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Getting-StartedQuick Start

Last Updated: 3/10/2026

Quick Start Guide

Get LinkAce running in under 5 minutes with Docker. This guide will have you saving and organizing bookmarks in no time.

What You’ll Need

  • A server or computer with Docker installed (version 19 or greater)
  • Docker Compose (supporting compose version 3 or later)
  • Command-line access to your server
  • 5 minutes of your time

Installation Steps

1. Download LinkAce

Download the Docker setup package from the LinkAce repository:

👉 Download linkace-docker.zip

Extract the files to a directory on your server:

unzip linkace-docker.zip
cd linkace

You should see these files:

linkace/
├── .env
├── docker-compose.yml
├── LICENSE.md
└── README.md

2. Configure Security

Open the .env file and set secure passwords:

nano .env

Change these two lines:

DB_PASSWORD=ChangeThisToASecurePassword!
REDIS_PASSWORD=ChangeThisToAnotherSecurePassword!

Important: Use strong, unique passwords. These protect your database and cache.

3. Start LinkAce

Start the Docker containers:

docker compose up -d

Docker will download the necessary images and start LinkAce. This takes 1-2 minutes on first run.

4. Complete Setup

Open your browser and navigate to:

  • Local installation: http://localhost
  • Server installation: http://your-server-ip

You’ll see the LinkAce setup wizard. Follow the prompts to:

  1. Configure Database - The defaults are already set from your .env file
  2. Create Admin Account - Enter your name, email, and password
  3. Finish Setup - Click “Complete Setup”

🎉 You’re done! You can now start saving bookmarks.

Essential Post-Setup Steps

To unlock LinkAce’s full potential, complete these quick configuration steps:

1. Set Up the Cron Job (Required)

The cron job enables:

  • Automatic Wayback Machine backups
  • Link monitoring and health checks
  • Scheduled application backups

Get your cron URL:

  1. Click your username in the top-right corner
  2. Select “System Settings”
  3. Scroll to “System Cron” section
  4. Copy the cron URL shown

Add the cron job to your server:

crontab -e

Add this line (replace with your actual cron URL):

* * * * * curl -s https://your-linkace-url/cron/RUN-YOUR-TOKEN-HERE

Or if curl isn’t available:

* * * * * wget -q -O /dev/null https://your-linkace-url/cron/RUN-YOUR-TOKEN-HERE

For Docker installations, you can also use:

* * * * * docker exec linkace-app-1 php artisan schedule:run >> /dev/null 2>&1

2. Install the Bookmarklet

The bookmarklet lets you save any webpage with one click:

  1. Click your username → “User Settings”
  2. Drag the Bookmarklet button to your browser’s bookmarks bar
  3. Visit any webpage and click the bookmarklet to save it

3. Configure Your Preferences

In “User Settings”, customize:

  • Timezone - Set your local timezone for accurate timestamps
  • Date/Time Format - Choose your preferred display format
  • Privacy Defaults - Set whether new bookmarks are Private, Internal, or Public
  • Wayback Machine - Enable automatic archiving of your bookmarks
  • Dark Mode - Choose light, dark, or automatic theme

Your First Bookmark

Let’s save your first link:

  1. Click the ”+ New Link” button in the top menu
  2. Paste a URL (try: https://github.com/Kovah/LinkAce)
  3. LinkAce automatically fetches the title and description
  4. (Optional) Add to a List or add Tags
  5. Click “Save Link”

Pro tip: Leave the title and description blank - LinkAce will fill them automatically!

Quick Tips

Organizing with Lists and Tags

  • Lists are like folders - use them for broad categories
    • Example: “Web Development”, “Recipes”, “Articles to Read”
  • Tags are like labels - use many per link for flexible organization
    • Example: A link could have tags: php, tutorial, laravel, backend

Privacy Levels Explained

  • Private - Only you can see this bookmark
  • Internal - All logged-in users can see it (great for teams)
  • Public - Anyone can see it, even without logging in (if Guest Mode is enabled)

Using the Bookmarklet

The fastest way to save links:

  1. Visit any webpage
  2. Click the LinkAce bookmarklet in your bookmarks bar
  3. A popup appears with the link pre-filled
  4. Add tags/lists if desired, or just click Save

What’s Next?

Essential Reading

Advanced Features

Customization

Need Help?

If you run into issues:

  1. Check the Troubleshooting Guide
  2. Visit GitHub Discussions 
  3. Review the complete documentation

Alternative Installation Methods

This guide covers the fastest Docker-based installation. If you need:

Welcome to LinkAce! Start saving, organizing, and preserving your bookmarks today. 🔖

Installation DockerPost Installation