Vaultwarden

Lightweight Bitwarden server implementation written in Rust

Self-hosted password management server compatible with Bitwarden clients. Written in Rust for minimal resource usage, perfect for individuals and small organizations.

Overview

Lightweight Password Management for Self-Hosters

Vaultwarden is an alternative implementation of the Bitwarden server API, rewritten in Rust to dramatically reduce resource requirements while maintaining full compatibility with official Bitwarden clients across mobile, desktop, and browser platforms.

Built for Self-Hosting

Designed specifically for individuals, families, and small organizations who want enterprise-grade password management without the overhead of the official Bitwarden server. Vaultwarden delivers nearly complete API coverage including personal vaults, organizations, collections, Send, emergency access, and comprehensive multi-factor authentication options (FIDO2 WebAuthn, YubiKey, Duo, authenticator apps).

Deployment and Architecture

Distributed primarily as container images (Docker/Podman) via ghcr.io, docker.io, and quay.io, Vaultwarden simplifies deployment with straightforward volume mounting for persistent storage. The project includes a modified web vault client bundled within containers and recommends reverse proxy configuration for production use. Built on the Rocket web framework, it requires HTTPS or localhost for Web Crypto API functionality. Licensed under AGPL-3.0, the project maintains active community support through Matrix, GitHub Discussions, and forums.

Highlights

Near-complete Bitwarden API implementation with organizations, Send, and emergency access

Rust-based architecture optimized for minimal resource consumption

Compatible with all official Bitwarden clients across platforms

Built-in admin backend and bundled web vault for easy management

Pros

Dramatically lower memory and CPU requirements than official Bitwarden server
Full compatibility with existing Bitwarden mobile, desktop, and browser clients
Active community with responsive maintainers and comprehensive wiki documentation
Container-first deployment with straightforward Docker/Podman setup

Considerations

Unofficial implementation not supported by Bitwarden, Inc.
Requires HTTPS setup or reverse proxy configuration for production use
Community packages may lag behind latest releases
No liability for data loss; regular backups are user responsibility

Managed products teams compare with

When teams consider Vaultwarden, these hosted platforms usually appear on the same shortlist.

1Password

Password manager to secure and autofill logins and sensitive info

Dashlane

Password manager with zero-knowledge vault, autofill, and passkey support

Enpass

Offline-first password manager with local vault and optional cloud sync

Looking for a hosted option? These are the services engineering teams benchmark against before choosing open source.

Fit guide

Great for

Individuals and families seeking self-hosted password management
Small organizations with limited server resources
Users migrating from official Bitwarden to reduce infrastructure costs
Homelab enthusiasts comfortable with container deployment

Not ideal when

Enterprises requiring official vendor support and SLAs
Organizations needing guaranteed feature parity with Bitwarden enterprise
Users uncomfortable managing their own backups and security
Deployments requiring immediate access to newest Bitwarden features

How teams use it

Family Password Vault

Securely share passwords and sensitive documents across family members using organizations and collections with minimal server overhead

Small Business Credential Management

Deploy enterprise-grade password policies, role-based access, and event logs without dedicated infrastructure investment

Homelab Integration

Run alongside other self-hosted services on resource-constrained hardware like Raspberry Pi or NAS devices

Privacy-Focused Migration

Transition from cloud-based password managers to fully self-controlled infrastructure while keeping familiar Bitwarden clients

Tech snapshot

Rust83%

Handlebars10%

TypeScript4%

Jinja1%

Shell1%

HCL1%

Frequently asked questions

Is Vaultwarden compatible with official Bitwarden clients?

Yes, Vaultwarden implements the Bitwarden client API and works with official mobile, desktop, and browser extensions. Simply point your client to your Vaultwarden server URL.

How much lighter is Vaultwarden compared to official Bitwarden?

Vaultwarden uses significantly fewer resources due to its Rust implementation, making it suitable for low-power devices and environments where the official resource-heavy service would be impractical.

Can I migrate my existing Bitwarden data to Vaultwarden?

Yes, you can export your data from Bitwarden and import it into Vaultwarden. The API compatibility ensures seamless data portability between implementations.

Where should I report bugs or request features?

Report issues directly to the Vaultwarden project via GitHub issues or discussions. Do not use official Bitwarden support channels, as this is an independent implementation.

Project at a glance

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Stars: 53,695
Watchers: 53,695
Forks: 2,481

LicenseAGPL-3.0

Repo age7 years old

Last commit3 days ago

Self-hostingSupported

Primary languageRust

Last synced 2 days ago