Authentik Installation

About Authentik

Authentik is an open-source identity provider that integrates seamlessly into your applications. It is designed to provide secure authentication and authorization services for your users.

Requirements

A host with at least 2 CPU cores and 2 GB of RAM
Docker
Docker Compose (Compose v2 is recommended, see here for instructions on how to upgrade)

Installation

To install Authentik using Docker Compose, follow these steps:

wget https://goauthentik.io/docker-compose.yml

sudo apt-get install -y pwgen

echo "PG_PASS=$(pwgen -s 40 1)" >> .env

echo "AUTHENTIK_SECRET_KEY=$(pwgen -s 50 1)" >> .env

echo "AUTHENTIK_ERROR_REPORTING__ENABLED=true" >> .env

Run Authentik Compose File

This command initially installs Authentik and is also used to update settings and configurations:

docker-compose pull
docker-compose up -d

Initial Setup

To start the initial setup, navigate to: http://<your server's IP or hostname>:9443/if/flow/initial-setup/.

Benefits of Self-Hosting

Self-hosting Authentik has its advantages and disadvantages.

Positives

Full control over your authentication processes and user data.
Ability to customize features to suit your community's needs.
Enhanced privacy and security since data does not reside on third-party servers.
Privacy is improved since data is not stored on third-party servers.
Cost-effective compared to paid services which may charge per user.
Automations can be set up to manage user accounts and permissions.

Negatives

Requires maintenance, including updates and backups.
Initial setup and configuration may be complex for some users.
Needs a reliable host with sufficient resources.
Security may be compromised if not properly configured and the identity provider is a large target for attackers.

Community Building

Self-hosting Authentik can significantly contribute to community building by providing a secure and customizable authentication solution. It allows community moderators to manage user accounts effectively, creating a trustworthy environment for all members.

For example, this community-made app allows moderators to use specific functions from Authentik: Authentik Account Creation.