How to Install OpenSign: A Document Signing Tool

Install OpenSign Using Podman: A Beginner’s Guide to Self-Hosted E-Signatures

Looking for a free, open-source alternative to platforms like DocuSign? OpenSign, developed by OpenSignLabs, is a powerful and privacy-respecting e-signature platform you can self-host with modern container tools like Podman – no Docker required.

In this guide, you will learn how to install OpenSign using podman-compose, following the official method while adapting it for Docker-free systems. At the end, I have also included options to contact me if you need personal assistance.

Why Use OpenSign?

• Open Source (AGPL-3.0 license)
• Enterprise-Ready features
• Modern Stack: React frontend, Node.js backend, MongoDB database
• Self-Hosted: Stay in control of your data and workflow

Official Repo: OpenSignLabs/OpenSign on GitHub
Official Docs: docs.opensignlabs.com

Prerequisites

Before we begin, make sure you have the following:

• A Linux system with Podman and podman-compose installed
• curl to download setup files
• Internet access
• Optional: a domain name with HTTPS support (for production use)

Note: This setup uses podman-compose, which understands Docker Compose files and runs them using Podman under the hood.

Step-by-Step Installation with Podman

Step 1: Download OpenSign Configuration Files

You do not need to clone the GitHub repository. Instead, download the necessary files directly:

curl --remote-name-all \
  https://raw.githubusercontent.com/OpenSignLabs/OpenSign/main/docker-compose.yml \
  https://raw.githubusercontent.com/OpenSignLabs/OpenSign/main/Caddyfile \
  https://raw.githubusercontent.com/OpenSignLabs/OpenSign/main/.env.local_dev

mv .env.local_dev .env.prod

Step 2: Edit the Environment File

Open .env.prod in a text editor and customize the values. At a minimum, set the following:

HOST_URL=https://localhost:3001
MONGODB_URI=mongodb://mongo:27017/opensign
JWT_SECRET=your_secure_jwt_secret

For local development, “localhost” will work. For production, use your actual domain.

Step 3: Run OpenSign with podman-compose

Launch the services using podman-compose:

podman-compose --file docker-compose.yml --env-file .env.prod up -d

This command will start:

• The OpenSign backend
• The MongoDB database
• The Caddy web server (reverse proxy)
• The frontend (React UI)

Step 4: Access Your Installation

Once the containers are running, open your browser and go to:

https://localhost:3001

If you’re using a self-signed certificate, your browser may warn you. Accept the warning to proceed. For production use, configure SSL with a trusted certificate provider using Caddy.

📷 Screenshots & 📽️ Screencast

Need Help Installing or Migrating OpenSign?

If you’re interested in:

• One-on-one programming tutorials
• Help with custom installation, updating, or migrating OpenSign
• Optimizing Podman-based deployments

Contact me directly here

I offer personalized support for OpenSign and other open-source projects.

Final Thoughts

You do not need Docker to self-host powerful software like OpenSign. Thanks to podman-compose, you can deploy the full system using only open-source tools on a Docker-free stack.

This setup gives you full control, better security, and zero vendor lock-in – all while supporting a modern, enterprise-ready e-signature platform.