Install the server

storm-server is one program. It serves the apps, keeps your notes, and runs as a background service that starts with the machine (Linux) or when you log in (macOS, Windows). Its default port is 8484.

The installer (recommended)

On Linux (Debian or Ubuntu) or macOS:

curl -fsSL https://dewanshdt.github.io/Storm/install.sh | sh

On Windows, in PowerShell:

irm https://dewanshdt.github.io/Storm/install.ps1 | iex

It asks what to set up — the server and app, a Runtime Host, or everything — shows its whole plan before changing anything, and can pair your phone over the local network at the end. Re-running it is how you upgrade, check status, pair a device, enroll a host or uninstall; your notes are always kept.

For scripts: sh install.sh --yes --server --app, --runtime, --everything, --dry-run. sh install.sh --help lists the rest. On Windows the switches are -Server, -Runtime, -Yes, -DryRun and -NoFirewall.

dewanshdt.github.io/Storm is Storm’s apt repository, which also serves the installers. It is not this website.

Where things live

	Linux	macOS	Windows
Runs as	the `storm` user, systemd `storm-server`	you, a LaunchAgent	you, a logon task (no console window)
Notes and state	`/srv/storm` (`vaults/`, `state/`, `backups/`)	`~/Storm`	`%USERPROFILE%\Storm`
Settings	`/etc/storm/storm.env`	written by `up`	written by `up`
Web app	`/usr/share/storm/web` (from the package)	`web/` beside the binary	`web\` beside the binary

/etc/storm/storm.env holds paths and the port, never a credential. See Configuration.

By hand

Linux

curl -fsSL https://dewanshdt.github.io/Storm/install.sh | sudo sh   # apt repository + storm-server only
sudo storm-server up
sudo storm-server status

Run as root with no terminal, the installer only registers the apt repository and installs the package. up creates the storm user, writes /etc/storm/storm.env (mode 600) and enables the service. To keep notes somewhere else:

sudo storm-server up --data-root /srv/storm \
  --vault-root /path/to/vaults --state /srv/storm/state

--vault-root is a folder that contains vaults, one folder per vault — never a single vault. Vaults on a NAS often need the service to run as a user that can write the share; up follows the owner of the state folder.

Notes on a network share must be mounted before Storm starts. up makes the service wait for its paths. Name the NAS by IP address or by a name that resolves early in boot: a name that fails to resolve fails the mount.

macOS

Download storm-server-<version>-macos-universal.tar.gz from the releases, unpack it and, as yourself (not root):

./storm-server up

It installs a LaunchAgent that runs as you, with your notes in ~/Storm. storm-server uninstall removes what up installed and keeps the notes.

Windows

The release’s storm-server-windows-x86_64.zip holds storm-server.exe, its windowless twin storm-serverw.exe, and the web app. From the unpacked folder:

.\storm-server.exe up

The server runs as you at logon, with your notes in %USERPROFILE%\Storm. It is not code-signed, so SmartScreen may warn.

Check it

sudo storm-server status      # Linux; plain `storm-server status` elsewhere

It reports the service, a health probe, whether the firewall lets Storm in, and the server’s name, id and key fingerprint. Then set up your first device.