> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.freakhosting.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How to Install Netdata for Real-Time Server Monitoring

> Install Netdata on Linux with the official kickstart.sh script, open the dashboard on port 19999 and keep it private with localhost binding and an SSH tunnel.

To install Netdata on Linux, run `wget -O /tmp/netdata-kickstart.sh https://get.netdata.cloud/kickstart.sh && sh /tmp/netdata-kickstart.sh`. The script installs the Netdata Agent from native packages where it can, starts it, and serves a live dashboard at `http://your-server-ip:19999`. By default that dashboard is open to anyone, so set `bind to = 127.0.0.1` in `netdata.conf` and view it through an SSH tunnel.

| Difficulty | Time | Works on | Needs |
| - | - | - | - |
| Beginner | 10 minutes | Ubuntu, Debian, AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux and most other distributions | sudo access, `wget` or `curl` |

## Before you start

* [Connect with SSH](https://help.freakhosting.com/portals/other/how-to-connect-to-a-linux-server-with-ssh.md) as a user with `sudo`. Root users can leave out `sudo`.
* Netdata collects hundreds of metrics per second (CPU, memory, disks, network, services) and keeps history on disk. It uses some CPU, RAM and disk itself, which matters most on very small servers.
* Netdata Cloud (the hosted service) is optional. The local dashboard on a Linux server works without an account.

## How to install Netdata

**1. Download the kickstart script**

```bash theme={null}
wget -O /tmp/netdata-kickstart.sh https://get.netdata.cloud/kickstart.sh
```

If you only have `curl`: `curl https://get.netdata.cloud/kickstart.sh > /tmp/netdata-kickstart.sh`.

**2. Run it on the stable channel**

```bash theme={null}
sh /tmp/netdata-kickstart.sh --release-channel stable
```

The script asks for your `sudo` password when it needs it. Without `--release-channel stable` it installs the **nightly** channel, which updates daily with the newest changes.

**3. Check that it runs**

```bash theme={null}
sudo systemctl status netdata
```

Look for `active (running)`.

The script prefers your distribution's native packages, falls back to a static build, and builds from source only as a last resort. It also sets up automatic daily updates; add `--no-updates` to the install command if you want to update by hand.

> [!NOTE]
>
> Do you prefer not to pipe a script into `sh`? You can read `/tmp/netdata-kickstart.sh` before step 2. That is why the steps above download it first.

## How to open the Netdata dashboard

Netdata's web server listens on port **19999** on all network interfaces by default.

> [tab] Through an SSH tunnel (recommended)
>
> On your own computer, open a tunnel and leave the window open:
>
> ```bash theme={null}
> ssh -L 19999:localhost:19999 alex@203.0.113.10
> ```
>
> Then browse to `http://localhost:19999`. This works even after you lock the dashboard to localhost (next section), and nothing extra is exposed to the internet.

> [tab] Directly by IP
>
> Browse to `http://203.0.113.10:19999`. If your firewall blocks it, you would need to open port 19999, which also lets anyone else see your server's metrics. Use this only for a quick test, or restrict it to your own IP.

The dashboard opens with an overview of the whole server, with charts for CPU, memory, disks, network and the services Netdata detected.

## How to keep the Netdata dashboard private

The default access list (`localhost *`) allows connections from anywhere. Lock it down:

**1. Open netdata.conf with edit-config**

```bash theme={null}
cd /etc/netdata 2>/dev/null || cd /opt/netdata/etc/netdata
sudo ./edit-config netdata.conf
```

`/etc/netdata` is used by native packages, `/opt/netdata/etc/netdata` by static builds. `edit-config` copies the stock file into place if needed and opens it in your editor.

**2. Bind the web server to localhost**

Find or add the `[web]` section and set:

```ini theme={null}
[web]
    bind to = 127.0.0.1 ::1
```

**3. Restart Netdata**

```bash theme={null}
sudo systemctl restart netdata
```

Now only the server itself (and your SSH tunnel) can reach port 19999. To publish it on a domain with HTTPS and a login instead, put it behind Nginx: see [set up Nginx as a reverse proxy](https://help.freakhosting.com/portals/other/how-to-set-up-nginx-as-a-reverse-proxy.md).

