Server Requirements

Ensure your environment meets these requirements for a smooth installation and operation of Dirly – the high‑performance, curated directory for AI tools built with Next.js 15, Convex, and Clerk.

Dirly can be deployed in two ways:
• Fully managed on platforms like Vercel or Netlify (recommended for most users)
• Self‑hosted on your own VPS or dedicated server

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Important: Shared hosting (cPanel, traditional hosting) is not supported. Dirly requires a Node.js runtime and access to the Convex cloud backend.

Core Requirements

Dirly relies on a modern JavaScript runtime. The database and real‑time engine are fully managed by Convex, so you don’t need to install or maintain any database software.

⚙️Node.js: Version 18.18 or later (LTS recommended)☁️Convex: Cloud‑hosted (automatically provisioned) – no local database required

🔑Clerk: Authentication is handled via Clerk – you only need your API keys 📧Resend: Transactional emails (optional) – API key required if used

All backend services (Convex, Clerk, Resend) are managed externally, so your server only needs to run the Next.js frontend.

Recommended Hosting Platforms

Vercel (optimal)

Dirly is a standard Next.js application and works flawlessly on Vercel.
Zero‑configuration deployment – just connect your GitHub repository.

Netlify

Also fully compatible via the Next.js runtime adapter.

Self‑hosted VPS

If you prefer full control, you can run Dirly on any VPS that meets the specifications below.

Vercel – effortless deployments

Netlify – great for Next.js

Railway – all‑in‑one platform

Self‑Hosting: Minimum VPS Specifications

If you choose to self‑host, your server should have:

💾Memory: 1 GB RAM (2 GB recommended)🖥️CPU: 1 vCPU or more

Recommended VPS providers:

DigitalOcean – affordable, SSD‑backed droplets
Hetzner – excellent EU‑based performance
Vultr – global presence, competitive pricing
Linode – reliable and developer‑friendly
AWS EC2 – for enterprise scalability

For testing and small to medium loads, a 1 vCPU / 2 GB RAM VPS from Hetzner or DigitalOcean is sufficient.

Required Ports (for self‑hosted)

Make sure the following ports are open in your firewall:

Port	Purpose
3000	Next.js development server (optional)
443	HTTPS traffic (production, with reverse proxy)
80	HTTP – for Let’s Encrypt certificate setup

No database ports are required because Convex is accessed via HTTPS (port 443).

Web Server & Reverse Proxy

While Dirly can run directly via next start, we strongly recommend using Nginx as a reverse proxy in production to handle SSL, caching, and compression.

See our Deployment Guide for sample Nginx configuration.

Environment Variables

Dirly requires several environment variables for authentication, Convex, and optional services.
All variables are listed in the Environment Setup section.

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Never commit your .env.local file to version control. Use your hosting platform’s secret management (e.g., Vercel Environment Variables).

What’s Next?

Once your server or hosting platform meets these requirements, proceed to the next step:

Set up your environment variables and install Dirly

Need help choosing the right infrastructure? Contact our support team.