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Deployment

ERD Builder Pro is designed to be flexible for deployment on various platforms, either as a serverless service or using containers.

1. Local Deployment (via Docker)​

This is the fastest way to run ERD Builder Pro on your own server (self-hosted). We provide official images on Docker Hub.

:::warning Important You must prepare a .env file containing the Database and Cloudflare R2 configuration:

  • DATABASE_URL — PostgreSQL connection string (required, both Supabase and Local PG)
  • SUPABASE_URL + SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY — only required when using Supabase mode
  • ERD_ENCRYPTION_KEY — required for securely storing DB Connect passwords and AI API keys in web/Docker deployments
  • R2 vars — recommended for full file/image upload functionality

If R2 is not configured, the file/image upload feature will error. For Local PostgreSQL mode, ensure the PostgreSQL database is reachable from the container. :::

Steps (Pull from Docker Hub):​

  1. Pull Image: 
    docker pull bekenweb/erd-builder-pro:latest
  2. Run Container:

docker run -d
-p 3000:3000
--name erd-builder-pro
--env-file .env
bekenweb/erd-builder-pro:latest


For Local PostgreSQL, the `.env` file must include at least:
```env
DATABASE_URL="postgresql://user:password@db:5432/erd_builder_pro"
ERD_ENCRYPTION_KEY="replace-with-a-random-key-at-least-32-characters-long"

Do not use or share admin@local.dev / admin123. After an empty Local PostgreSQL database starts, the application shows a one-time setup page to create a new super admin.

info

The Vite environment variables (VITE_SUPABASE_URL, VITE_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY) are baked into the Docker Hub image. Make sure you use the appropriate image tag for your needs.

The .env file content refers to .env.example in the main repository.

Available images: latest, specific versions (e.g., v1.2.3), and commit SHA.

Steps (Manual Build)​

If you want to build your own image with custom configuration:

  1. Build Image: 
    docker build --build-arg VITE_SUPABASE_URL=your_url --build-arg VITE_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY=your_key -t erd-builder-pro .
  2. Run Container: 
    docker run -d \
      -p 3000:3000 \
      --name erd-builder-pro \
      --env-file .env \
      erd-builder-pro
  3. Access the application at http://localhost:3000.

2. Vercel (Frontend & Serverless)​

This application is compatible with Vercel for simpler deployment:

  1. Connect your GitHub repository to Vercel.
  2. Use the Framework Preset: Vite.
  3. Set the Output Directory: dist.
  4. Enter all Environment Variables in the Vercel dashboard.

3. CLI Installer (One-Command Setup)​

The easiest way to run ERD Builder Pro locally — no clone, no Docker, no database setup.

npx erdbpro

Just Node.js 18+. Browser opens at http://localhost:3101.

Global Install​

npm install -g erdbpro
erdbpro

Login: The CLI uses local SQLite and auto-logs into the dashboard; there is no login page or default credential to share.

Data is stored in ~/.erdbpro/ (SQLite). Zero config, always ready. A local encryption key is created beside the database when neither ERD_ENCRYPTION_KEY nor ERD_ENCRYPTION_KEY_FILE is configured.

CLI Commands​

erdbpro                          # Start server + interactive menu
erdbpro start                    # Same as above
erdbpro start --background       # Run in background (detached)
erdbpro start --open             # Skip menu, open browser immediately
erdbpro start --port 4000        # Custom port
erdbpro start --force            # Restart if already running
erdbpro stop                     # Stop background server
erdbpro status                   # Check server status

Database​

SQLite only. Database auto-created at ~/.erdbpro/data.db. No configuration needed.

Need PostgreSQL? Use the Docker image instead:

docker run -p 3101:3101 -e DATABASE_URL=postgresql://... bekenweb/erd-builder-pro

The CLI distribution keeps things simple — SQLite is fast, portable, and requires zero setup. Docker and desktop (Tauri) builds support PostgreSQL for production use.

Interactive Menu​

After running erdbpro, a navigable menu appears:

▶ Web UI (Open in Browser)
  Hide to Background
  Exit
  • ↑↓ — move selector
  • Enter — execute action
  • q — quit

Background Mode​

erdbpro start --background
erdbpro status              # → ✅ Server running (PID: 12345)
erdbpro stop                # → 🛑 Server stopped

PID file at ~/.erdbpro/server.pid.

Update​

npm update -g erdbpro
erdbpro start --force       # Stop old + start new

Uninstall​

npm uninstall -g erdbpro
rm -rf ~/.erdbpro

4. Coolify / Other PaaS​

If you are using Coolify, you can use the Dockerfile method.

  • Ensure the exposed port is 3000.
  • Enter all environment variables in the Variables section of the Coolify dashboard.

Tips: Always ensure NODE_ENV=production when deploying for optimal performance.