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Can I use Server Manager with my existing VPS?

Yes. Any Linux server with SSH access works — VPS, dedicated, bare-metal, or home server. No special agent installed; connect with the IP, username, and SSH key (or password); deploy as if it were fresh. Existing nginx, Apache, or Traefik setups are detected and can be migrated to Caddy with a one-click recipe.

Last updated May 26, 2026

Yes — and you don't have to wipe it first. Any Linux server with SSH access works: VPS, dedicated server, bare-metal, or a home server you reach over the network. There's nothing to install on the server side; Server Manager connects over standard SSH and runs commands the way you would manually.

The provider doesn't matter: Hetzner, DigitalOcean, Linode, OVH, Oracle Cloud, AWS Lightsail, Vultr, your local provider, a home server with a public IP — all fine. The connect modal asks for:

  • The server's IP address (or hostname)
  • The SSH username (usually root, ubuntu, or debian)
  • The SSH key (recommended) or password

If you already have things running on the server (a website, a database, etc.), Server Manager detects them — the lists every site and service it found as a card. You can manage what's there, add new ones alongside, and leave anything you don't want touched alone.

Already have nginx, Apache, or Traefik?

Server Manager detects your existing web server and shows it in the of . Two supported paths:

  • Stay on your current engine. Faro configures it natively in chat (/etc/nginx/sites-available/ + certbot --nginx for nginx, the Apache equivalent for Apache, Docker labels for Traefik). The recipe palette marks Caddy-writing recipes with a 💬 via chat badge — they still work, one extra approval click each.
  • **Migrate to Caddy** with a built-in recipe. It rehearses on alt ports :8080 / :8443 while your existing engine keeps serving live traffic, Faro verifies each site itself, then atomically swaps. Auto-rollback fires if anything fails. After migration, every Server Manager flow works directly.

Either choice keeps your existing sites running. The migration recipe is opt-in and runs from a button in Server Info → Web server (or automatically as the first step when the Connect Domain wizard detects you'd benefit from it).

Related

  • What is Server Manager? — A web app that runs your server through plain English. Connect a Linux server, then deploy websites, install WordPress, manage databases, and configure email — all via a chat interface.
  • Will Server Manager break my server? — Every destructive command requires your explicit approval. Files are auto-backed up to .helm-backup/ before being replaced. SSH credentials never leave your session memory; nothing persists on Server Manager's side after you disconnect.
  • Why does Server Manager use Caddy? — Server Manager picks Caddy as the [[reverse-proxy]] because automatic HTTPS works in zero config — type a domain, get a valid cert 30 seconds later. nginx and Apache need certbot + a renewal cron + manual reloads to get there. Caddy collapses all of that into "type domain, get HTTPS." This article compares Caddy, nginx, Apache, and Traefik feature-by-feature, explains the rationale, and tells you when keeping your current engine is the right call.
  • Migrate from nginx, Apache, or Traefik to Caddy — One-click recipe that translates your existing reverse-proxy config to a Caddyfile, rehearses on alternate ports while the old engine keeps serving live traffic, then atomically swaps. Auto-rollback fires if anything fails verification. After migration, every Server Manager flow (deploy, connect-domain, install WordPress, …) works directly instead of routing through the chat fallback.