openvpn-install
A script that sets up your own OpenVPN server on a Linux machine in about a minute.
- Stars
- 20.7k
- Forks
- 5.1k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- Shell
- Last update
- 2 months ago
- Type
- Dev tool
What it is
This is a shell script that installs and configures an OpenVPN server on supported Linux distributions such as Ubuntu, Debian, AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, CentOS and Fedora. It is designed for a 'road warrior' setup, where you connect your own devices to a VPN from anywhere. Running it again lets you add users, remove them, or uninstall OpenVPN.
- Install an OpenVPN server on a supported Linux server with one command
- Create VPN profiles for additional users by re-running the script
- Remove individual users or uninstall OpenVPN using the same script
Great for
- People who want their own VPN server on a Linux machine they control
- Users who have not set up OpenVPN before and want a guided setup
- Anyone who needs to add or remove VPN users later with the same script
Not ideal for
- People without a Linux server or VPS, since the script must run on one (the README suggests renting a VPS)
- Users on unsupported systems, because the README lists only the named distributions
- Anyone wanting a WireGuard setup, since the README points to a separate wireguard-install project for that
How to get it
- 1
See the README
You'll need: A supported Linux distribution (Ubuntu, Debian, AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, CentOS or Fedora) · Root or sudo access on the server
Download and run the installer (from README)
wget https://git.io/vpn -O openvpn-install.sh && bash openvpn-install.sh - 2
Run it
- Start a supported Linux server and log in with root or sudo access
- Run the install command from the README
- Follow the assistant's prompts to complete setup
- Run the script again to add or remove users
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Re-run the script to manage users after the first install
- Use a VPS from a provider of your choice if you do not have a server (the README links one provider, AlphaVPS)
- Compare with the separate wireguard-install project if you want a different VPN protocol
Downloads
Strengths
- Short guided setup aimed at people new to OpenVPN
- Covers several common Linux distributions
- MIT license and a simple, single-script design
Trade-offs
- Requires a Linux server you can administer, and the script changes system configuration
- The README is brief and does not detail the security choices or the resulting configuration
- The install command downloads and runs a script from a short link, so you should review it first
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| openvpn-install (this) | 20.7k | Dev tool | intermediate | 2 months ago | People who want their own VPN server on a Linux machine they control |
| wireguard-install | 11.4k | Dev tool | intermediate | 6 months ago | People who want their own personal VPN on a rented Linux server |
| openvpn-install | 16.2k | Dev tool | intermediate | 1 months ago | People who want their own VPN server on a Linux VPS or home machine |
| direnv | 15.5k | Dev tool | beginner | 11 days ago | Developers who juggle several projects with different environment variables |
| nvm | 95.7k | Dev tool | beginner | 9 days ago | Developers who work on several Node.js projects that need different versions |
| zoxide | 40.4k | Dev tool | beginner | 5 days ago | Developers who move between many project folders in a terminal |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.