---
title: Buzz
description: Buzz is a self-hostable workspace built on a Nostr-style event relay. Channels, threads, media, git events, workflows, and agent activity live in one …
product: Marketplace
url: https://docs.digitalocean.com/products/marketplace/catalog/buzz/
last_updated: "2026-09-03"
---

> **For AI agents:** The documentation index is at [https://docs.digitalocean.com/llms.txt](https://docs.digitalocean.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of pages use the same URL with `index.html.md` in place of the HTML page (for example, append `index.html.md` to the directory path instead of opening the HTML document).

# Buzz

Generated on 3 Sep 2026 from [the Buzz catalog page](https://marketplace.digitalocean.com/apps/buzz)

## Buzz 1-Click Application

Deploy [Buzz](https://buzz.xyz/) — a free, open-source collaboration platform from Block where humans and AI agents share the same rooms on a relay you own.

## What is Buzz?

Buzz is a self-hostable workspace built on a Nostr-style event relay. Channels, threads, media, git events, workflows, and agent activity live in one signed event log. Connect the [Buzz desktop app](https://github.com/block/buzz/releases) to `wss://your-droplet` (the HTTPS page on the Droplet is a relay landing page only).

## Included System Components

- **Ubuntu 24.04 LTS**
- **Buzz Relay** `ghcr.io/block/buzz:0.2.0` (WebSocket + REST + bundled web UI)
- **PostgreSQL 17.10** — event store
- **Redis 7.4.10** — pub/sub and presence
- **MinIO** — S3-compatible media / object storage
- **Docker Engine + Compose** — orchestrates the stack under `/opt/buzz`
- **Caddy** — HTTPS on 80/443 with Let’s Encrypt shortlived certificates; proxies to `127.0.0.1:3000`
- **UFW** — SSH (rate-limited), HTTP, HTTPS
- **fail2ban**

## System Requirements

| Workload | RAM | CPU | Disk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum (small team) | 4 GB | 2 vCPU | 50 GB |
| Recommended | 8 GB | 4 vCPU | 100 GB+ |

This 1-Click defaults to a **2 vCPU / 4 GB** Droplet.

## Software Included

| Package | Version | License |
|---|---|---|
| Buzz Relay | 0.2.0 | [Buzz](https://github.com/block/buzz/pkgs/container/buzz) |
| PostgreSQL | 17.10 | |
| Redis | 7.4.10 | |
| Caddy | 2.11.4 | [Apache License 2.0](https://github.com/caddyserver/caddy/blob/master/LICENSE) |

## Creating an App using the Control Panel

Click the **Deploy to DigitalOcean** button to create a Droplet based on this 1-Click App. If you aren’t logged in, this link will prompt you to log in with your DigitalOcean account.

[![Deploy to DO](https://www.deploytodo.com/do-btn-blue.svg)](https://cloud.digitalocean.com/droplets/new?image=buzz)

## Creating an App using the API

In addition to creating a Droplet from the Buzz 1-Click App using the control panel, you can also use the [DigitalOcean API](https://docs.digitalocean.com/reference/api). As an example, to create a 4GB Buzz Droplet in the SFO2 region, you can use the following `curl` command. You need to either save your [API access token](https://docs.digitalocean.com/reference/api/create-personal-access-token/index.html.md) to an environment variable or substitute it in the command below.

```shell
curl -X POST -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
         -H 'Authorization: Bearer '$TOKEN'' -d \
        '{"name":"choose_a_name","region":"sfo2","size":"s-2vcpu-4gb","image":"buzz"}' \
        "https://api.digitalocean.com/v2/droplets"
```

## Getting Started After Deploying Buzz

1. **Create the Droplet** from this 1-Click, attach an SSH key, and wait for first-boot init (SSH is locked until `001_onboot` finishes).
2. **Read credentials**: `/root/buzz_credentials.txt` (also shown in the MOTD) — copy the **`nsec1` owner secret** (for Desktop) and Relay URL `wss://YOUR_DROPLET_IP`. Hex forms are also listed for the relay/CLI; Buzz Desktop only accepts `nsec1`.
3. **Install [Buzz Desktop](https://github.com/block/buzz/releases)** (macOS / Windows / Linux). The browser page at `https://YOUR_DROPLET_IP` is only a relay landing page; it does **not** offer key import or chat.
4. **Claim the relay** in Buzz Desktop: **Use an existing key**, paste the `nsec1` from credentials, then Join a Community with `wss://YOUR_DROPLET_IP`.
5. **Optional domain**: point DNS at the Droplet, then run `/opt/setup-buzz-domain.sh`.

The relay starts in **closed membership mode**. Random visitors cannot join until you add them.

## Start / Stop / Restart / Update

```
/opt/start-buzz.sh
/opt/stop-buzz.sh
/opt/restart-buzz.sh
/opt/status-buzz.sh
/opt/update-buzz.sh
/opt/update-buzz.sh 0.2.0
```

Or with systemd:

```
systemctl start|stop|restart|status buzz
systemctl status caddy
```

Member management:

```
/opt/buzz/run.sh add-member <npub-or-hex>
/opt/buzz/run.sh list-members
/opt/buzz/run.sh logs
/opt/buzz/run.sh backup-hint
```

## Important Paths

| Path | Purpose |
|---|---|
| `/opt/buzz/` | Compose stack + `run.sh` |
| `/opt/buzz/.env` | Secrets and public URL settings |
| `/root/buzz_credentials.txt` | Owner keypair + access URLs |
| `/root/buzz_info.txt` | First-boot getting-started summary |

## Security Notes

- Port **3000** is bound to **localhost only**; public access is via Caddy on **80/443**.
- Secrets are generated on **first boot** (not baked into the snapshot).
- Back up `.env`, `/root/buzz_credentials.txt` (owner `nsec1`/hex), Postgres, and MinIO volumes together before upgrades.

## Software License

Buzz is Apache-2.0. See [https://github.com/block/buzz](https://github.com/block/buzz).