Deploy Stirling-PDF on Sealos

A self-hosted PDF toolbox for merging, splitting, conversion, OCR, compression, redaction, and other document workflows.

Tools

Deploy Stirling-PDF in a few clicks from the Sealos App Store.Run a self-hosted open-source service on Kubernetes-backed infrastructure.Get automatic HTTPS, routing, and resource management from Sealos.Avoid manual YAML while keeping control of the deployed workload.

Official Website GitHub README

sealos.io

Why deploy on Sealos

Sealos makes deploying any app effortless, secure, and production-ready. From one-click launch to ongoing operations, we handle the heavy lifting so you can focus on what matters.

One-Click Deploy

Compute

Networking

Storage

Security

Observability

Your Application is Live

One-Click Deployment

Deploy any app template in seconds. No compose setup, manual configure, and go live.

Managed Kubernetes Reliability

Built on Sealos Managed Kubernetes for high availability, auto-scaling, and self-healing by default.

Automatic HTTPS & Security

Every deployment includes a secure domain with automatic SSL. We handle certificates and text protection for you.

Persistent Storage

Attach persistent volumes with ease. Your data stays safe, durable, and always accessible.

Scale when needed

Adjust resources as your app grows, no downtime required.

You Get the Whole Stack

Sealos provisions and connects every resource your application needs. Everything is ready to use.

One-click, fully provisionedSecure by defaultProduction ready

App Service

Your application is running and ready to serve requests.

Public HTTPS URL

Secure, global endpoint to access your application.

Database

Managed database instance for your application.

Persistent Volume

Durable storage for uploads and application data.

Environment Variables

Configuration and secrets injected securely into your app.

Logs & Metrics

Centralized logs and basic metrics are enabled.

README

README.md

Deploy and Host Stirling-PDF on Sealos

Stirling-PDF is a self-hosted PDF toolbox for merging, splitting, conversion, OCR, compression, redaction, and other document workflows. This template deploys Stirling-PDF 2.14.2-fat with authenticated access, persistent storage, and an optional licensed PostgreSQL topology on Sealos Cloud.

Stirling-PDF Screenshot

About Hosting Stirling-PDF

Stirling-PDF serves its web interface and API on port 8080. The template creates one StatefulSet replica, four persistent volumes, a Service, an HTTPS Ingress, and a Sealos App entry. The volumes preserve OCR language data at /usr/share/tessdata, application configuration and the default H2 database at /configs, logs at /logs, and secured user files at /storage.

Authentication is enabled for every deployment. The initial administrator credentials come from the required SECURITY_INITIALLOGIN_USERNAME and SECURITY_INITIALLOGIN_PASSWORD inputs and apply to a fresh /configs volume.

Common Use Cases

PDF Operations Portal: Merge, split, rotate, compress, watermark, redact, and organize PDFs from a browser.
Document Conversion: Convert PDF, Office, image, HTML, and book formats with the fat image toolset.
OCR Workflows: Process scanned documents with persistent OCR language data.
Private Team Utility: Protect document tools and stored files with administrator login.

Dependencies for Stirling-PDF Hosting

The community topology uses Stirling-PDF's embedded H2 database and local persistent file storage. The licensed topology adds a KubeBlocks PostgreSQL 16 cluster when use_postgresql=true and PREMIUM_KEY contains a license key.

Implementation Details

Architecture Components:

Stirling-PDF: stirlingtools/stirling-pdf:2.14.2-fat, pinned to the official release whose multi-architecture digest is sha256:aa91c68b85992986302fbdb6735f2c0824e329304e43c814a9b77c9dd0dbe410.
Persistent storage: Four 1Gi claims for OCR data, configuration/H2, logs, and secured user files.
PostgreSQL: An independent KubeBlocks postgresql-16.4.0 cluster plus an idempotent stirling_pdf database initialization Job when PostgreSQL and a license key are configured.

License Boundary:

The default H2 and local-storage topology runs with the community license. Stirling-PDF gates custom PostgreSQL behind a valid Pro or Enterprise license. The template renders PostgreSQL resources only when use_postgresql=true and PREMIUM_KEY is non-empty; an empty key selects the community topology.

Why Deploy Stirling-PDF on Sealos?

One-click topology: Deploy the application, HTTPS route, persistent claims, and selected managed services together.
Managed credentials: PostgreSQL connection values come from Sealos-managed secrets.
Resource control: Tune CPU and memory from Canvas while preserving a single application replica.

Deployment Guide

Open the Stirling-PDF template and click Deploy Now.
Enter the initial administrator username and password.
Keep use_postgresql=false for the community H2/local-storage topology.
Enable PostgreSQL and enter a valid PREMIUM_KEY for the licensed topology.
Select the locale and advanced book/HTML conversion setting.
Wait 2-3 minutes for the StatefulSet and selected managed services to become ready, then open the generated HTTPS URL from Canvas.

Configuration

Name	Description	Required	Default
`SECURITY_INITIALLOGIN_USERNAME`	Initial administrator username for a fresh configuration volume.	`true`	User input
`SECURITY_INITIALLOGIN_PASSWORD`	Initial administrator password for a fresh configuration volume.	`true`	User input
`use_postgresql`	Provision and use independent PostgreSQL. Requires Pro or Enterprise.	`false`	`false`
`PREMIUM_KEY`	Stirling-PDF license key for the PostgreSQL topology.	Conditional	Empty
`SYSTEM_DEFAULTLOCALE`	Default interface locale.	`false`	`en-US`
`INSTALL_BOOK_AND_ADVANCED_HTML_OPS`	Enable Calibre-backed book and advanced HTML conversion.	`false`	`false`

Topology Options

`use_postgresql`	`PREMIUM_KEY`	Runtime topology	License
`false`	Empty or configured	Embedded H2 + persistent `/storage`	Community
`true`	Empty	Embedded H2 + persistent `/storage`	Community fallback
`true`	Valid key	KubeBlocks PostgreSQL + persistent `/storage`	Pro or Enterprise

Troubleshooting

Initial credentials are rejected

The initial credential inputs apply once to a fresh /configs volume. Use the administrator account already stored in that volume after subsequent restarts.

The licensed PostgreSQL topology remains on H2

Enter a non-empty PREMIUM_KEY together with use_postgresql=true. Stirling-PDF validates the Pro or Enterprise entitlement during startup.

Large conversions need more capacity

Increase the StatefulSet CPU and memory through Sealos Canvas before large OCR batches, book conversions, or concurrent team usage.

Additional Resources

License

Stirling-PDF's community code is available under the MIT License, with proprietary directories governed by their upstream licenses. Custom PostgreSQL requires a paid Stirling-PDF Pro or Enterprise entitlement. This Sealos template follows the template repository license.