Deploying Sonarr

Introduction

Sonarr is a PVR (Personal Video Recorder) for Usenet and BitTorrent users. It monitors multiple RSS feeds for new episodes of your favorite TV shows and automatically downloads, sorts, and renames them. Sonarr integrates with popular download clients and media servers to provide a seamless experience for managing your TV series collection.

As part of the *arr family of applications (along with Radarr, Lidarr, and others), Sonarr has become the go-to solution for home media enthusiasts who want automated TV show management.

Key features of Sonarr include:

Calendar View: See upcoming episodes and past releases at a glance
Automatic Downloading: Monitor RSS feeds and download new episodes automatically
Quality Management: Upgrade existing files when better quality becomes available
Failed Download Handling: Automatic retry and blacklisting of failed downloads
Episode Renaming: Consistent naming across your library
Metadata Fetching: Download artwork, descriptions, and episode information
Download Client Integration: Works with SABnzbd, NZBGet, Transmission, qBittorrent, and more
Media Server Integration: Notify Plex, Emby, Jellyfin when new content arrives
Custom Filters: Fine-grained control over what gets downloaded
Multi-Platform: Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Docker
REST API: Full API for automation and custom integrations
Active Development: Regular updates and community support

This guide walks through deploying Sonarr on Klutch.sh using Docker.

Why Deploy Sonarr on Klutch.sh

Deploying Sonarr on Klutch.sh provides several advantages:

Simplified Deployment: Klutch.sh handles container builds and deployment.

Remote Management: Manage your TV collection from anywhere.

HTTPS by Default: Secure access to your Sonarr dashboard.

Persistent Storage: Configuration and data survive restarts.

Integration Ready: Connect to download clients and media servers.

Always Running: Continuous monitoring for new episodes.

Prerequisites

Before deploying Sonarr on Klutch.sh, ensure you have:

A Klutch.sh account
A GitHub account with a repository for your configuration
A download client (SABnzbd, NZBGet, Transmission, etc.)
Indexer access (Usenet indexer or torrent trackers)
Basic familiarity with Docker
(Optional) A media server like Plex or Jellyfin

Important Considerations

Sonarr is a management and automation tool—it doesn’t download files directly. You’ll need:

Download Client: External application that performs actual downloads
Storage Access: Sonarr needs access to where downloads are stored and where media is organized
Indexers: Services that provide search results for content

For cloud deployments, consider network storage solutions that both Sonarr and your download client can access.

Deploying Sonarr on Klutch.sh

Create a GitHub Repository

Create a new GitHub repository for your Sonarr deployment configuration.

Create Your Dockerfile

Create a Dockerfile:

FROM lscr.io/linuxserver/sonarr:latest

ENV PUID=1000
ENV PGID=1000
ENV TZ=${TZ:-Etc/UTC}

VOLUME /config
VOLUME /tv
VOLUME /downloads

EXPOSE 8989

HEALTHCHECK --interval=30s --timeout=10s --start-period=30s --retries=3 \
  CMD curl -f http://localhost:8989/ping || exit 1

Push Your Repository to GitHub

Commit and push your Dockerfile.

Create a New Project on Klutch.sh

Navigate to the Klutch.sh dashboard and create a new project.

Create a New App

Create a new app and connect your GitHub repository.

Configure Environment Variables

Add environment variables:

Variable	Value
`PUID`	`1000`
`PGID`	`1000`
`TZ`	Your timezone (e.g., `America/New_York`)

Configure HTTP Settings

Set the traffic type to HTTP and configure the internal port to 8989.

Attach Persistent Storage

Add persistent volumes:

Mount Path	Recommended Size	Purpose
`/config`	1 GB	Sonarr configuration and database
`/tv`	As needed	Your TV show library
`/downloads`	As needed	Download client output

Deploy Your Application

Click Deploy to start the build process.

Access Sonarr

Once deployed, access Sonarr at your app’s URL.

Configure Security

Set up authentication in Settings > General > Security.

Add Indexers

Configure your indexers in Settings > Indexers.

Add Download Client

Configure your download client in Settings > Download Clients.

Initial Configuration

After deployment, configure Sonarr:

Set Up Authentication: Enable Forms authentication with username/password
Add Indexers: Connect your Usenet indexer or torrent tracker
Configure Download Client: Point to your SABnzbd, NZBGet, or torrent client
Set Root Folder: Define where TV shows should be stored
Quality Profiles: Configure preferred quality settings

Adding TV Shows

To start monitoring a show:

Click “Add Series”
Search for the show by name
Select the correct match
Choose root folder and quality profile
Decide whether to search for existing episodes
Click “Add Series”

Integration with Media Servers

Connect Sonarr to your media server for automatic library updates:

Plex: Settings > Connect > Add > Plex Media Server

Jellyfin: Settings > Connect > Add > Emby (Jellyfin compatible)

Download Client Connectivity

For cloud deployments, your download client must be network-accessible. Options include:

Deploy download client on same infrastructure
Use VPN or secure tunnel
Configure network storage both services can access

Additional Resources

Conclusion

Deploying Sonarr on Klutch.sh gives you a powerful TV show management system accessible from anywhere. Automate your media collection with intelligent downloading, organization, and integration with your existing media setup.

While Sonarr works best as part of a larger media stack, its flexibility allows deployment in various configurations. Combined with proper download clients and storage, Sonarr transforms how you manage your TV series collection.