Runner job and service containers can use substantial resources unless constrained.
Teams using CI/CD on the same host.Forgejo Hardware Requirements: RAM, CPU & Storage
Plan Forgejo hardware for RAM, CPU, Git repositories, SQLite or PostgreSQL, Actions runners and backups, with practical ZimaOS custom-install sizing.
Forgejo requirements at a glance
Forgejo is lightweight for normal Git hosting, but repository storage, database choice and Actions runners can change the hardware profile substantially.
- RAM
- No numerical official Forgejo server minimum published. Database and Actions runners can dominate whole-host memory.
- CPU
- No numerical official server core minimum. Git operations, indexing and CI jobs increase CPU demand.
- Storage
- No universal official minimum. Repositories, LFS, packages, attachments, database files and backups determine capacity.
- Database
- Forgejo defaults to SQLite if no database is configured; current Docker docs also provide MySQL and PostgreSQL examples.
- Actions
- Forgejo Runner is a separate workload. Job/service containers can consume large CPU/RAM unless explicit limits are configured.
- Best Zima starting point
- ZimaBoard 2 832 is a strong small-team Git host; use 16 GB or ZimaCube 2 when runners, LFS and larger repositories share the same machine.
From official requirements to the right setup
Size Forgejo itself first, then treat runners and repository storage as separate growth layers.
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Official requirements
Start with Forgejo's official container image and persistent /data volume. If no external database is configured, Forgejo defaults to SQLite.
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Confirm your needs
Estimate repository count, Git LFS/package usage and clone/fetch concurrency. These affect disk capacity, disk I/O and network traffic more than the web UI.
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Leave room to grow
If enabling Forgejo Actions, budget runner CPU/RAM independently. Runner jobs execute in separate containers and should be constrained with container resource limits.
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Run it on ZimaOS
On ZimaOS, use Install Custom App with the official Forgejo image, persist /data, map web/SSH ports, and move to PostgreSQL/MySQL when the deployment benefits from a separate database.
Check every playback client
- Repository count
- Repository/LFS size
- Concurrent developers
- SQLite or external database
- Actions enabled
- Runner capacity/limits
- Backup retention
- Other ZimaOS services
Official minimum requirements
Forgejo's current installation documentation does not publish a numerical host hardware minimum.
Do not invent a 1 GB or 2 GB official minimum. Core Forgejo is light, but repositories, databases and especially Actions runners need separate capacity planning.
| Requirement | Official minimum | What this supports |
|---|---|---|
| RAM minimum | No numerical official minimum published | Whole-host memory depends on database and optional runners. |
| CPU minimum | No numerical official minimum published | Git traffic and CI jobs change CPU demand. |
| Storage minimum | No numerical official minimum published | Repos, LFS, packages and backups determine capacity. |
| Default database | SQLite | Used when no external database is configured. |
| Other databases | MySQL and PostgreSQL | Current Docker docs provide both examples. |
| Official image | codeberg.org/forgejo/forgejo:16 | Current v16 Docker documentation. |
When to upgrade your hardware
Forgejo should scale when repository storage, Git concurrency or Actions runners exceed the current host envelope.
Actions jobs saturate CPU or RAM
LFS, packages or repositories grow rapidly
SQLite becomes a concurrency bottleneck
Git objects, LFS and package storage can become the primary disk workload.
Large monorepos, binaries and release artifacts.Higher multi-user/database activity may justify PostgreSQL or MySQL.
Growing shared Forgejo instances.Plan hardware growth with confidence
Scale Forgejo by separating repository storage, database activity and CI runners.
Put repositories and LFS on SSD-backed storage
Git object access and package operations benefit from fast durable storage.
Use SATA/NVMe with ZimaBoard 2 or SSD tiers on ZimaCube 2.Move to 16 GB when runners share the host
Extra RAM helps Forgejo, database and CI containers coexist.
ZimaBoard 2 1664.Use larger storage for LFS/packages and backups
Artifact retention can grow beyond the app/database footprint.
