Host your own open source password manager

Being open source is a large part of what makes Bitwarden great. Not only is the Bitwarden team committed to developing open source products and sharing solutions with the world, but many community developers have helped contribute to the success of Bitwarden Password Manager.

Thanks to the GPLv3 license, you can pull down the Bitwarden codebase, make any changes you like, and do whatever you want with your additions. 

But did you know you aren't limited to only hosting using Bitwarden cloud servers? Using Docker, you can deploy your own Bitwarden open source password manager server to your infrastructure, where you can manage the data yourself and place additional security controls and access policies, such as making it accessible only while on premises.

Whether you're an individual user wanting more control over your data or a business organization with strict data management policies, you can enjoy using Bitwarden on servers within your network without dependency on the Bitwarden cloud-hosted servers.

Even better, this can be done for free and easily deployed cross-platform with Docker on Linux, macOS, and Windows machines. Bitwarden even provides Bash and PowerShell scripts that make implementation easy and straightforward. The process for deploying your own Bitwarden open source password manager looks like this:

1. Configure your domain to route traffic to ports 80 and 443 on the hosting machine.

2. Install Docker and Docker Compose.

3. Create a Bitwarden user & directory.

4. Retrieve an installation ID and key from bitwarden.com/host.

5. Deploy Bitwarden.

6. Configure the environment.

7. Start your instance.

8. Test your installation.

9. Use it. 

You can read the full details in the official documentation. One thing to keep in mind is that it's crucial to use an SSL certificate for your instance; otherwise, you won't be able to create an account or use several of the Bitwarden features. You'll also need to configure an SMTP server in the global.override.env file housed in the ~/bitwarden/env/ directory.

This video shows a quick run-through to illustrate how easy it is to get Bitwarden up and running on your server. With this process, you can deploy the entire Bitwarden open source password manager stack with Docker in less than three minutes.

An open source password manager is software that allows users to store, manage, and share sensitive data, such as passwords, passkeys, cards, and identities. The defining characteristic of an open source password manager is that the source code is publicly available for review. This transparency ensures the software is secure, reliable, and free from backdoors or vulnerabilities. Open source password managers like Bitwarden offer a range of benefits, including flexibility, customization, and community-driven development.

Open source password managers provide many security features to protect sensitive online data. End-to-end encryption ensures that only you have access to your data and that it’s encrypted both in transit and at rest. Two-factor authentication, or two-step login, adds an extra layer of security to your password manager, requiring both a password and a second form of verification. They often include password generation tools, which create unique, complex passwords for each of your online accounts.

Self-hosting a password manager means that you host the software on your own server, giving you complete control over your data. Self-hosting allows you to securely share sensitive data within your organization and allows you to tailor the software to your specific needs, including integrating it with other tools and services. This method allows you to access your password manager from anywhere, using any device, without relying on a third-party service.

As with most things in Bitwarden, it’s free to host Bitwarden on your own! Access unlimited logins across unlimited devices. Bitwarden does not charge for the use of any core features. If you want to access the premium features of Bitwarden, you must provide a premium member license for your installation. Self-hosting an organization, which allows access to sharing features in a self-hosted environment, requires an enterprise license. Learn more about licensing on-premise deployments for premium features and organization accounts in this help center article.

Enjoy the flexibility of easily self-hosting an instance of the Bitwarden open source password manager! Documentation articles on self-hosting Bitwarden can be found in the help center.