Install on Linux

Step-by-step guide to install Open VTS on Ubuntu, Debian, or CentOS.

Last updated March 15, 2026

This guide walks you through installing Open VTS on a Linux server. The process takes about 10 minutes and results in a fully functional tracking platform.

Prerequisites

A Linux server meeting the system requirements
Root or sudo access
PostgreSQL 13+ installed and running
Java 17+ runtime installed

Step 1: Download Open VTS

Download the latest release package from the official repository:

terminal

# Create installation directory
sudo mkdir -p /opt/openvts
cd /opt/openvts

# Download the latest release
wget https://github.com/openvts/openvts/releases/latest/download/openvts-linux.zip

# Extract the archive
unzip openvts-linux.zip

Step 2: Configure the Database

Create a dedicated PostgreSQL database and user for Open VTS:

PostgreSQL

-- Connect as the postgres superuser
CREATE USER openvts WITH PASSWORD 'your_secure_password';
CREATE DATABASE openvts OWNER openvts;
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON DATABASE openvts TO openvts;

Warning

Use a strong, unique password for the database user. Never use the default password in production environments.

Step 3: Configure Open VTS

Edit the configuration file to point to your database:

conf/openvts.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE properties SYSTEM "http://java.sun.com/dtd/properties.dtd">
<properties>
  <entry key="database.driver">org.postgresql.Driver</entry>
  <entry key="database.url">jdbc:postgresql://localhost:5432/openvts</entry>
  <entry key="database.user">openvts</entry>
  <entry key="database.password">your_secure_password</entry>
</properties>

Step 4: Start the Service

terminal

# Start Open VTS
sudo ./bin/openvts start

# Verify the service is running
curl -s http://localhost:8082/api/server | jq .

Info

The default web interface is available at http://your-server:8082. Default credentials are admin / admin. Change these immediately after first login.

Step 5: Set Up as a System Service

Create a systemd unit so Open VTS starts automatically on boot:

/etc/systemd/system/openvts.service

[Unit]
Description=Open VTS Tracking Server
After=network.target postgresql.service

[Service]
Type=simple
User=openvts
WorkingDirectory=/opt/openvts
ExecStart=/opt/openvts/bin/openvts start
ExecStop=/opt/openvts/bin/openvts stop
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=10

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

terminal

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable openvts
sudo systemctl start openvts

Next Steps

Change the default admin password
Configure TLS with a reverse proxy
Add your first GPS device
Explore the web interface

Install on Linux

Step-by-step guide to install Open VTS on Ubuntu, Debian, or CentOS.

Last updated March 15, 2026

This guide walks you through installing Open VTS on a Linux server. The process takes about 10 minutes and results in a fully functional tracking platform.

Prerequisites

A Linux server meeting the system requirements
Root or sudo access
PostgreSQL 13+ installed and running
Java 17+ runtime installed

Step 1: Download Open VTS

Download the latest release package from the official repository:

terminal

# Create installation directory
sudo mkdir -p /opt/openvts
cd /opt/openvts

# Download the latest release
wget https://github.com/openvts/openvts/releases/latest/download/openvts-linux.zip

# Extract the archive
unzip openvts-linux.zip

Step 2: Configure the Database

Create a dedicated PostgreSQL database and user for Open VTS:

PostgreSQL

-- Connect as the postgres superuser
CREATE USER openvts WITH PASSWORD 'your_secure_password';
CREATE DATABASE openvts OWNER openvts;
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON DATABASE openvts TO openvts;

Warning

Use a strong, unique password for the database user. Never use the default password in production environments.

Step 3: Configure Open VTS

Edit the configuration file to point to your database:

conf/openvts.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE properties SYSTEM "http://java.sun.com/dtd/properties.dtd">
<properties>
  <entry key="database.driver">org.postgresql.Driver</entry>
  <entry key="database.url">jdbc:postgresql://localhost:5432/openvts</entry>
  <entry key="database.user">openvts</entry>
  <entry key="database.password">your_secure_password</entry>
</properties>

Step 4: Start the Service

terminal

# Start Open VTS
sudo ./bin/openvts start

# Verify the service is running
curl -s http://localhost:8082/api/server | jq .

Info

The default web interface is available at http://your-server:8082. Default credentials are admin / admin. Change these immediately after first login.

Step 5: Set Up as a System Service

Create a systemd unit so Open VTS starts automatically on boot:

/etc/systemd/system/openvts.service

[Unit]
Description=Open VTS Tracking Server
After=network.target postgresql.service

[Service]
Type=simple
User=openvts
WorkingDirectory=/opt/openvts
ExecStart=/opt/openvts/bin/openvts start
ExecStop=/opt/openvts/bin/openvts stop
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=10

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

terminal

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable openvts
sudo systemctl start openvts

Next Steps

Change the default admin password
Configure TLS with a reverse proxy
Add your first GPS device
Explore the web interface