Searching for how to install SafeLine WAF on CentOS should begin with a compatibility check. The supplied official installation guide lists Linux as the operating system requirement, but it does not identify supported CentOS releases or provide CentOS-specific package instructions. Treat this article as a deployment readiness checklist: establish whether your intended host meets the documented requirements before choosing an installation path.
Check the host before planning the installation
The official requirements specify Linux, x86_64 or arm64 architecture, Docker 20.10.14 or later, and Docker Compose 2.0.0 or later. Minimum resources are one CPU core, 1 GB of memory, and 5 GB of disk space. The requirements table also lists the ssse3 CPU instruction. These are SafeLine requirements, not confirmation that every CentOS release satisfies them. Source: official installation guide.
Use the inspection commands supplied in that guide to collect evidence about the intended host:
uname -m
docker version
docker compose version
cat /proc/cpuinfo| grep "processor"
free -h
df -h
lscpu | grep ssse3
Compare the results with the documented requirements. If Docker or Compose is missing, resolve how those dependencies will be installed and maintained on your particular CentOS release before proceeding. The supplied sources do not establish a CentOS-specific dependency installation procedure.
Architecture deserves particular attention. The installation guide states that SafeLine on ARM requires a Pro license and that the Personal Edition is not supported on ARM. An available ARM host therefore requires an edition decision as well as a hardware check. Source: architecture and deployment requirements.
Choose a deployment method you can maintain
SafeLine documents an automated installation method, which it recommends and which requires root privileges. It also documents a manual Docker Compose deployment. Neither method is presented as a separate CentOS installation procedure. Source: deployment methods.
For the manual route, the guide creates /data/safeline, downloads the Compose definition, and places deployment settings in a .env file. Those settings include the storage directory, image version, management port, database initialization password, and internal network prefix. The documented startup command is docker compose up -d. Review the complete official procedure before executing individual steps. Source: manual deployment instructions.
Your readiness checklist should therefore record where persistent data will live, which architecture you are using, and who will maintain the container runtime. These are operational planning decisions; meeting the minimum resource figures alone does not settle them.
Separate console access from application protection
The guide documents the management console at https://<safeline-ip>:9443/ and supplies docker exec safeline-mgt resetadmin to obtain administrator credentials. Reaching that console is a useful installation milestone. Source: web UI and administrator access.
Protecting an application requires further configuration. SafeLine acts as an HTTP/HTTPS reverse proxy. Its application guide instructs administrators to add an application with a domain or address, a listening port, and the upstream application address. For HTTPS applications, it directs administrators to select the SSL option. The domain must then resolve to the server running SafeLine. Source: application configuration guide.
Before changing DNS, record the current destination and confirm the intended upstream address. Plan checks for ordinary application behavior, including login and important user workflows. This gives you an acceptance checklist for the traffic change.
Does the official guide explicitly support my CentOS version?
The supplied guide names Linux but does not list CentOS releases. It supports checking general prerequisites, while leaving release-specific compatibility unconfirmed. Source: installation requirements.
Is an accessible management console enough to protect a website?
Application onboarding still requires the domain, listening port, upstream, and DNS configuration described in the application guide. Source: protecting an application.
Can I use the Personal Edition on ARM?
The official installation guide says the Personal Edition is not supported on ARM and that ARM operation requires a Pro license. Source: ARM deployment note.
How should I verify protection after onboarding?
The official application guide provides example attack requests and explains how to inspect the attack list and request details in the console. Use an application you control, and pair those checks with normal browsing tests to assess whether the deployment meets your needs. Source: application verification examples.
Ready to assess your CentOS host? Bring your prerequisite results and application checklist to the official SafeLine project on GitHub and follow the official documentation.
