The Server edition runs as a web server accessible from any browser. It supports multiple simultaneous users, PostgreSQL, Docker, and advanced configuration options.

The Server edition is available for Windows and Linux only. macOS users should use Docker or the Standalone edition instead.

The recommended way to run Lighthouse is via Docker. If you prefer, you can also run the binary directly on Windows or Linux.

Supported Platforms

  Windows Linux Docker
Binary ✅ ✅ —
Docker ✅ ✅ ✅

Binary Installation

All packages include everything — no prerequisites required. Download the latest version through our Website.

Windows

  1. Download the latest Lighthouse.exe from our Website.
  2. The Windows binary is code signed. Simply double-click the executable to start Lighthouse.
  3. The app will open a terminal window showing log messages.
  4. By default, Lighthouse runs on:
    • HTTP: http://localhost:5000

You should see the (empty) landing page: Landing Page

Linux

  1. Download the latest Lighthouse release for Linux from our Website.
  2. Extract the archive to your desired location.
  3. If the Lighthouse file is not executable, make it so: 
     sudo chmod +x Lighthouse
  4. Open a terminal, navigate to the Lighthouse directory, and run: 
     ./Lighthouse
  5. By default, Lighthouse runs on:
    • HTTP: http://localhost:5000

You should see the (empty) landing page: Landing Page

Docker

The easiest way to run Lighthouse is via Docker. Lighthouse is available as a container hosted in the GitHub Container Registry:

docker pull ghcr.io/letpeoplework/lighthouse:latest

Available Tags

  • latest: Latest released version (if you want to keep using the “latest and greatest”)
  • dev-latest: Newest features currently in development (potentially less stable)
  • Specific version tags (e.g., 25.1.10.1012): Pin to a specific version (recommended for production)
  • Check packages for all available versions

Prerequisites

If you don’t have Docker installed, you can find installation instructions in the Docker docs.

Running Lighthouse 

docker run -d -p 8081:443 -p 8080:80 -v ".:/app/Data" -v "./logs:/app/logs" -e "Database__ConnectionString=Data Source=/app/Data/LighthouseAppContext.db" ghcr.io/letpeoplework/lighthouse:latest

This will:

  • Map host port 8081 to container port 443 (HTTPS)
  • Map host port 8080 to container port 80 (HTTP)
  • Use the directory you run the command from as storage for your database and logs

You can find more information on the configuration options under Configuration.

Updating Lighthouse

If a new version is released, you will see an indicator in the lower right corner of the footer. Clicking it opens a dialog with release notes for all newer versions.

Published packages do not include the database — your data is preserved across updates. Lighthouse always supports migrations to newer versions.

We recommend staying on the latest version. We continuously update Lighthouse with new features and bug fixes, and only offer support on the latest version.

Binary: Automatic Update

On Windows and Linux, Lighthouse supports automatic updates directly from within the app.

Binary: Replace Files

You can replace the files in the directory manually. Download and extract the latest version, then copy/paste into your Lighthouse folder, overriding all existing files.

Stop Lighthouse before replacing files to avoid conflicts.

Docker

Pull the latest container image:

docker pull ghcr.io/letpeoplework/lighthouse:latest

Automatic in-app updates are not supported on Docker. Use docker pull to update.

Troubleshoot Startup Issues

If Lighthouse is not available on the expected port after following the instructions, inspect the logs in the terminal and look for an Error.

You can share logs via our Slack Channel for support.

Address already in use 

10:26:11 - ERROR - Host: Hosting failed to start
System.IO.IOException: Failed to bind to address http://[::]:5000: address already in use

Another application is using the port. This may be another Lighthouse instance. If the port is blocked and you can’t change the other application, you can adjust the port Lighthouse uses — see Configuration Options.