What's installed on your Alpine Linux server?
- Alpine Linux 3.24, from the project's official cloud-init image
- apk and the OpenRC init system; no systemd
- musl libc and BusyBox; the default shell is ash, and apk add bash brings bash if you need it
- OpenSSH running as an OpenRC service, with root password login
- cloud-init, which writes the IP, DNS and password and sizes the root partition to your disk
- QEMU guest agent, installed with apk at first boot
- No web server, database, Docker or panel: you add what you need with apk
What size do you need for Alpine Linux?
Alpine's documentation says a minimal disk install takes around 130 MB and the system can start with 128 MB of RAM. Seturack's smallest size, 1 GB of RAM and 25 GB of disk, is plenty to begin with. As a rule of thumb, start with 1 GB for one small service, 2 GB for Docker and a few containers, and 4 GB for several services. Your software uses the RAM, not Alpine itself. If it isn't enough, scale up from your panel and your IP stays the same.
| Use | Size | Price | Choose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | 1 GB RAM · 1 vCore · 25 GB NVMe | $2.58/mo | |
| Medium | 2 GB RAM · 1 vCore · 40 GB NVMe | $4.01/mo | |
| Powerful | 4 GB RAM · 2 vCore · 60 GB NVMe | $6.89/mo |
Who is it for?
- Anyone running a single service that needs little RAM or disk, such as a reverse proxy, DNS or VPN
- Docker users who want few packages on the host
- Developers building Alpine-based containers who want the same setup on the server
- Admins who like to know exactly which package is there and why
What happens after you order?
- Set the size and complete your payment. The release on the list today is Alpine Linux 3.24.
- Open your server from My servers in your panel. The Overview tab has the IP Address, Username and Password rows.
- In a terminal, type ssh root@your-ip and paste the password.
- Update the system with apk update and apk upgrade.
- Install software with apk add. For nginx, say, add it to startup with rc-update add nginx default and start it with rc-service nginx start.
With every server
- Daily backups included in the price
- Unlimited traffic
- Full root access
- Scale RAM and CPU up or down later, and grow the disk
- Location: Istanbul · IST-1.
Good to know
- Alpine 3.24's main repository is supported until June 2028. The community repository is supported only until the next stable release.
- Ready-made programs built for glibc may not run directly. Check whether your software supports musl, or run it in Docker.
- There's no systemd, so systemctl and journalctl don't work. You manage services with rc-service and rc-update, and guides that assume systemd need adapting.
- There are no automatic updates, fail2ban or firewall rules. Adding an SSH key and writing the rules are up to you.
- The panel's reinstall tool wipes the disk and keeps your IP address, so copy your data off first.
Alpine Linux questions and answers
How much RAM does Alpine Linux need?
Alpine's documentation says the system can start with 128 MB of RAM. Seturack's smallest size is 1 GB, more than enough for one small service. As a rule of thumb, start with 2 GB for Docker and a few containers, and 4 GB for several services.
Does Docker work on Alpine Linux?
Yes. Docker is in Alpine's own repository: install it with apk add docker and add it to startup with rc-update add docker default. Containers carry their own libraries, so glibc-based images run too.
Does Alpine have bash?
The default shell is ash, from BusyBox. If you need bash, install it with apk add bash. Plain sh scripts usually run fine, but scripts using bash-only syntax need bash.
Why won't some programs run on Alpine?
Alpine uses musl instead of glibc, so ready-made programs built for glibc may not start. Use the package from Alpine's repository, build the program against musl, or run it inside Docker.
Should I choose Alpine Linux or Debian?
Alpine takes up very little disk and has few packages, but musl and OpenRC mean some software and guides need adapting. If your software ships ready-made Linux binaries or its guides assume systemd, Debian will give you less trouble.
How do I upgrade Alpine to a new release?
Change the version number in /etc/apk/repositories and run apk upgrade --available, then restart the server. Check your backups in the panel before you start.