Guides | Everlock

Two kinds of pages live here:

Getting started — your first encounter with a backend. Local-first, end-to-end, no production assumptions. One per backend.
How to — task or topology-specific walkthroughs. Assume you've gone through the relevant getting-started and want to solve a specific problem (host a real root domain, combine DNS with site and mail, etc.).

For topic-level reference (config keys, command listings, architecture), follow the cross-links into the docs at the end of each guide.

First time with Everlock?

Quickstart — install the binary, start the admin SSH, create a Markdown site, push content. The shortest path from nothing to a published page.

Getting started with a backend

One per backend, each a local-first walkthrough.

Git over SSH — create a repository and clone/commit/push over SSH. The update path that also feeds sites and config.
Standalone DNS zone — bind DNS to 127.0.0.1:5353 and run through the /dns admin commands.
Inbound mail — receive mail on a domain you control.
Outbound mail — submit and relay outgoing mail with DKIM.
IMAP for clients — let real mail clients (Apple Mail, Thunderbird, mobile apps) read mail from Everlock.
OCI registry — host your own container images and push from docker / podman.
Image gallery — run a photo/video gallery and log in from a browser or Immich-compatible client.
Password vault — run a Bitwarden-compatible vault and connect the official Bitwarden apps or the bw CLI.

How-tos

Topology and task-specific walkthroughs. Each is self-contained — pick the one that matches your situation.

Hosting a root domain (DNS)

How to host a root domain on a public static IP — single Everlock on a VPS or dedicated server. The simplest production setup.
How to host a root domain with primary at home and secondary on a VPS — edit at home behind NAT, serve from the VPS. Home IP stays private. The recommended residential setup.
How to host a root domain from a NAT line (GoDaddy) — single Everlock at home, dynamic IP, glue at the registrar. Honest about the manual-glue-update operational cost.
How to use a third-party secondary (e.g. Hetzner) — Everlock is the hidden primary; a managed DNS provider serves the public over AXFR/TSIG. No second Everlock needed.

Combining backends

How to combine DNS, site, and mail in one zone — one zone derives records automatically from a site vhost and a mail domain. Local-first.

What this page is not

This isn't a reference. It won't list every config knob, every command flag, or every record type. For that, jump to the docs landing page and pick the relevant backend.