Deploy and Host a Linux Desktop (Ubuntu XFCE) on Railway

This template runs a full Ubuntu desktop with the XFCE environment in the cloud, streamed to any device through the linuxserver.io Webtop Selkies web interface. Open your Railway domain, log in, and you have a real Linux desktop with a terminal, file manager, browser and sudo. Installed packages, files and settings under the home directory persist between visits.

About Hosting a Linux Desktop

The service streams a GPU-less XFCE desktop over WebSockets with the linuxserver.io Selkies stack. Access is gated by HTTP basic auth (CUSTOM_USER / generated PASSWORD), and the user's home persists on a volume at /config. Set TITLE to change the browser tab name.

Common Use Cases

A persistent Linux workstation reachable from an iPad, Chromebook, phone or locked-down work laptop
Run GUI apps in the cloud: a browser with extensions, an editor, a chat client, an IDE
Disposable sandbox for opening untrusted files or links away from your real machine
Shared desktop for a team: one URL, one login, same session state

Dependencies for Linux Desktop 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 desktop appears. On touch devices, use the sidebar for keyboard and gestures. The desktop user abc has passwordless sudo, so sudo apt install works from the built-in terminal.

Notes and limits:

Keep the login strong: the password gate is the whole security model for a desktop with sudo.
Only /config (the home directory) persists. Packages installed with apt live outside it and are gone after a redeploy; reinstall them or keep a setup script in your home.
Rendering is CPU-based (no GPU on Railway). Fine for desktop apps and light video; not for 3D or heavy media work.
Give the service 2 GB of RAM or more. A desktop plus a browser is memory-hungry.
No Docker daemon inside the desktop.
Looking for just a browser? The same author publishes Chromium, Google Chrome, Firefox, Brave and Microsoft Edge templates.

Why Deploy a Linux Desktop 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 a Linux desktop 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.