> [!WARNING]
>
> An open Netdata dashboard shows your running services, disks, network interfaces and traffic to anyone who finds the port. Bind it to localhost or restrict it to your IP before you leave it running. Opening port 19999 in [UFW](https://help.freakhosting.com/portals/other/how-to-set-up-a-firewall-with-ufw.md) or [firewalld](https://help.freakhosting.com/portals/other/how-to-set-up-a-firewall-with-firewalld.md) for everyone is not recommended.

## How to check it worked

```bash theme={null}
sudo ss -tlnp | grep 19999
```

```text theme={null}
LISTEN 0  4096  127.0.0.1:19999  0.0.0.0:*  users:(("netdata",pid=1532,fd=6))
```

`127.0.0.1:19999` means only local connections are accepted. If you see `0.0.0.0:19999` or `*:19999`, the dashboard is still public; check the `[web]` section and restart.

## How to get alerts from Netdata

Netdata ships with ready-made health alerts (for example disk nearly full or high CPU). You can see them under **Alerts** in the dashboard. To have them sent to you, either connect the node to Netdata Cloud and set up notifications there, or let the Agent send them itself. For email, open the notification config from the Netdata config directory:

```bash theme={null}
sudo ./edit-config health_alarm_notify.conf
```

Set these two lines, then restart with `sudo systemctl restart netdata`:

```bash theme={null}
SEND_EMAIL="YES"
DEFAULT_RECIPIENT_EMAIL="you@example.com"
```

The server must be able to send mail (a working `sendmail` or SMTP relay), or the messages never leave it. For alerts when the whole server goes offline, see [get email alerts when your server goes down](https://help.freakhosting.com/portals/other/how-to-get-email-alerts-when-your-server-goes-down.md).

## How to uninstall Netdata

```bash theme={null}
wget -O /tmp/netdata-kickstart.sh https://get.netdata.cloud/kickstart.sh && sh /tmp/netdata-kickstart.sh --uninstall
```

## Frequently asked questions

### Which port does Netdata use?

Port `19999` (TCP), for both the dashboard and its API.

### Do I need a Netdata Cloud account?

No. On Linux the local dashboard at `http://localhost:19999` works without signing in. Netdata Cloud adds a combined view of several servers and hosted notifications; its free tier gives dashboard access to 5 nodes.

### How do I stop Netdata updating itself?

Install with `--no-updates`, or follow Netdata's "Managing Automatic Updates" instructions for an existing install.

### Netdata or Prometheus and Grafana?

Netdata works out of the box on one server with per-second charts. Prometheus with Grafana takes longer to set up but suits custom dashboards and many servers. See [Prometheus and Grafana](https://help.freakhosting.com/portals/other/how-to-monitor-a-server-with-prometheus-and-grafana.md).

## Related guides

> [card] [VPS and dedicated server guides](https://help.freakhosting.com/portals/other/vps-and-dedicated-server-guides.md)
>
> Every server guide in one place.

> [card] [Prometheus and Grafana](https://help.freakhosting.com/portals/other/how-to-monitor-a-server-with-prometheus-and-grafana.md)
>
> Metrics with node\_exporter.

> [card] [Email alerts when your server goes down](https://help.freakhosting.com/portals/other/how-to-get-email-alerts-when-your-server-goes-down.md)
>
> Uptime checks from outside.

> [card] [Monitor resources with htop](https://help.freakhosting.com/portals/other/how-to-monitor-server-resources-with-htop.md)
>
> Quick live view in the terminal.

> [card] [Set up a firewall with UFW](https://help.freakhosting.com/portals/other/how-to-set-up-a-firewall-with-ufw.md)
>
> Keep monitoring ports closed.

***

> [!NOTE]
>
> **Checked against the official [Netdata documentation](https://learn.netdata.cloud/docs/netdata-agent/installation/linux)** (installation, securing the Agent, uninstall and access levels) on 4 November 2026. Netdata was not installed in our test environment, so these steps are from the vendor documentation. Commands can differ on other distributions or releases.

> [!NOTE]
>
> ### Need Extra Help?
>
> If you encounter any issues, our support team is ready to assist:
>
> * **Live Chat:** Quick assistance via our website.
> * **Support Ticket:** [Open a Ticket](https://freakhosting.com/clientarea/submitticket.php)
> * **Discord:** [Join our Community](https://discord.gg/freakhosting)
> * **Email:** [support@freakhosting.com](mailto:support@freakhosting.com)

> [!TIP]
>
> ### Save on Your Hosting
>
> Ready to upgrade your hosting? Use code **KB20** at checkout for **20% off** your first order!

***

**Last Updated:** November 2026


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