How to Host PixivFE Yourself

Updated

PixivFE is an open-source, self-hostable alternative front-end for pixiv, and its documentation at pixivfe-docs.pages.dev covers self-hosting in three parts: hosting PixivFE itself, configuration options, and hosting an image proxy server. To host it yourself, you need a server you control, the ability to run the PixivFE application, and — if you want images to load reliably — a separate image proxy server. The documentation also notes that authentication for the pixiv API is part of the setup picture, so plan for that before you start.

What the documentation covers

The PixivFE docs are organized so that hosting is a first-class topic rather than an afterthought. The relevant sections are:

  • Hosting — the main entry point for running your own instance.
  • Hosting Configuration options — the settings you can adjust for your deployment.
  • Hosting an image proxy server — a separate guide, because image proxying is handled by its own service.
  • Authentication for the pixiv API — how your instance authenticates against pixiv.
  • Public image proxies — a list of existing proxies, useful if you don't want to run your own.
  • Instance list — public PixivFE instances you can compare against or use instead of self-hosting.
  • Known quirks — documented behaviors to expect.

There is also a Development section (Roadmap, Scope, Feature tracker, Guidelines, Testing, Tools, Coding tips, Design flaws, Helpful resources, Internationalization) and a Features section (Caching, Tracing flamegraph), plus an Archive covering framework migration and old I18n. These matter if you intend to modify or contribute to PixivFE, not just run it.

Before you start

Confirm these prerequisites against the current docs, since the documentation is the authoritative source and details may change:

  1. A host you control — a server or platform where you can run the PixivFE application. The docs' Hosting section is where the specific requirements live.
  2. A decision on image proxying — either run your own image proxy server (covered by its own hosting guide) or rely on a public image proxy from the documented list.
  3. A plan for pixiv API authentication — the docs include a dedicated authentication topic, so treat this as a required configuration step rather than an optional one.
  4. Familiarity with the configuration options — review the configuration options page before deploying so you know what is tunable.

Hosting steps

The documentation does not present a single copy-paste command sequence in its home page; the actual instructions are inside the Hosting section. The workflow the docs imply is:

  1. Read the Hosting page and follow its deployment instructions for PixivFE.
  2. Apply your configuration using the documented configuration options.
  3. Set up authentication for the pixiv API as described in the authentication topic.
  4. Stand up an image proxy server if you want self-hosted image delivery, following the image proxy hosting guide. If you prefer not to, consult the public image proxies list.
  5. Verify by loading your instance and checking that content and images resolve. Review Known quirks if something behaves unexpectedly.

Because the docs separate "Hosting PixivFE" from "Hosting an image proxy server," expect these to be two distinct deployments rather than one combined install.

Choosing between self-hosting and using an existing instance

Option What it gives you When it makes sense
Self-host PixivFE Full control over configuration and deployment You want your own instance and are willing to run and maintain it
Use a public instance No setup or maintenance You just want to use PixivFE; check the instance list
Run your own image proxy Self-hosted image delivery You want images served through infrastructure you control
Use a public image proxy No proxy maintenance You don't want to operate a proxy; check the public image proxies list

Common sticking points

  • Treating image proxying as optional setup. The docs give it its own hosting guide, which signals it is a separate service you may need to deploy.
  • Skipping authentication. Pixiv API authentication has its own documentation topic, so don't assume an unauthenticated instance will work as expected.
  • Ignoring Known quirks. The docs maintain a quirks page precisely because some behaviors are expected rather than bugs.
  • Assuming the home page is the full guide. The home page is an index; the Hosting, Configuration options, and image proxy pages contain the actual instructions.

For exact commands, required software versions, and current configuration keys, go directly to the Hosting and Configuration options pages in the PixivFE documentation — those are the maintained sources, and this overview is only a map of what you'll find there.