# Run Companion on a server without Docker (https://www.getfounderhq.com/docs/companion/run-on-a-server-without-docker)

Install Companion on a Debian or Ubuntu server and keep it running as a
service. About 5 minutes. The service starts Companion when the server
boots and starts it again after a crash.

<Callout title="Before you start">
  You need a Debian or Ubuntu server (64-bit Intel/AMD or ARM), `sudo`, and
  a FounderHQ account. On another distribution, use
  [Docker](/companion/run-on-a-server-with-docker).
</Callout>

## Install Companion

1. Install Companion, and the virtual display it draws on. A server has no
   screen, so Companion needs one.

   ```bash
   curl -fsSL https://www.getfounderhq.com/downloads/companion/install.sh | sh
   sudo apt-get install -y xvfb xauth
   ```

   The first command ends with a note that this machine has no desktop.
   That is expected on a server.
2. Create a user for Companion. Do not run Companion as root: the browser
   engine inside it does not start as root.

   ```bash
   sudo useradd --system --create-home --shell /usr/sbin/nologin companion
   ```

## Run it as a service

1. Create the service.

   ```bash
   sudo tee /etc/systemd/system/founderhq-companion.service > /dev/null <<'EOF'
   [Unit]
   Description=FounderHQ Companion
   After=network-online.target
   Wants=network-online.target

   [Service]
   User=companion
   SyslogIdentifier=founderhq-companion
   ExecStart=/usr/bin/xvfb-run -a -s "-screen 0 1920x1080x24 -nolisten tcp" /usr/bin/founderhq-companion --headless --log-level=3
   Restart=always
   RestartSec=5

   [Install]
   WantedBy=multi-user.target
   EOF
   ```
2. Start it now, and at every boot.

   ```bash
   sudo systemctl daemon-reload
   sudo systemctl enable --now founderhq-companion
   ```

## Pair the server

1. Read the log.

   ```bash
   sudo journalctl -u founderhq-companion -f
   ```

   The log shows a link and a code between two lines of dashes, under
   **Pair this server with FounderHQ**.
2. Open the link in any browser where you are signed in to FounderHQ. Check
   that the code on the page matches the code in the log, then approve.
3. Press Ctrl+C to leave the log. Companion keeps running: the command only
   shows the log.

The log says how long the code works. Companion prints a new one after
that.

## Verify

The log shows `Ready for AI requests.`

In FounderHQ, open [Settings → Companion Apps](https://app.getfounderhq.com/?openSettings=companion). The server is in
the list and shows **Active now**.

To check that Companion comes back after a restart, restart the server and
run:

```bash
systemctl is-active founderhq-companion
```

It prints `active`. The server stays paired.

## Update

Companion writes a line in the log when a new version is available. Run the
install command again, then restart the service.

```bash
curl -fsSL https://www.getfounderhq.com/downloads/companion/install.sh | sh
sudo systemctl restart founderhq-companion
```

## Unpair

In FounderHQ, open [Settings → Companion Apps](https://app.getfounderhq.com/?openSettings=companion), and unpair the
server. Companion notices the next time it connects, and prints a new
pairing link.

## Remove

Unpair the server first. Then stop the service and remove Companion.

```bash
sudo systemctl disable --now founderhq-companion
sudo rm /etc/systemd/system/founderhq-companion.service
sudo apt-get remove -y founderhq-companion
sudo userdel --remove companion
```

The last command deletes the pairing and the caption model, which are in
`/home/companion/.config/FounderHQ Companion`.

See [Server settings](/companion/server-settings) for the options you can
add to the service.