#### Start accepting Bitcoin today with BTCPayServer! This guide will walk you through the installation.
# One-click deployment
For the easiest and fastest setup, host BTCPayServer on Microsoft Azure:
[![Deploy to Azure ](https://azuredeploy.net/deploybutton.svg )](https://portal.azure.com/#create/Microsoft.Template/uri/https%3A%2F%2Fraw.githubusercontent.com%2Fbtcpayserver%2Fbtcpayserver-azure%2Fmaster%2Fazuredeploy.json)
You can log into [Azure ](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/account/ ) with your Microsoft account.
Final installation steps:
* Fill in the options: Resource Group
* Click 'Purchase' to confirm
* (Wait for deployment)
* View the deployment (in Notifications or Resource Groups)
* Verify you can connect to your instance with a browser: `https://SERVER-AZURE-DNS/`
* At your domain registrar, make sure you have [DNS ](https://github.com/btcpayserver/btcpayserver-doc/blob/master/ChangeDomain.md#setting-up-your-dns-record ) pointing your domain at your Azure deployment's IP.
* Browse to `https://SERVER-AZURE-DNS/`
* Register a new account (this account will be granted server administrator rights)
* Go to `https://SERVER-AZURE-DNS/server/maintenance`
* Enter your domain name and click on confirm
* (Wait 1 to 5 minutes)
That's it, you can now browse to `https://btcpay.YOUR-DOMAIN/` to create your store!
For advanced users, you can connect via SSH with information on `https://btcpay.YOUR-DOMAIN/server/services/ssh` , then you can:
* Run `docker ps` and `docker logs xxx` to view running processes
* Run `btcpay-down.sh` and `btcpay-up.sh` to stop and start the BTCPayServer
This video by Nicolas also demonstrates the above steps:
[![BTCPay - One Click Setup ](http://img.youtube.com/vi/Bxs95BdEMHY/mqdefault.jpg )](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bxs95BdEMHY "BTCPay - One Click Setup")
Approximate Cost (unpruned, Bitcoin-only): **60 USD per month**
After all your nodes have synced and you've confirmed everything works, follow [this guide ](https://github.com/btcpayserver/btcpayserver-doc/blob/master/PennyPinching.md ) to fine-tune for savings; costs should drop to **30 or 40 USD per month** .
# Architecture
![Architecture ](https://github.com/btcpayserver/btcpayserver-doc/raw/master/img/Architecture.png )
As you can see, BTCPay depends on several pieces of infrastructure, mainly:
* A lightweight block explorer (NBXplorer),
* A database (PostgreSQL or SQLite),
* A full node (eg. Bitcoin Core)
There can be more dependencies if you support more than just standard Bitcoin transactions, including:
* [C-Lightning ](https://github.com/ElementsProject/lightning )
* [LitecoinD ](https://github.com/litecoin-project/litecoin ) and other coin daemons
* And more...
Note: The setup process can be time consuming, but is heavily automated to make it a fun and easy experience.
# Full installation (for technical users)
You can also install BTCPayServer on your own machine or VPS instance.
The officially supported setup is driven by Docker (and Docker-Compose).
First, make sure you have a domain name pointing to your host (CNAME), with ports `443` and `80` externally accessible (and perhaps additional ports like `9735` and `9736` for Bitcoin and Litecoin lightning). Otherwise, you will have to set it manually by running `changedomain.sh` .
Let's assume it is `btcpay.EXAMPLE.com` .
