Self-Hosting
Self-Hosting Overview
Aria uses a federated architecture that gives you complete control over your data while still providing seamless user authentication and server discovery.
How It Works
Why Self-Host?
Complete Data Sovereignty
All messages, files, and voice/video streams stay on your infrastructure. Aria's central services never see your content.
Compliance Ready
Meet GDPR, HIPAA, or internal compliance requirements by hosting data in your jurisdiction on your approved infrastructure.
Fully Auditable
Inspect and verify the server code running on your infrastructure. Full transparency over your deployment.
No Vendor Lock-In
Export your data anytime. Use any cloud provider or on-premise hardware. Your server, your rules.
What You Get
Self-Hosted Components
- Aria Server — Handles all messaging, channels, and permissions
- MongoDB — Stores all server data (messages, channels, roles)
- Redis — Caching and real-time session management
- File Storage — Local disk or S3-compatible object storage
- Voice/Video — WebRTC media server for real-time communication
Central Services (Aria-Hosted)
- Authentication — User login, registration, and JWT issuance
- Discovery — Server registry and invite link resolution
- Server Verification — API key validation and server identity
Data Ownership
| Data Type | Where It Lives | Who Controls It |
|---|---|---|
| Messages & Content | Your Server | You (Server Owner) |
| Uploaded Files | Your Server | You (Server Owner) |
| Voice/Video Streams | Your Server | You (Server Owner) |
| Channels & Roles | Your Server | You (Server Owner) |
| User Identity | Central Auth | Aria (Encrypted) |
| Server Registry | Central Discovery | Aria (Public Metadata Only) |