Quick installation

ManicTime Server brings all information collected on various devices together. ManicTime Clients are fully functional when server is off-line or when connection with the server is not available. When the connection is available, ManicTime clients will send the data.

1. Installing database server

[Skip this step for 3 users or less]

ManicTime Server needs a database to run. For up to 3 users default SQLite database is enough.

For more than 3 users, you can choose:

  • PostgreSQL - This is a great free to use open source database.
  • Microsoft SQL Server - you can use free MS SQL Express version, but beware of the size constraints

Database server must be up and running before you can use it in ManicTime Server.

2. Installing ManicTime Server

ManicTime Server can run on Windows or on Linux. Download the files for your OS.

To install the server:

  • On Windows run .msi file.
  • On Linux extract to some folder.
  • You can also use Docker.

3. Run setup and configure the server

Run setup, you can find it in the same folder as ManicTimeServer. On Windows setup will automatically launch after .msi runs.

3.1 Select database provider

For 3 users or less choose SQLite.

For PostgreSQL or Microsoft SQL Server use the wizard in the setup to connect to the database.

3.2 License

With Trial license you can test the server for up to 30 days.

3.3 Authentication - which users to choose

[Choice is only available on Windows]

  • Windows users (we suggest this option if you are using Active directory) - choose if your users are part of the same Windows domain. Each domain user is automatically a ManicTime Server user. It is also possible to deploy ManicTime through Group policy.

  • ManicTime Server users - choose if your users are not part of the same Windows domain or you have a lot of non-Windows users.

4. Start ManicTime Server

On Windows

If you installed it with .msi, server will start automatically. If you installed it on Windows with .zip, start it with:

ManicTimeServer start

Learn more about installing and running it on Windows

On Linux

On Linux start it with:

./ManicTimeServer

Learn more about installing and running it on Linux

5. After installing

ManicTime Server is now up an running. If you open a browser on the machine where it is installed and go to (port might differ)

http://localhost:8080

you should see the server's login screen.
Learn more.

6. Connecting ManicTime clients

After server is running you can connect ManicTime clients.