ezBookkeeping: Money Management - Docker Compose

1. Overview

ezBookkeeping is a lightweight, open-source personal finance management tool. This guide documents the process of deploying it using Docker Compose with SQLite as the database backend.

I chose this configuration because it is resource-efficient for a personal server (like my YunoHost/Docker hybrid setup) and requires minimal maintenance compared to running a dedicated MySQL or PostgreSQL instance.

2. Prerequisites

• A Linux server (Debian/Ubuntu/YunoHost)
• Docker & Docker Compose installed
• Basic knowledge of terminal commands

3. Directory Structure

To keep the filesystem organised and strictly separate data from configuration, we use a standard directory path in the home folder.

Command to initialise directories:

mkdir -p ~/docker/ezbookkeeping/data
cd ~/docker/ezbookkeeping

4. Configuration (docker-compose.yml)

Create the configuration file within the directory created above.

nano docker-compose.yml

Paste the following configuration. Note the custom port assignment and timezone setting.

services:
  ezbookkeeping:
    image: mayswind/ezbookkeeping:latest
    container_name: ezbookkeeping
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      # Format is HOST_PORT:CONTAINER_PORT
      # We use 55222 to avoid conflicts with standard web ports
      - "55222:8080"
    volumes:
      # Maps the local data folder to the container's storage
      # This ensures the database persists after restarts
      - ./data:/data
    environment:
      # Sets the application time to Malaysian time
      - TZ=Asia/Kuala_Lumpur
      # By default, ezBookkeeping uses SQLite, so no DB vars are needed

Key Configuration Decisions:

• Database: We rely on the default SQLite. The database file will be created automatically inside the /data volume.
• Port 55222: Chosen to prevent conflict with other services running on ports 80, 443, or 8080.
• Timezone: Set to Asia/Kuala_Lumpur to ensure transaction timestamps match local time.

5. Deployment

Once the file is saved, launch the container in detached mode (running in the background):

docker compose up -d

Verification:
You can check if the container is running correctly by viewing the logs:

docker compose logs -f

Press Ctrl+C to exit the log view.

6. Initial Setup

1. Open your web browser and navigate to: http://<your-server-ip>:55222
2. Important: ezBookkeeping does not come with a default "admin" account.
3. On the login screen, look for the "Register" button.
4. Create your account. The first account created serves as the primary user.

7. Backup & Maintenance

Because we utilised a volume mapping (./data:/data), backing up this application is straightforward.

• Data Location: All financial data and uploaded receipts are stored in: ~/docker/ezbookkeeping/data
• Backup Method: To back up, simply copy this entire folder to a secure location (e.g., external drive or cloud storage).

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# Example backup command (creates a timestamped archive)
tar -czvf ezbookkeeping_backup_$(date +%F).tar.gz ~/docker/ezbookkeeping/data

8. Troubleshooting / Notes

• Updating: To update to the latest version of ezBookkeeping in the future, run:
  bash docker compose pull docker compose up -d
• YunoHost Users: If you wish to expose this to a public domain (e.g., money.domain.com), you must create a "Redirect" app in the YunoHost admin panel pointing to http://127.0.0.1:55222.

This entry is part of my self-hosted lab documentation. Documenting these steps helps minimise errors and ensures the setup is reproducible.