Signal K Server is a NodeJS application which can run on nearly any computer and operating system, including Window, Linux, and macOS.
Currently the most cost effective, powerful and best supported hardware platform for a Signal K server is the Raspberry Pi. Any Raspberry Pi (even the very first model) can be used but for best performance we recommend Raspberry Pi 4 model B or 5. If you don't have a Raspberry Pi, any old laptop or computer you have sitting around would make a good initial test platform, although for permanent use on a yacht, more power efficient hardware like a Raspberry Pi is strongly recommended.
You do not have to install Signal K Server yourself. Several commercially available devices ship with it inside, and several prebuilt Raspberry Pi images install it for you. Both are listed under How to get Signal K Server? in the project README. If one of them suits your boat, you do not need the instructions below.
Signal K server requires NodeJS version >= 22 (version 24 recommended) be installed on the target system.