ZimaCube 2 Standard.Use stronger CPU or separate runner nodes for CI
Build/test jobs can dwarf the Forgejo web service itself.
ZimaCube 2 Pro or separate runner hardware.Can it run on ZimaOS?
Forgejo is not currently confirmed as a public official one-click ZimaOS App Store page in the sources checked for this guide. It can be deployed through Install Custom App using Forgejo's official image.
Custom install Forgejo in ZimaOS
Use Install Custom App with codeberg.org/forgejo/forgejo, persist /data, and map web plus SSH ports to available ZimaOS host ports.
Custom install Forgejo in the ZimaOS app ↗Use the official Forgejo container image
Forgejo documents Docker/Podman deployment and persistent data volumes directly.
Review Forgejo Docker installation ↗Limit Actions runner resources
When running CI, constrain job/service containers so they cannot consume all host CPU and memory.
Review Forgejo Actions resource controls ↗Choose Zima hardware for Forgejo
Forgejo itself is light; runners and repository/LFS storage usually determine when larger hardware becomes useful.
Is this primarily Git hosting, or will the same host also run CI runners and large artifact storage?
Small-team Git hosting
Use ZimaBoard 2 with SSD-backed repository storage.
- Best starting pointZimaBoard 2 832
- More headroomZimaBoard 2 1664
Git hosting plus CI/LFS/packages
Use more CPU, RAM and storage or separate runner nodes.
- Storage-first platformZimaCube 2 Standard
- Higher-processing headroomZimaCube 2 Pro
These are workload recommendations, not repository-count or CI-throughput guarantees.
| Zima hardware | Best for | Example workload | Core configuration | Recommended boundary | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZimaBoard 2 832 | Small Forgejo teams. | Forgejo, SQLite/small DB, normal Git traffic and backups. |
|
Add SSD-backed repo storage; runners can change this profile significantly. | Get Now |
| ZimaBoard 2 1664 | Forgejo plus more services or light Actions. | Forgejo, external DB and several constrained runner jobs. |
|
16 GB is host headroom, not an official Forgejo requirement. | Get Now |
| ZimaCube 2 Standard | Large code/LFS/package retention. | Forgejo plus multi-drive repositories, LFS and backups. |
|
Choose it for storage capacity rather than Forgejo compute. | Get Now |
| ZimaCube 2 Pro | Forgejo plus heavier CI on one system. | More runners, build jobs, Git traffic and broader developer services. |
|
Dedicated runner nodes may still be preferable for untrusted or heavy CI. | Get Now |
What the Press Says
Highlights from trusted reviewers worldwide.
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Avaliação ZimaBoard 2
Construí um servidor de uso pessoal. O desempenho está muito bom e funciona perfeitamente onde quer que eu esteja. A surpresa é não dependermos de grandes estruturas para termos nosso próprio servidor de dados. Como iniciante, estou gostando bastante do ZimaOS, pois ele é simples e eficiente.
Frequently asked questions
These answers cover Forgejo RAM, CPU, databases, repositories, Actions and ZimaOS deployment.
How much RAM does Forgejo need?
Forgejo does not publish a numerical official server RAM minimum.
How many CPU cores does Forgejo need?
No numerical official core minimum is published; Git traffic and CI jobs determine practical demand.
Which database does Forgejo use by default?
SQLite is the default when no external database is configured; MySQL and PostgreSQL are also documented.
How much storage does Forgejo need?
There is no universal disk minimum. Repositories, Git LFS, packages, attachments and backups determine capacity.
Does Forgejo need a GPU?
No dedicated GPU is required for code hosting.
Can ZimaBoard 2 run Forgejo?
Yes. The 8 GB model is a strong small-team Git host with suitable persistent storage.
Do Forgejo Actions change hardware needs?
Yes. Runner job/service containers are separate workloads and can consume large CPU/RAM unless constrained.
When should I use ZimaCube 2?
When repository/LFS/package storage or same-host CI makes larger storage and CPU more valuable.
What sources informed this Forgejo hardware guide?
Current Forgejo Docker, configuration and Actions security documentation plus current Zima product pages.