If you want to support Litecoin, Bitcoin, and C-Lightning, and want HTTPS automatically configured by Nginx:
```bash
# Login as root
sudo su -
# Create a folder for BTCPay
mkdir BTCPayServer
cd BTCPayServer
# Clone this repository
git clone https://github.com/btcpayserver/btcpayserver-docker
cd btcpayserver-docker
# Run btcpay-setup.sh with the right parameters
export BTCPAY_HOST="btcpay.EXAMPLE.com"
export NBITCOIN_NETWORK="mainnet"
export BTCPAYGEN_CRYPTO1="btc"
export BTCPAYGEN_CRYPTO2="ltc"
export BTCPAYGEN_REVERSEPROXY="nginx"
export BTCPAYGEN_LIGHTNING="clightning"
. ./btcpay-setup.sh -i
exit
```
`btcpay-setup.sh` will then:
* Install Docker
* Install Docker-Compose
* Make sure BTCPay starts at reboot via upstart or systemd
* Setup environment variables to use BTCPay utilities
* Add BTCPay utilities in /usr/bin
* Start BTCPay
You can read [the article ](https://medium.com/@BtcpayServer/hosting-btcpay-server-for-cheap-2b27761fdb9d ) for step by step instructions.
[![Docker automated build ](https://img.shields.io/docker/automated/nicolasdorier/btcpayserver.svg )](https://hub.docker.com/r/nicolasdorier/btcpayserver/)
# Environment variables
`btcpay-setup.sh` will use the following environment variables:
* `BTCPAY_HOST` : The hostname of your website (eg. `btcpay.example.com` )
* `NBITCOIN_NETWORK` : The type of network to use (eg. `mainnet` , `testnet` , or `regtest` . Default: `mainnet` )
* `LIGHTNING_ALIAS` : An alias for your lightning network node, if used
* `BTCPAYGEN_CRYPTO1` : First supported crypto currency (eg. `btc` , `ltc` . Default: `btc` )
* `BTCPAYGEN_CRYPTO2` : Second supported crypto currency (eg. `btc` , `ltc` . Default: `(empty)` )
* `BTCPAYGEN_CRYPTON` : N'th supported crypto currency where N is 9 at maximum. (eg. `btc` , `ltc` . Default: `(empty)` )
* `BTCPAYGEN_REVERSEPROXY` : Specify reverse proxy to use; NGinx has HTTPS support. (eg. `nginx` , `(empty)` . Default: `nginx` )
* `BTCPAYGEN_LIGHTNING` : Lightning network implementation to use (eg. `clightning` , `(empty)` )
* `BTCPAYGEN_SUBNAME` : The subname of the generated docker-compose file, where the full name is `Generated/docker-compose.SUBNAME.yml` (Default: `generated` )
* `BTCPAYGEN_ADDITIONAL_FRAGMENTS` : Semicolon-separated list of additional fragments you want to use (eg. `opt-save-storage` )
* `LETSENCRYPT_EMAIL` : An email will be sent to this address if certificate expires and fails to renew automatically (eg. `me@example.com` )
* `ACME_CA_URI` : The API endpoint to ask for HTTPS certificate (Default: `https://acme-v01.api.letsencrypt.org/directory` )
* `BTCPAY_HOST_SSHKEYFILE` : Optional, SSH private key that BTCPay can use to connect to this VM's SSH server. This key will be copied to BTCPay's data directory
* `BTCPAY_SSHTRUSTEDFINGERPRINTS` : Optional, BTCPay will ensure that it is connecting to the expected SSH server by checking the host's public key against these fingerprints
# Tooling
A wide variety of useful scripts are available once BTCPay is installed:
* `bitcoin-cli.sh` : Access your Bitcoin node instance (for RPC)
* `bitcoin-lightning-cli.sh` : Access your C-Lightning node instance (for RPC)
* `changedomain.sh` : Change the domain of your BTCPayServer
* `btcpay-update.sh` : Update BTCPayServer to the latest version
* `btcpay-up.sh` : Run `docker-compose up`
* `btcpay-down.sh` : Run `docker-compose down`
* `btcpay-setup.sh` : Change the settings of your server
* `. ./btcpay-setup.sh` : Information about additional parameters
* `. ./btcpay-setup.sh -i` : Set up your BTCPayServer
# Under the hood
## Generated docker-compose <a id="generated-docker-compose"></a>
When you run `btcpay-setup.sh` , your environment variables are used by [build.sh ](build.sh ) (or [build.ps1 ](build.ps1 )) to generate a docker-compose adapted for your needs. For the full list of options, see: [Environment variables ](#environment-variables )
By default, the generated file is `Generated/docker-compose.generated.yml` , constructed from the relevant [Docker fragments ](docker-compose-generator/docker-fragments ) for your setup.
