Where Does Self Hosted Documenso Store Data?
Self hosted Documenso keeps config in .env beside compose.yml, the signing cert at opt documenso, and data in Postgres.
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A production Documenso install has three persistent pieces. The .env file beside compose.yml holds secrets and URLs. The signing certificate sits at opt documenso cert.p12 on the host, mounted read only into the app container. Everything else lives in Postgres.
The compose file names the database volume plainly. Documents default to database storage, so the Postgres data dir is the payload. Manual installs instead use a systemd unit with an EnvironmentFile pointing at the same .env. Keep the passphrase beside the cert backup or restores cannot verify old signatures.
Where Documenso stores this, by platform
/opt/documenso/.env
Secrets and URLs for the stack. Generate signing and encryption values with openssl before first start.
/opt/documenso/cert.p12
Signing certificate mounted into the app container. Back it up with its passphrase from .env or signatures break on restore.
/var/lib/docker/volumes/documenso-production_database/_data
Postgres data for the compose stack. Dump with pg_dump rather than copying the volume across versions.
Frequently asked questions
How do I back up self hosted Documenso?
Back up the .env file, the cert.p12, and a Postgres dump together. The database volume alone restores only if versions match, so dumps travel better.
Can documents live in S3 instead of Postgres?
Set the upload transport variable to s3 and add bucket credentials in .env. Default storage keeps documents inside the database.
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