How I deployed a Resonate Server to a DigitalOcean Droplet

I set out to run a real Resonate Server in the wild — not on localhost — and ended up building a clean, repeatable setup you can follow to do the same.

I wanted to see what it would take to deploy a remote Resonate Server—one that exposes public endpoints my local apps could connect to.

I didn’t have a specific use case in mind. I just wanted to run a few durable applications against a real, remote Resonate Server—not one on my local network. I’d been experimenting with DigitalOcean Droplets, so I decided to use one for the job.

This turned out to be a really fun project—especially if you enjoy working directly from the command line. If you prefer a graphical configuration screen, this might not be your ideal path. But if you like understanding how every piece fits together, this approach will feel satisfying.

The networking setup gave me the most trouble (as it often does), but working through that taught me a lot—and that’s exactly why I’m sharing this tutorial. My trial and error should save you several hours if you decide to try the same thing.

In the end, it worked beautifully: I connected multiple local apps to my new remote Resonate Server, and everything ran smoothly and durably.

👉 If you want to deploy your own Resonate Server on a DigitalOcean Droplet, follow this step-by-step guide, “Run a Resonate Server on a DigitalOcean Droplet”.