E2B Self-Hosted: Build Template & Database Reset Fixes

E2B (E2B Cloud) offers a powerful platform for building and running cloud-native applications. Setting up a self-hosted E2B environment allows for greater control and customization. However, users may encounter challenges during the setup process, particularly with the template build and database management. This article addresses common issues and provides insights for a smoother self-hosted experience.

1. Step 12 Template Build Failure: Understanding the Root Cause and Solutions

The Crucial Role of Template Builds: The base template is a cornerstone of the E2B system. It serves as the foundation for creating and deploying environments. When the template build fails, the entire self-hosted setup is blocked. This section analyzes the common causes and provides solutions.

When attempting to build the base template using the command make local-build-base-template, users often encounter an AuthenticationError: Unauthorized. This error message, along with the subsequent Invalid API key, indicates a problem with the API key or the connection to the E2B API.

API Key Verification: The E2B_API_KEY is crucial. Verify the API key's validity by cross-referencing it with the database and ensuring its proper initialization during the initial setup. Another common cause of this error is that the SDK isn't connecting to the local API. Instead, it tries to reach the E2B Cloud (api.e2b.dev).

Configuring the SDK for Local Use: When setting up a self-hosted environment, the SDK must be configured to use the local API endpoints instead of the default cloud endpoints. This is done by setting the E2B_API_URL and E2B_ENVD_API_URL environment variables in your .env.local file.

DOMAIN_NAME=1.1.1.1
E2B_API_URL=http://localhost:3000
E2B_ENVD_API_URL=http://localhost:3002
E2B_API_KEY=e2b_my_api_key
E2B_ACCESS_TOKEN=sk_e2b_my_access_token

This tells the SDK to direct its requests to your locally hosted E2B API instance. The domain should be the IP address or the hostname of your server.

Troubleshooting the Domain Issue: A common error is the TypeError: Failed to parse URL from https://api.1.1.1.1/v2/templates when using an IP address as the domain. The SDK constructs URLs like https://api.${domain}/v2. Since an IP address does not conform to a valid domain name, this causes an error. To use localhost in your local setup, you'll need to set up a valid domain name, or use an alternative configuration that specifically handles localhost.

Question 1 Answer:

In a local, self-hosted setup without a domain, the correct approach involves configuring the SDK to use http://localhost:3000. You can achieve this by appropriately setting environment variables, ensuring the SDK knows where to find the API, and potentially overriding default domain name configurations within the SDK's build process.

2. Database Disappearance: Preventing Data Loss in Your Self-Hosted E2B

Data Loss Scenario: One of the most critical issues is the unexpected disappearance of database tables hours after a successful migration. This leads to data loss, making the entire system unusable.

Identifying the Problem: Regularly check the PostgreSQL logs to monitor the database's health. The logs should include the output of the orchestrator API. The error messages in the orchestrator logs, such as `relation