BetterDesk/contrib/freebsd/README.md

FreeBSD (experimental / community)

BetterDesk has no official FreeBSD installer (betterdesk.sh is Linux + systemd). This directory provides example rc.d scripts and a manual build path for community / Tier 3 deployments.

Related: GitHub #310.

Status

Component	Status
Go server (betterdesk-server)	Build from source (CGO_ENABLED=0)
Node.js panel (web-nodejs)	Build/run from source via pkg Node
rc.d examples	In this tree — adapt paths as needed
Release CI FreeBSD binaries	Not provided
Panel Settings → Updates	Expects Linux/Windows assets — use git pull / rebuild
Agent on FreeBSD	Not supported

Dependencies

pkg install -y git go node npm python3 ca_root_nss

Go version must satisfy betterdesk-server/go.mod (see toolchain line). Node.js 18+.

Suggested layout

Path	Role
/usr/local/betterdesk	Go binary, keys, SQLite DB
/usr/local/BetterDeskConsole	Node.js panel (copy of web-nodejs)
/usr/local/etc/rc.d/betterdesk_server	Server rc script
/usr/local/etc/rc.d/betterdesk_console	Console rc script

Build Go server

git clone https://github.com/UNITRONIX/BetterDesk.git
cd BetterDesk/betterdesk-server
CGO_ENABLED=0 go build -o betterdesk-server .
install -d /usr/local/betterdesk
install -m 755 betterdesk-server /usr/local/betterdesk/
# Generate or copy id_ed25519 / id_ed25519.pub into /usr/local/betterdesk

Example run (adjust IP, DB, ports):

cd /usr/local/betterdesk
./betterdesk-server -mode all \
  -relay-servers YOUR.PUBLIC.IP \
  -key-file /usr/local/betterdesk/id_ed25519 \
  -api-port 21114

Install Node panel

install -d /usr/local/BetterDeskConsole
# Copy or rsync the web-nodejs tree to /usr/local/BetterDeskConsole
cd /usr/local/BetterDeskConsole
npm ci --omit=dev
# Create .env (see docs/wiki/Configuration.md); set RUSTDESK_DIR=/usr/local/betterdesk

Install rc.d scripts

install -m 755 contrib/freebsd/rc.d/betterdesk_server /usr/local/etc/rc.d/betterdesk_server
install -m 755 contrib/freebsd/rc.d/betterdesk_console /usr/local/etc/rc.d/betterdesk_console

Enable in /etc/rc.conf (or /etc/rc.conf.d/):

betterdesk_server_enable="YES"
betterdesk_console_enable="YES"
# Optional overrides — see script headers
# betterdesk_server_relay="YOUR.PUBLIC.IP"
# betterdesk_console_node="/usr/local/bin/node"

Start:

service betterdesk_server start
service betterdesk_console start

Firewall (pf)

Open at least: TCP 21114–21119, 21121, 5000 (panel); UDP 21116. Adjust if you changed ports in .env / flags.

Limits

• No maintainer CI on FreeBSD — breakages are best-effort.
• Do not rely on the in-panel updater for FreeBSD binaries.
• Pull requests improving these scripts are welcome.