---
name: audiobookshelf-setup
description: Deploy Audiobookshelf on a self-hosted Linux server — Docker setup, reverse proxy with nginx + Let's Encrypt, DuckDNS for dynamic DNS, and DNS challenge for SSL when ISP blocks ports 80/443.
version: 1.0.0
author: Hermes Agent
license: MIT
platforms: [linux]
metadata:
  hermes:
    tags: [audiobookshelf, docker, nginx, lets-encrypt, duckdns, reverse-proxy, self-hosted]
    category: self-hosting
related_skills: [plex-setup, selfhosted-migration]
---

# Audiobookshelf Setup

Deploy Audiobookshelf via Docker with secure HTTPS access — including reverse proxy, dynamic DNS, and SSL via Let's Encrypt DNS challenge (for residential ISPs that block ports 80/443).

## When to Use

- User asks to install Audiobookshelf
- User wants a self-hosted audiobook/podcast server
- User needs HTTPS access to a self-hosted service behind a residential ISP
- User needs a reverse proxy pattern for any Docker-hosted web service

## Prerequisites

- Docker + docker-compose-v2 installed
- A domain or DuckDNS subdomain (for SSL)
- Port forwarding in router (for external access)

## Setup Steps

### 1. Create directory structure

```bash
mkdir -p ~/docker/audiobookshelf/{config,metadata}
```

### 2. Create docker-compose.yml

```yaml
services:
  audiobookshelf:
    image: ghcr.io/advplyr/audiobookshelf:latest
    container_name: audiobookshelf
    network_mode: host
    environment:
      - TZ=America/New_York
      - PORT=13378
    volumes:
      - /home/ray/docker/audiobookshelf/config:/config
      - /home/ray/docker/audiobookshelf/metadata:/metadata
      - /path/to/audiobooks:/audiobooks:ro
    restart: unless-stopped
```

**Key points:**

- **`network_mode: host`** — Audiobookshelf defaults to port 80 internally. Set `PORT=13378` to move it off port 80 (needed for nginx later). With host networking, the port binds directly on the host.
- **Audiobook mount** — Use `:ro` (read-only). Audiobookshelf only reads files; no write access needed.
- The container needs ~5-10 seconds on first run to initialize its SQLite database and generate a JWT secret.

### 3. Start and verify

```bash
cd ~/docker/audiobookshelf && docker compose pull && docker compose up -d
sleep 10
curl -s -o /dev/null -w "HTTP %{http_code}" http://localhost:13378/
# Should return 200
```

### 4. Set up DuckDNS (free dynamic DNS)

If using a residential ISP without a static IP:

1. Go to https://duckdns.org → sign in with GitHub/Google
2. Create a subdomain (e.g., `mybooks`)
3. Copy the token from the top of the page

Install the updater script and cron job:

```bash
sudo mkdir -p /opt/duckdns

sudo tee /opt/duckdns/update.sh << 'EOF' > /dev/null
#!/bin/bash
echo url="https://www.duckdns.org/update?domains=<YOUR_SUBDOMAIN>&token=<YOUR_TOKEN>&ip=" | curl -k -s -o /opt/duckdns/duck.log -K -
EOF

sudo chmod +x /opt/duckdns/update.sh

# Run once to register
sudo /opt/duckdns/update.sh && cat /opt/duckdns/duck.log
# Should output "OK"

# Auto-update every 5 minutes
(sudo crontab -l 2>/dev/null | grep -v duckdns; echo "*/5 * * * * /opt/duckdns/update.sh") | sudo crontab -
```

Verify the domain resolves: `dig +short <subdomain>.duckdns.org`

### 5. Install nginx + certbot

```bash
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y nginx certbot python3-certbot-nginx

# Install DuckDNS plugin for Let's Encrypt DNS challenge
sudo pip3 install --break-system-packages certbot-dns-duckdns
```

### 6. Get SSL certificate via DNS challenge

**Why DNS challenge:** Residential ISPs often block incoming ports 80/443. Let's Encrypt HTTP challenge requires port 80. DNS challenge works without any open ports — it adds a TXT record to the domain.

```bash
# Create credentials file
sudo mkdir -p /etc/letsencrypt
sudo tee /etc/letsencrypt/duckdns.ini << 'EOF' > /dev/null
dns_duckdns_token=<YOUR_TOKEN>
EOF
sudo chmod 600 /etc/letsencrypt/duckdns.ini

# Get certificate
sudo certbot certonly \
  --authenticator dns-duckdns \
  --dns-duckdns-credentials /etc/letsencrypt/duckdns.ini \
  --dns-duckdns-propagation-seconds 30 \
  -d <domain>.duckdns.org \
  --non-interactive --agree-tos --email <your-email>
```

Cert will auto-renew via certbot's built-in systemd timer. No cron needed.

