deploy GIMP 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 GIMP 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.