Available `BTCPAYGEN_ADDITIONAL_FRAGMENTS` currently are:
* [opt-save-storage ](docker-compose-generator/docker-fragments/opt-save-storage.yml ) will keep around 1 year of blocks (prune BTC for 100 GB)
* [opt-save-storage-s ](docker-compose-generator/docker-fragments/opt-save-storage-s.yml ) will keep around 6 months of blocks (prune BTC for 50 GB)
* [opt-save-storage-xs ](docker-compose-generator/docker-fragments/opt-save-storage-xs.yml ) will keep around 3 months of blocks (prune BTC for 25 GB)
* [opt-save-storage-xxs ](docker-compose-generator/docker-fragments/opt-save-storage-xxs.yml ) will keep around 2 weeks of blocks (prune BTC for 5 GB) (lightning not supported)
* [opt-lnd-autopilot ](docker-compose-generator/docker-fragments/opt-lnd-autopilot.yml ) will activate auto pilot on LND. (5 channels, 60% of allocation)
You can also create your own [custom fragments ](#how-can-i-customize-the-generated-docker-compose-file ).
For example, if you want `btc` and `ltc` support with `nginx` and `clightning` inside `Generated/docker-compose.custom.yml` :
Note: The first run might take a while, but following runs are instantaneous.
On Windows (run in [powershell ](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/scripting/setup/starting-windows-powershell?view=powershell-6 )):
```powershell
Invoke-Command {
$BTCPAYGEN_CRYPTO1="btc"
$BTCPAYGEN_CRYPTO2="ltc"
$BTCPAYGEN_REVERSEPROXY="nginx"
$BTCPAYGEN_LIGHTNING="clightning"
$BTCPAYGEN_SUBNAME="custom"
. .\build.ps1
}
```
On Linux:
```bash
BTCPAYGEN_CRYPTO1="btc" \
BTCPAYGEN_CRYPTO2="ltc" \
BTCPAYGEN_REVERSEPROXY="nginx" \
BTCPAYGEN_LIGHTNING="clightning" \
BTCPAYGEN_SUBNAME="custom" \
./build.sh
```
Next, you will need to configure the runtime environment variables for `Generated/docker-compose.custom.yml` :
* If you are using NGinx, [read this ](Production/README.md ).
* If you are not using NGinx, [read this instead ](Production-NoReverseProxy/README.md ).
## Again, what does `btcpay-setup.sh` do?
`btcpay-setup.sh` is a utility which does the following:
1. Makes sure docker and docker-compose are installed on your system
2. Generates a docker-compose via `./build.sh`
3. Sets up an [Environment File ](https://docs.docker.com/compose/env-file/ ) to configure your docker-compose
4. Sets up environment variables so the tools described in [Tooling ](#tooling ) can work
5. Adds symlinks of those tools into `/usr/bin`
6. Makes sure BTCPay restarts on reboot via upstart or systemd
7. Starts BTCPay via docker-compose