### 7. Configure nginx reverse proxy with SSL

Pick an **available high port** (since 80/443 are blocked by ISP). Check what's free:

```bash
sudo ss -tlnp | grep -E "3443|4443|5443"
```

Create the nginx config:

```nginx
server {
    listen 3443 ssl;
    server_name <domain>.duckdns.org;

    ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/<domain>.duckdns.org/fullchain.pem;
    ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/<domain>.duckdns.org/privkey.pem;
    ssl_protocols TLSv1.2 TLSv1.3;
    ssl_ciphers HIGH:!aNULL:!MD5;

    client_max_body_size 500M;

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:13378;
        proxy_http_version 1.1;
        proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
        proxy_set_header Connection "upgrade";
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
        proxy_read_timeout 86400;
    }
}

# Optional: redirect HTTP → HTTPS
server {
    listen 80;
    server_name <domain>.duckdns.org;
    return 301 https://$host:3443$request_uri;
}
```

Enable and reload:

```bash
sudo cp audiobookshelf.conf /etc/nginx/sites-available/audiobookshelf
sudo ln -sf /etc/nginx/sites-available/audiobookshelf /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo rm -f /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/default
sudo nginx -t && sudo systemctl reload nginx
```

### 8. Port forwarding

Forward the chosen high port (e.g., 3443 TCP) in your router to the server's LAN IP.

### 9. Access and create library

1. Visit `https://<domain>.duckdns.org:3443`
2. Create an admin account on first visit
3. Add a library → point it to `/audiobooks` (the container's internal mount path)
4. Audiobookshelf will scan and populate automatically

### 10. Client apps

- **Web player** — built-in, at the same URL
- **iOS** — [Audiobookshelf App](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/audiobookshelf/id6446379655)
- **Android** — [Audiobookshelf on Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.audiobookshelf.app)

Connect the app to `https://<domain>.duckdns.org:3443` with your account. Supports offline downloads, sleep timer, and playback speed controls.

## Pitfalls

- **Port 80 conflicts with host networking** — Audiobookshelf defaults to port 80 internally. With `network_mode: host`, this binds directly on the host, conflicting with nginx. Set `PORT=13378` in the environment to move it before nginx setup.
- **Docker port conflicts** — Other containers may already use ports you want for nginx (e.g., Heimdall on 8443). Check with `docker ps --format '{{.Names}} {{.Ports}}'` before picking an nginx port.
- **Shell mangling of tokens** — If API tokens or Docker env vars contain special chars (underscores, dashes), bash may mangle them in variable expansion. Use Python for HTTP calls with tokens: `urllib.request.Request(url)` with `headers` works reliably. See `plex-setup` for the same pattern.
- **Hairpin NAT** — Testing the public URL from inside the LAN often fails (connection refused) even when the setup is correct. Always test from a mobile device on cellular data, not Wi‑Fi.
- **`certbot-dns-duckdns` not in apt** — On Ubuntu 26.04, this package isn't in apt. Use `pip3 install --break-system-packages certbot-dns-duckdns` instead.
- **Audiobookshelf first-run delay** — The container needs ~10 seconds to initialize its SQLite database, generate a JWT secret, and start listening. Don't assume it's broken if port 13378 isn't immediately available.
- **`docker compose restart` vs `up -d`** — `restart` reuses the old container config (doesn't pick up new env vars like `PORT`). Use `up -d` when changing environment variables, then `restart` for simple process cycling.

## Verification Checklist

- [ ] `curl http://localhost:13378/` returns 200
- [ ] DuckDNS updater returns "OK" on manual run
- [ ] `dig +short <domain>.duckdns.org` returns the correct public IP
- [ ] SSL cert obtained (`sudo certbot certificates`)
- [ ] nginx config passes `sudo nginx -t`
- [ ] `curl -sk https://localhost:3443/` returns 200 (SSL working locally)
- [ ] Port forwarding rule added in router
- [ ] External access confirmed from cellular data

## Support Files

- `templates/docker-compose.yml` — Starter Docker Compose file
- `templates/nginx-audiobookshelf.conf` — nginx reverse proxy config with SSL
- `scripts/duckdns-update.sh` — DuckDNS IP update script (set DOMAIN and TOKEN)
- `references/heimdall-dashboard.md` — Add the service to Heimdall dashboard via SQLite
