Private Worker Mode
SentryPDF already supports a dedicated remote worker for the server-side PDF jobs that cannot realistically stay in the browser. This page describes that capability honestly: it is a private worker deployment for document processing, not a full self-host of the entire product.
What it is
A dedicated remote worker deployment for the heavy server-side PDF operations that already exist in SentryPDF today, routed through the current remote-worker mode.
What stays the same
Browser-local tools still run on the current device, and the public web app still handles account, billing, and UI unless a broader deployment arrangement is made separately.
Who it fits
Teams that want server-side PDF processing on infrastructure they control or isolate more tightly, without pretending every workflow can or should move fully into the browser.
Current trust boundary
- Browser-local tools remain browser-local. Private worker mode affects only the server-side processing tier.
- Server-side tool uploads, job execution, and temporary outputs move to your worker deployment instead of the default shared SentryPDF worker.
- The shipped worker currently defaults to 30-minute file and job retention with a cleanup sweep every 60 seconds.
- The main web app still remains the control plane unless you negotiate a broader self-hosted arrangement separately.
Deployment checklist
- Set WORKER_MODE=remote and NEXT_PUBLIC_WORKER_MODE=remote so the app uses remote-worker orchestration.
- Configure WORKER_URL for server-side orchestration and NEXT_PUBLIC_WORKER_URL or NEXT_PUBLIC_WORKER_UPLOAD_URL for browser-side uploads.
- Set WORKER_PUBLIC_URL and WORKER_ALLOWED_ORIGINS on the worker deployment for the public upload and API path.
- If you enable any future third-party document service on the private worker, configure its credentials directly on that deployment as well.
Tool coverage today
These lists come from the current codebase trust metadata. They show which public tools currently rely on server processing, which can optionally switch to server processing, and which still name a third-party provider.
Server-side tools already suited to a private worker
Tools with an optional server path
Tools that still involve a third party
Honest limits
- This is not full self-hosting of the whole SentryPDF product surface.
- A private worker does not automatically remove every future third-party dependency if you choose to enable one.
- Private worker mode does not turn a server-side workflow into browser-local processing.
- Certificate-based digital signing is still not shipped here. Sign PDF remains a visual signature workflow.
Need a concrete deployment answer?
Use the contact path for a narrow deployment, privacy, or procurement question. It is better to answer with exact current behavior than to promise a larger self-hosted story that the product does not fully ship yet.