Baikal Hosting

How Baikal works

Baikal is a lightweight CalDAV and CardDAV server built on sabre/dav. Administrators create users and manage their calendars and address books through a web interface. Each user then connects compatible applications on phones, computers, or tablets to the server so events and contacts can synchronise across devices.

The server stores calendar collections, contact address books, accounts, and DAV metadata, but it is not a complete end-user calendar suite. Day-to-day viewing, editing, reminders, invitations, and device behaviour come from the connected client application. The catalogue records PostgreSQL and MariaDB as Not required, consistent with an installation that does not need a separate relational service container.

Key Baikal features

CalDAV and CardDAV are established protocols supported by applications such as Apple Calendar and Contacts, DAVx5 on Android, Thunderbird, and other compatible clients. Using standard protocols keeps the server independent from one vendor interface, although setup screens and supported functions vary by client.

Baikal’s administration page simplifies user, address-book, and calendar management, while the DAV endpoints handle synchronisation. The hosting package does not provide a mobile or desktop calendar application, push-notification service, managed migration, or troubleshooting for every third-party client.

Baikal vs Google Calendar

Baikal provides a self-hosted protocol server for calendars and contacts, relying on CalDAV and CardDAV clients for the user experience. Google Calendar is a provider-operated account service with a browser interface, Android and iOS applications, synchronisation across devices, sharing, invitations, and integration with the wider Google ecosystem.

Google Calendar may suit teams that want first-party applications and vendor-managed collaboration with minimal server administration. Baikal fits users who prefer standards-based synchronisation on their own hostname and are comfortable configuring client URLs, credentials, collections, compatibility, exports, and recovery.

Who uses Baikal

Individuals use Baikal to synchronise personal calendars and contacts between phones and computers. Families or small teams can create separate users and collections, while privacy-conscious administrators may choose it as a compact DAV endpoint behind approved client applications.

Compatibility should be tested with the actual clients in use. Some applications expose only a subset of DAV features, handle discovery differently, or require specific collection URLs. Baikal also does not replace groupware features such as chat, documents, full mail hosting, or a provider-managed meeting service.

Self-hosting Baikal: requirements and cost

Load is influenced by users, calendars, address books, event and contact counts, synchronisation frequency, client behaviour, attachments, and simultaneous DAV requests. The catalogue marks PostgreSQL and MariaDB as Not required; local application records and configuration still need consistent persistence through updates and restoration.

On AvaHost, Baikal uses Plan 1 at €2. The hosted Baikal package includes one-click deployment, a custom domain with automated HTTPS, automatic application updates, and scheduled backups. The plan includes the Baikal server and its web administration interface, not calendar or contacts clients, email invitations, push providers, device management, or migration services. Application email is disabled, so any workflow that expects outbound mail cannot operate from the hosted app.