## Overview of files generated by `btcpay-setup.sh`
`/etc/profile.d/btcpay-env.sh` ensures that your environment variables are correctly setup when you login, so you can use the tools:
```bash
export BTCPAYGEN_OLD_PREGEN="false"
export BTCPAYGEN_CRYPTO1="btc"
export BTCPAYGEN_CRYPTO2=""
export BTCPAYGEN_CRYPTO3=""
export BTCPAYGEN_CRYPTO4=""
export BTCPAYGEN_CRYPTO5=""
export BTCPAYGEN_CRYPTO6=""
export BTCPAYGEN_CRYPTO7=""
export BTCPAYGEN_CRYPTO8=""
export BTCPAYGEN_CRYPTO9=""
export BTCPAYGEN_LIGHTNING="clightning"
export BTCPAYGEN_REVERSEPROXY="nginx"
export BTCPAYGEN_ADDITIONAL_FRAGMENTS=""
export BTCPAY_DOCKER_COMPOSE="/var/lib/waagent/custom-script/download/0/btcpayserver-docker/Production/docker-compose.generated.yml"
export BTCPAY_BASE_DIRECTORY="/var/lib/waagent/custom-script/download/0"
export BTCPAY_ENV_FILE="/var/lib/waagent/custom-script/download/0/.env"
export BTCPAY_HOST_SSHKEYFILE="/root/.ssh/id_rsa_btcpay"
if cat $BTCPAY_ENV_FILE & > /dev/null; then
export BTCPAY_HOST="$(cat $BTCPAY_ENV_FILE | sed -n 's/^BTCPAY_HOST=\(.*\)$/\1/p')"
export LETSENCRYPT_EMAIL="$(cat $BTCPAY_ENV_FILE | sed -n 's/^LETSENCRYPT_EMAIL=\(.*\)$/\1/p')"
export NBITCOIN_NETWORK="$(cat $BTCPAY_ENV_FILE | sed -n 's/^NBITCOIN_NETWORK=\(.*\)$/\1/p')"
export LIGHTNING_ALIAS="$(cat $BTCPAY_ENV_FILE | sed -n 's/^LIGHTNING_ALIAS=\(.*\)$/\1/p')"
export ACME_CA_URI="$(cat $BTCPAY_ENV_FILE | sed -n 's/^ACME_CA_URI=\(.*\)$/\1/p')"
export BTCPAY_SSHKEYFILE="$(cat $BTCPAY_ENV_FILE | sed -n 's/^BTCPAY_SSHKEYFILE=\(.*\)$/\1/p')"
export BTCPAY_SSHTRUSTEDFINGERPRINTS="$(cat $BTCPAY_ENV_FILE | sed -n 's/^BTCPAY_SSHTRUSTEDFINGERPRINTS=\(.*\)$/\1/p')"
fi
```
`/etc/systemd/system/btcpayserver.service` ensures that you can control btcpay via `systemctl` , and that BTCPayServer starts on reboot:
```ini
[Unit]
Description=BTCPayServer service
After=docker.service network-online.target
Requires=docker.service network-online.target
[Service]
Type=oneshot
RemainAfterExit=yes
ExecStart=/bin/bash -c '. /etc/profile.d/btcpay-env.sh & & cd "$(dirname $BTCPAY_ENV_FILE)" & & docker-compose -f "$BTCPAY_DOCKER_COMPOSE" up -d'
ExecStop=/bin/bash -c '. /etc/profile.d/btcpay-env.sh & & cd "$(dirname $BTCPAY_ENV_FILE)" & & docker-compose -f "$BTCPAY_DOCKER_COMPOSE" stop'
ExecReload=/bin/bash -c '. /etc/profile.d/btcpay-env.sh & & cd "$(dirname $BTCPAY_ENV_FILE)" & & docker-compose -f "$BTCPAY_DOCKER_COMPOSE" restart'
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
```
`.env` (`$BTCPAY_ENV_FILE`) contains environment variables passed to the containers managed by your docker-compose:
