Self-Hosting Umami: An Open Source Alternative to Google Analytics on Vercel

Umami is a privacy-focused web analytics solution that allows you to track your website's performance without compromising your data. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of self-hosting Umami on Vercel by cloning its repository, creating a PostgreSQL database, and configuring the necessary environment variables.

Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure you have the following:

• A Vercel account.
• A PostgreSQL database instance (you can use services like Neon or Heroku Postgres).
• Basic knowledge of Git and command-line usage.

Step 1: Fork the Umami Repository

1. Go to the Umami GitHub repository: Visit the Umami repository.
2. Fork the repository: Click the Fork button in the upper right corner of the page to create a copy of the Umami repository under your GitHub account.

Step 2: Create a PostgreSQL Database

Next, create a PostgreSQL database instance:

1. Sign up for a PostgreSQL service (like ElephantSQL).
2. Create a new database instance.
3. After the instance is created, note down the connection URL, which will look something like this

Step 3: Deploy to Vercel

Now, let’s deploy your forked Umami project to Vercel:

1. Go to the Vercel dashboard: Visit Vercel.
2. Click on "New Project": In your Vercel dashboard, click on the "New Project" button.
3. Import your GitHub repository: Connect your GitHub account if you haven’t already, and select your forked Umami repository from the list.
4. Configure your deployment settings: Vercel will automatically detect the framework used. Click on "Deploy" to start the deployment process.

Step 4: Set Up Environment Variables in Vercel

After the deployment, you need to set up environment variables:

1. Navigate to your Vercel project settings: Click on your project in the Vercel dashboard.
2. Go to the "Settings" tab: Find the "Environment Variables" section.
3. Add a new environment variable:

• Key: DATABASE_URL
• Value: Your PostgreSQL connection URL from Step 2.

4. Save your changes.

Step 5: Finalize Your Deployment

1. Vercel will automatically handle your deployment and initialize the necessary settings using the provided environment variables.
2. After a few moments, your Umami instance will be live! You can find the URL for your Umami dashboard in the Vercel dashboard.

Step 6: Access Your Umami Dashboard

1. Open your Umami dashboard: Navigate to the URL provided by Vercel after deployment.
2. Create an admin user: For the first time, you’ll need to create an admin account by clicking on "Sign Up" and filling out the required information.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully self-hosted Umami on Vercel by forking the repository and connecting it to a PostgreSQL database without using the terminal. This setup provides you with a powerful analytics tool while maintaining full control over your data.

If you have any questions or run into issues, feel free to leave a comment below! Happy coding ❤️