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EnglishHow to Install and Set Up Mealie
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Mealie is a self-hosted recipe manager, and the official documentation treats installation as a checklist rather than a single command. Before you deploy, decide on two things: which database you will run (SQLite is marked as recommended, PostgreSQL is the alternative) and how the instance will be reached (directly, or behind a reverse proxy). The documentation also separates installation from the follow-up tasks of backend configuration, security, backups, and updates, so plan for those as part of setup rather than afterthoughts.
What to prepare before installing
The documentation's Installation Checklist is the starting point, and it sits alongside dedicated pages for Backend Configuration, Security, and Logs. In practice, that means gathering your deployment decisions first:
- Database choice — SQLite (Recommended) or PostgreSQL. This affects your storage layout and backup approach.
- Access method — whether the instance is exposed directly or through a reverse proxy. The community guides include a Reverse Proxy (SWAG) walkthrough if you go that route.
- Authentication model — the docs cover Authentication generally, plus LDAP and OpenID Connect for external identity providers.
- AI providers — there is a configuration page for AI Providers if you intend to use those features.
Work through the Installation Checklist page itself for the authoritative list, since it is the document the project maintains for this purpose.
Choosing SQLite or PostgreSQL
The documentation labels SQLite as Recommended and lists PostgreSQL as the other supported database. Both are documented under Installation, so the choice is a deployment preference rather than a feature gate.
| Consideration | SQLite (Recommended) | PostgreSQL |
|---|---|---|
| Setup effort | Lower — no separate database service to run | Higher — requires a database server |
| Documentation status | Listed as the recommended option | Listed as a supported alternative |
| When it tends to fit | Single-instance, straightforward self-hosting | Setups where you already run PostgreSQL or want a dedicated database service |
If you have no existing reason to run PostgreSQL, the documentation's own recommendation points to SQLite.
Configuring the backend and security
After installation, the docs direct you to Backend Configuration and Security as distinct topics. These are where you set how the instance behaves and who can reach it. Related pages in the same section cover:
- Permissions and Public Access — controls what unauthenticated or limited users can see.
- Authentication, with LDAP and OpenID Connect as documented options for connecting an external identity provider.
- Logs — for diagnosing configuration problems after the instance is running.
Treat configuration and security as part of setup: an instance that installs cleanly but is left with default access settings is not finished.
Updating and migrating versions
The documentation keeps Updating and Version 1 Migration as separate pages under Getting Started. If you are moving from an older release, read the migration guide before upgrading, since it exists specifically to cover that transition. For routine maintenance, the Updating page is the reference.
Backups and integrations
Backup and Restoring is documented as its own topic, and the community guides go further with Automating Backups with n8n. Other community guides cover importing and integrating:
- Import from other apps — the feature overview lists this as a first-class capability.
- Bulk URL Import and Bookmarklet — for adding recipes from the web.
- Home Assistant Import and an iOS Shortcut — for pulling recipes in from those environments.
- Bring API without internet exposure — relevant if you want API access without exposing the instance publicly.
Where to go next
The documentation's own navigation is the most reliable map: Getting Started (Introduction, Features, Updating, Version 1 Migration, FAQ, API, Road Map), Installation, Usage, Authentication, Community Guides, API Reference, and the contributor and developer guides. If you are still deciding whether Mealie fits your needs at all, read the Features page before committing to an installation path.