Self-Host AFFiNE on Windows with Docker & WSL

Cloud apps give you convenience, but they come with risks. If your internet fails or a service changes terms, your data could vanish. Self-hosting AFFiNE solves this problem by letting you run a private workspace on your own machine. This guide walks you through setting up AFFiNE on Windows using Docker and WSL—no cloud dependency required.

Why Self-Host AFFiNE?

AFFiNE is a hybrid workspace for notes, tasks, and diagrams. While its cloud version is convenient, self-hosting offers three key advantages:

• Data ownership: Your notes stay local, never leaving your machine.
• Privacy: Avoid third-party access to sensitive ideas.
• DevOps skills: Learn Docker and WSL, valuable tools for modern developers.

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

• WSL 2 installed on Windows (Ubuntu recommended).
• Docker and Docker Compose running.
• Basic Linux terminal knowledge (commands like mkdir, cd, and wget).

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Create a Workspace Folder

Organize your files by creating a dedicated folder:

mkdir affine

2. Download AFFiNE Files

Use WSL to fetch the Docker configuration:

wget -O docker-compose.yml https://github.com/toeverything/affine/releases/latest/download/docker-compose.yml
wget -O .env https://github.com/toeverything/affine/releases/latest/download/default.env.example

3. Configure the .env File

Edit the .env file to set storage paths and credentials:

DB_DATA_LOCATION=./postgres
UPLOAD_LOCATION=./storage
CONFIG_LOCATION=./config
DB_USERNAME=affine
DB_PASSWORD=your_password

4. Launch the System

Start the Docker containers in the background:

docker compose up -d

5. Access the Admin Panel

Open http://localhost:3010 in your browser and create an admin account. This is your gateway to managing the server.

6. Customize Your Server

Use the admin panel (/admin/settings) to rename your workspace or configure email settings. For advanced users, create a config.json file in the ./config folder:

{

"server": {

"name": "My Private Workspace"

}
}

7. Connect the Desktop App (Optional)

Download the AFFiNE desktop app, add your server via http://localhost:3010, and sync your workspace across devices.

8. Stop and Backup Safely

Shut down the server before backing up:

docker compose down

Copy the affine folder to an external drive for safe storage.

9. Upgrade AFFiNE Later

When updates are released, run:

wget -O docker-compose.yml https://github.com/toeverything/affine/releases/latest/download/docker-compose.yml
docker compose pull
docker compose up -d

Troubleshooting Common Errors

• Docker not running: Start Docker Desktop on Windows.
• WSL integration issue: Enable WSL in Docker Desktop settings.
• Port conflict: Change 3010:3010 to 4000:3010 in docker-compose.yml.
• Permission denied: Use sudo rm -rf affine/ to delete folders.

Conclusion

You’ve now built a self-hosted AFFiNE workspace, mastering Docker, WSL, and PostgreSQL. This setup gives you full control over your data and a flexible workspace for notes, tasks, and diagrams. Ready to take it further? Explore Cloudflare Tunnels to access your server remotely.

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