# Campfire

Generated on 6 Nov 2025 from [the Campfire catalog page](https://marketplace.digitalocean.com/apps/campfire)

## Campfire 1-Click Application

Looking for an alternative to expensive, subscription-based chat services? Campfire is a simple, self-hosted group chat platform designed by 37signals for teams who want to own their data. With no recurring fees, it provides all the essential features you need, including real-time messaging, direct messages, private rooms, file sharing, powerful search, and even chatbot support. Get complete control over your data and deploy Campfire with a single click from the DigitalOcean Marketplace for a secure and private chat solution you control.

## What is Campfire?

Campfire is Basecamp’s elegant group chat solution that emphasizes simplicity and usability. Built on modern web technologies, it offers:

- **Real-time messaging** - Instant communication with your team
- **Clean interface** - Distraction-free design focused on conversation
- **File sharing** - Easy drag-and-drop file uploads
- **Search functionality** - Find messages and files quickly
- **Mobile responsive** - Works seamlessly across devices
- **Self-hosted** - Complete control over your data and privacy

## Key Features

- Simple, intuitive chat interface
- Real-time messaging with WebSocket support
- File uploads and sharing
- Message search and history
- Mobile-responsive design
- Docker-based deployment for easy management
- Automated SSL/TLS configuration
- Built-in user management

## System Requirements

Campfire is packed as a Docker container image and runs on your own droplet on DigitalOcean. Use this guide to choose the appropriate size droplet for your needs:

| Users | RAM | CPU |
|---|---|---|
| 250 | 2GB | 1CPU |
| 1,000 | 8GB | 4CPU |
| 5,000 | 32GB | 16CPU |
| 10,000 | 64GB | 32CPU |

## Software Included

| Package | Version | License |
|---|---|---|
| Campfire | Latest | MIT |

## 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=sharklabs-campfire)

## Creating an App using the API

In addition to creating a Droplet from the Campfire 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 Campfire 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":"sharklabs-campfire"}' \
        "https://api.digitalocean.com/v2/droplets"
```

## Getting Started After Deploying Campfire

## Getting Started

### Quick Start

1. **Deploy the Droplet** - Select this 1-Click App from the DigitalOcean Marketplace
2. **Access Campfire** - Navigate to your Droplet’s IP address in a web browser (e.g., `http://your-droplet-ip`)
3. **Configure your team** - Set up user accounts and start chatting

### Setting Up a Custom Domain (Recommended)

For a professional setup with automatic SSL/TLS certificates:

1. **Point your domain to the Droplet**

   - In your DNS provider, create an A record pointing your domain (e.g., `chat.yourcompany.com`) to your Droplet’s IP address
   - Wait for DNS propagation (usually 5-15 minutes)
2. **Configure Campfire for your domain**

   - SSH into your Droplet: `ssh root@your-droplet-ip`
   - Edit the configuration file: `nano /opt/campfire.env`
   - Uncomment and update the TLS\_DOMAIN line:

   ```
   TLS_DOMAIN=chat.yourcompany.com
   ```

   - Comment out the DISABLE\_SSL line by adding # at the beginning:

   ```
   # DISABLE_SSL=true
   ```
3. **Restart Campfire to apply changes**

```
/opt/restart-campfire.sh
```

4. **Access your secure Campfire installation**- Visit `https://chat.yourcompany.com` in your browser- SSL certificates will be automatically generated and configured

**Note**: The initial SSL certificate generation may take a few minutes. If you encounter any SSL errors, wait a moment and refresh the page.

## Updating Campfire

Your Campfire installation automatically updates to the latest version on first boot. To manually update to the latest version at any time:

1. **SSH into your Droplet**

```
ssh root@your-droplet-ip
```

2. **Run the update script**

```
/opt/update-campfire.sh
```

The update script will:

- Pull the latest code from GitHub
- Rebuild the Docker image
- Restart Campfire with the updated code
- Preserve all your configuration and data

**Note**: Updates may take a few minutes to complete. Your chat history and configuration will be preserved during updates.

## Post-Deployment

After deployment, Campfire will be accessible via HTTP on port 80. The application includes:

- Automatic firewall configuration
- Docker container with restart policies
- Persistent data storage via Docker volumes
- Generated secure session keys

For production use, consider:

- Configuring a custom domain with SSL/TLS
- Setting up regular backups of the data volume
- Configuring email notifications (if needed)

## Support

Campfire is an open-source project by Basecamp. For technical support:

- [Official Campfire Repository](https://github.com/basecamp/once-campfire)
- [DigitalOcean Community](https://www.digitalocean.com/community)
- [DigitalOcean Documentation](https://docs.digitalocean.com/)

Perfect for small teams, startups, and organizations looking for a simple, self-hosted chat solution without the complexity of larger enterprise platforms.