Miniflux is the fastest, lightest RSS reader you can run for yourself: a single Go binary plus a database, idling at about 17 MB of RAM. This guide deploys it with Docker Compose on any Linux machine — and documents the exact error that stops most first-timers, because that is the error we hit too.
What is Miniflux, and why it beats the alternatives
Miniflux is a minimalist RSS reader written in Go. You point it at your feeds, and it polls, stores, and serves them in a fast interface. The account model is deliberately simple: create users, add feeds, read. No accounts, no cloud, no subscription.
Compared to the other common self-hosted readers:
| Miniflux | FreshRSS | Selfoss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idle RAM (measured) | ~17 MiB | ~80–150 MiB (PHP-FPM) | ~50 MiB |
| Setup complexity | 1 container + Postgres | 1 container (PHP) + optional DB | 1 container + DB |
| Mobile clients | Any RSS app + built-in mobile view | Any RSS app | Limited |
| Update cadence | Frequent, stable | Frequent | Slower |
If you want a heavy-featured reader with plugins, FreshRSS is a fine choice. For a low-maintenance daily driver, Miniflux is hard to beat.
Prerequisites
- A machine with Docker and the Compose plugin (
docker compose versionshould print a version) - A free TCP port on your LAN (this guide uses
8082— change it if yours is taken)
Step 1: The compose file
mkdir -p ~/stacks/miniflux && cd ~/stacks/minifluxCreate docker-compose.yml:
services:
miniflux:
image: miniflux/miniflux:latest
container_name: miniflux
environment:
DATABASE_URL: postgres://miniflux:secret@miniflux-db/miniflux?sslmode=disable
BASE_URL: http://localhost:8082
ports:
- "8082:8080"
depends_on:
- miniflux-db
restart: unless-stopped
miniflux-db:
image: postgres:16-alpine
container_name: miniflux-db
environment:
POSTGRES_USER: miniflux
POSTGRES_PASSWORD: secret
POSTGRES_DB: miniflux
volumes:
- miniflux_db:/var/lib/postgresql/data
restart: unless-stopped
volumes:
miniflux_db:Three things in that file matter, and two of them trip people up:
?sslmode=disableat the end of the DATABASE_URL — the current image attempts an SSL connection by default. Without this parameter the container enters a restart loop (see Step 3).secretas the password is fine for a LAN-only deployment, but if this server ever reaches the internet behind a proxy, change it to something real.BASE_URLis used for redirects and feed links. Set it to whatever address you will actually type in the browser.
Step 2: Start it
docker compose up -d
docker compose psBoth containers should show Up. Wait ten seconds, then open http://YOUR_SERVER_IP:8082 (or http://localhost:8082 if you are on the same machine).
Step 3: The restart loop (and the fix)
If instead you see Restarting in docker compose ps, check the logs:
docker logs minifluxIf the output repeats pq: SSL is not enabled on the server, the container is talking to Postgres with SSL on and Postgres has it off. The fix is the ?sslmode=disable parameter on the DATABASE_URL line, which the compose file above already includes. If you are reading this guide because of that error, that one parameter is the fix.
Edge case: schema version mismatch
A second, rarer message is the database schema is not up to date: current=v0 expected=vNNN. This happens when a fresh database is created but the first container run aborts before migrations. Running the image once with migrations forced clears it:
docker run --rm --network miniflux_default \
-e DATABASE_URL="postgres://miniflux:secret@miniflux-db/miniflux?sslmode=disable" \
-e RUN_MIGRATIONS=true miniflux/miniflux:latestThat command runs the migrations and then starts the server (leave it running until the DB is migrated, or stop it after a few seconds) — after which the compose-managed container starts cleanly. (We hit this during testing; it is not part of the normal path, but it is the other error that appears in every Miniflux+Postgres thread.)
Step 4: First-run setup
The first visit shows the setup page. Create your admin account — Miniflux generates an initial password it shows you once (or sets one you choose, depending on version).
Then:
- Add your first feed: paste an RSS URL into the “Add feed” field. If a site has no visible RSS link, try appending
/feed,/rss, or/atom.xmlto its URL, or use a feed-directory site to find it. - Add the 10–15 feeds you actually read. Resist adding 200 — a full feed list you never finish is the same as not reading.
- Check “Polling interval” in settings: the default is hourly, which is plenty. Faster polling on a small machine just costs CPU for no reading benefit.
Step 5: Use it from your phone
Miniflux speaks the standard /api/v1 RSS reader API. Any of these clients work:
- Reeder (iOS/macOS) — connect to your server URL, use the API
- NetNewsWire (macOS/iOS) — same
- Fluss (Android) — the most polished free option on Android
- The built-in mobile view — Miniflux serves a decent mobile UI at
/m, which is honestly good enough for daily use
Resource usage (measured)
| Container | Idle RAM | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| miniflux | 17.2 MiB | Go binary, one process |
| postgres:16-alpine | 37.6 MiB | Alpine image keeps it small |
Both together: under 55 MiB at idle. A 1 GB Raspberry Pi can run this and still have room for a few more services.
Updating
Miniflux migrates its own schema on startup, so updating is:
docker compose pull
docker compose up -dYour data lives in the miniflux_db volume and survives every update. Back it up with docker run --rm -v miniflux_db:/data miniflux/miniflux:latest psql ... or, more simply, docker exec miniflux-db pg_dumpall > backup.sql on a cron schedule. (We have a dedicated backups guide in the pipeline.)
FAQ
Does Miniflux work without Postgres?
It also supports SQLite and MySQL, but Postgres is the recommended production database and the one used here. SQLite is fine for a single-user test, but the image’s default expectations are Postgres-centric.
Can I add multiple users?
Yes — from the admin panel. Each user gets their own feeds and reading state, which makes Miniflux work as a small family reader.
Should I expose port 8082 to the internet?
No. Keep it on the LAN and reach it remotely via Tailscale or a reverse proxy with authentication — see the Security & Networking guides. RSS readers are a magnet for credential-stuffing bots the moment they are publicly reachable.
Where does this fit in a bigger setup?
In our self-hosting starter guide, Miniflux is one of the three first services, alongside Navidrome and DokuWiki.
What’s next?
Miniflux is now polling your feeds on its own. From here:
