Outline is a polished, self-hosted team wiki and knowledge base — a self-hosted alternative offering real-time collaborative editing and a clean, modern interface for documenting team knowledge.
Prerequisites
- Docker and Docker Compose installed
- PostgreSQL and Redis (typically included in the Docker Compose setup)
- An OAuth provider for authentication (Google, Slack, or a generic OIDC provider — Outline requires OAuth-based login, not a standalone username/password system)
Step 1 — Set Up an OAuth Application
Outline requires configuring an OAuth application with your chosen identity provider before installation — consult Outline's official documentation for the specific steps matching your chosen provider (Google, Slack, Azure AD, generic OIDC, and others are supported).
Step 2 — Create a Project Directory
mkdir outline && cd outlineStep 3 — Download the Docker Compose Configuration
curl -o docker-compose.yml https://raw.githubusercontent.com/outline/outline/main/docker-compose.yml
curl -o .env https://raw.githubusercontent.com/outline/outline/main/.env.sampleStep 4 — Configure Environment Variables
nano .envSECRET_KEY=$(openssl rand -hex 32)
UTILS_SECRET=$(openssl rand -hex 32)
URL=https://wiki.yourdomain.com
# OAuth provider settings (example: Google)
GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID=your-client-id
GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET=your-client-secretStep 5 — Start Outline
docker compose up -dStep 6 — Add HTTPS via Reverse Proxy
See How to Install Nginx Proxy Manager with Docker to route your configured domain with SSL, matching the URL specified in your .env configuration.
Step 7 — Sign In via OAuth
Access your configured domain and sign in through your chosen OAuth provider — the first user to sign in typically becomes the workspace administrator.
Organizing Content with Collections
Outline organizes documents into "Collections" (similar to folders/spaces) — structure these around your team's actual organization (by department, project, or topic) for intuitive navigation.
Real-Time Collaborative Editing
Multiple users can edit the same document simultaneously with live updates — a standout feature compared to simpler wiki platforms, well-suited to active team documentation workflows.
Using the API for Integrations
Outline provides an API for programmatic access — useful for integrating documentation creation/updates with other tools in your workflow.
Backing Up Outline
Back up the PostgreSQL database (containing all documents and metadata) as your primary backup priority — see database backup guides in the Databases category, applied to whichever database container Outline is using.
Common Errors
OAuth login fails — verify the redirect URI configured in your OAuth provider's settings exactly matches your Outline instance's actual URL, including the correct callback path.
Continue Reading
- How to Install Nginx Proxy Manager with Docker
- How to Install and Secure PostgreSQL on Ubuntu & Debian
- How to Set Up API Authentication with JWT
Browse more articles in Popular Self-Hosted Applications.
