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CapRover
Self-hosted PaaS for effortless app deployment without Docker expertise
Deploy NodeJS, Python, PHP, Ruby, and databases with a simple interface. Built on Docker, nginx, and Let's Encrypt—no DevOps knowledge required.
Overview
Deployment Made Simple
CapRover is a self-hosted Platform-as-a-Service that eliminates the complexity of server management and application deployment. Designed for developers who want to focus on code rather than infrastructure, it provides both a web GUI and CLI to deploy applications and databases with minimal configuration.
Powerful Yet Accessible
Under the hood, CapRover leverages Docker Swarm for containerization, nginx for load balancing, and Let's Encrypt for automatic SSL certificates. Despite this robust architecture, users need zero knowledge of these technologies. Deploy NodeJS, Python, PHP, ASP.NET, Ruby applications, or spin up MariaDB, MySQL, MongoDB, PostgreSQL, and WordPress instances from a dropdown menu.
Cost-Effective Alternative
Built for developers tired of expensive managed platforms like Heroku or Azure, CapRover runs on any VPS provider at a fraction of the cost—often 50x cheaper. The platform avoids vendor lock-in: remove CapRover and your containerized applications continue running. With Docker Swarm clustering support, it scales from single-server setups to multi-node production environments while maintaining the same simple interface.
Highlights
One-click app and database deployment via web GUI or CLI
Automatic SSL certificates through integrated Let's Encrypt
Docker Swarm clustering for horizontal scaling and high availability
No vendor lock-in—apps remain portable after CapRover removal
Pros
- Extremely low learning curve with copy-paste setup process
- Dramatically reduces hosting costs compared to managed PaaS providers
- Supports wide range of languages, frameworks, and databases
- Built-in monitoring with NetData and customizable nginx templates
Considerations
- Requires managing your own server infrastructure and updates
- Smaller ecosystem compared to established platforms like Heroku
- Docker Swarm may be less familiar than Kubernetes for some teams
- Self-hosted nature means you handle backup and disaster recovery
Managed products teams compare with
When teams consider CapRover, these hosted platforms usually appear on the same shortlist.
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Fit guide
Great for
- Developers seeking Heroku-like simplicity on their own infrastructure
- Teams wanting to cut cloud hosting costs by 50x or more
- Projects requiring multi-language or polyglot application stacks
- Startups and agencies managing multiple client applications
Not ideal when
- Organizations requiring enterprise SLAs and managed support
- Teams already invested in Kubernetes-based workflows
- Projects needing specialized compliance certifications out-of-the-box
- Users uncomfortable with any server administration responsibilities
How teams use it
Agency Multi-Client Hosting
Deploy and manage dozens of client websites and applications from a single dashboard, reducing infrastructure costs and maintenance overhead.
Startup MVP Deployment
Launch full-stack applications with databases and SSL in minutes, allowing founders to iterate quickly without DevOps hiring.
Cost Migration from Heroku
Replicate Heroku workflows on $5-20/month VPS instances, achieving 50x cost savings while maintaining deployment simplicity.
Development Team Staging Environments
Provision isolated staging and testing environments for multiple projects without complex Kubernetes configurations or cloud vendor bills.
Tech snapshot
TypeScript96%
Shell2%
EJS2%
JavaScript1%
Edge1%
Frequently asked questions
What technical knowledge is required to use CapRover?
Minimal—setup involves copying and pasting commands. No Docker, nginx, or Linux expertise needed for basic deployment and management.
Can I migrate away from CapRover later?
Yes. CapRover avoids lock-in by using standard Docker containers. Remove CapRover and your applications continue running as Docker containers.
How does CapRover compare to Heroku in cost?
CapRover runs on VPS providers like Hetzner or DigitalOcean at $5-20/month versus Heroku's $250/month for similar 2GB instances—roughly 50x cheaper.
Does CapRover support clustering and scaling?
Yes. Built on Docker Swarm, CapRover supports multi-node clusters for high availability and horizontal scaling across multiple servers.
What databases and services can I deploy?
CapRover includes one-click templates for MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, MariaDB, Redis, WordPress, and many other popular services.
Project at a glance
Active- Stars
- 14,779
- Watchers
- 14,779
- Forks
- 957
Repo age8 years old
Last commit2 months ago
Self-hostingSupported
Primary languageTypeScript
Last synced 2 hours ago