A Next.js app handling user accounts, analytics or payments processes personal data — that is a GDPR matter. Hostim runs your Next.js app in a Docker container in Falkenstein, Germany, under an EU operator. Hosting alone does not make your app GDPR-compliant, but it removes the largest legal risks: transfer, residency, and operator jurisdiction.
GDPR for a Next.js app comes down to four practical questions: where is the data, who is the operator, is there a DPA, and what happens on deletion. Hostim answers all four: Falkenstein (Germany), HOSTIM.DEV UG (Germany), DPA on request, and project-level deletion that includes backups within retention. The remaining GDPR work — consent UI, privacy policy, data subject request flow — is application-level and your responsibility. We provide the substrate; you handle the surface.
What this means in practice
Definition. GDPR is the EU regulation on personal data processing. For a hosting platform, the practical questions are: where is data stored, who has access, is there a Data Processing Agreement, and what happens on deletion. A platform alone cannot make your application GDPR-compliant — but the right hosting setup removes the largest legal risks.
Why an EU host matters. Hosting in the EU keeps personal data inside the EU territorial scope. There is no data transfer to a third country, so you do not need Standard Contractual Clauses, Transfer Impact Assessments, or supplementary measures. The compliance work shrinks from a project to a checkbox.
What Hostim provides. EU-only infrastructure in Falkenstein, Germany. A Data Processing Agreement available on request. Encrypted backups. Volume-level deletion when you delete a project — including database backups within the retention window.
What Hostim does not claim. We do not claim ISO 27001, SOC 2, C5 or HIPAA certification. Those are formal audits we have not yet completed. If your buyer requires a specific certification, ask us — we will tell you honestly whether we can meet it.
How Hostim runs Next.js
Next.js hosting today means running a Node.js process behind HTTPS, with a build step that produces static and server bundles. Most teams either run the standalone server output in Docker or use a platform-specific runtime. Hostim runs the standalone server in a normal Docker container, so you stay portable.
Deploy model
Push a Dockerfile or connect a Git repo. We build the image, attach a managed PostgreSQL, and serve traffic on a subdomain or your custom domain with automatic HTTPS. ISR and image optimization work because we run a real long-lived Node process — not a serverless function.
Common pitfalls
Two things often break on serverless platforms: long background jobs and large file uploads. Hostim avoids both by running stateful containers with persistent volumes for cache, uploads, and the .next directory.
EU-only infrastructure in Falkenstein, an EU legal entity (HOSTIM.DEV UG), a Data Processing Agreement on request, encrypted backups, and project-level deletion that includes backups within the retention window.
What does Hostim NOT cover?▾
Application-level GDPR: consent banners, privacy policy, data subject request handling, retention policy in your own database. Those are your code, not the host.
Are you ISO 27001 or SOC 2 certified?▾
Not yet. We have not undergone those audits. If a buyer requires them, ask us — we will tell you honestly whether we can meet the requirement.
How do I get the DPA?▾
Email support@hostim.dev. We send a signed DPA in PDF, in English or German. The substance meets GDPR Article 28.