```ini
BTCPAY_HOST=btcpay.EXAMPLE.com
ACME_CA_URI=https://acme-v01.api.letsencrypt.org/directory
NBITCOIN_NETWORK=mainnet
LETSENCRYPT_EMAIL=me@EXAMPLE.com
BTCPAY_SSHTRUSTEDFINGERPRINTS=SHA256:eSCD7NtQ/Q6IBl2iRB9caAQ3lDZd8s8iUL6SdeNnhpA
BTCPAY_SSHKEYFILE=/datadir/id_rsa
```
# How can I add an altcoin to BTCPayServer?
1. Add support for your crypto to [NBitcoin ](https://github.com/MetacoSA/NBitcoin/tree/master/NBitcoin.Altcoins ), [NBxplorer ](https://github.com/dgarage/NBXplorer ), and [BTCPayServer ](https://github.com/btcpayserver/btcpayserver ). (Use examples from other coins)
2. Create your own docker image ([Example for BTC](https://hub.docker.com/r/nicolasdorier/docker-bitcoin/))
3. Create a docker-compose fragment ([Example for BTC](docker-compose-generator/docker-fragments/bitcoin.yml))
4. Add your CryptoDefinition ([Example for BTC](docker-compose-generator/src/CryptoDefinition.cs))
When testing your coin, **DO NOT USE `build.sh`** , since it uses a pre-built docker image.
Instead, install [.NET Core 2.1 SDK ](https://www.microsoft.com/net/download/windows ) and run:
```bash
BTCPAYGEN_CRYPTO1="EXAMPLE-COIN"
BTCPAYGEN_SUBNAME="test"
cd docker-compose-generator/src
dotnet run
```
This will generate your docker-compose in the `Generated` folder, which you can then run and test.
Note that BTCPayServer developers will not spend excessive time testing your image, so make sure it works.
# FAQ
## How can I modify my environment?
As root, run `. btcpay-setup.sh` ; this will show you the environment variable it is expecting.
For example, if you support `btc` and `ltc` already, and want to add `btg` :
```bash
export BTCPAYGEN_CRYPTO3='btg'
. btcpay-setup.sh -i
```
## I deployed before `btcpay-setup.sh` existed (before May 17), can I migrate to this new system?
Yes, run the following commands to update:
```bash
sudo su -
btcpay-update.sh
cd $DOWNLOAD_ROOT/btcpayserver-docker
. ./btcpay-setup.sh -i
exit
```
## I'm getting an error on Windows: `Cannot create container for service docker: Mount denied`?
If you see this error:
`Cannot create container for service docker: b'Mount denied:\nThe source path "\\\\var\\\\run\\\\docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock"\nis not a valid Windows path'` .
Run this in [powershell ](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/scripting/setup/starting-windows-powershell?view=powershell-6 ):
```powershell
$Env:COMPOSE_CONVERT_WINDOWS_PATHS=1
```
Then, run `docker-compose -f EXAMPLE.yml up` .
This bug comes from Docker for Windows and is [tracked on Github ](https://github.com/docker/for-win/issues/1829 ).
## How I can prune my node(s)?
This will prune your Bitcoin full node to a maximum of 100GB (of blocks):
```bash
export BTCPAYGEN_ADDITIONAL_FRAGMENTS="opt-save-storage"
. ./btcpay-setup.sh -i
```
Other options are [documented here ](#generated-docker-compose ).
## How can I customize the generated docker-compose file?
In some instances, you might want to customize your environment in more detail. While you could modify `Generated/docker-compose.generated.yml` manually, your changes would be overwritten the next time you run `btcpay-update.sh` .
Luckily, you can leverage `BTCPAYGEN_ADDITIONAL_FRAGMENTS` for this!
Let's enable **pruning to 60 GB** , for example:
First, copy [opt-save-storage ](docker-compose-generator/docker-fragments/opt-save-storage.yml ) into the [the docker fragment folder ](docker-compose-generator/docker-fragments ) as `opt-save-storage.custom.yml` . **Important:** the file must end with `.custom.yml` , or there will be git conflicts whenever you run `btcpay-update.sh` .
Modify the new `opt-save-storage.custom.yml` file to your taste:
```diff
@@ -14,8 +14,7 @@ version: "3"
services:
bitcoind:
environment:
- BITCOIN_EXTRA_ARGS: prune=100000
+ BITCOIN_EXTRA_ARGS: prune=60000
```
Then set it up:
```bash
export BTCPAYGEN_ADDITIONAL_FRAGMENTS="opt-save-storage.custom"
. ./btcpay-setup.sh -i
```