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Dokku
Docker-powered mini-Heroku for self-hosted application deployment
Dokku is a lightweight, self-hosted Platform-as-a-Service that uses Docker to help you build and manage application lifecycles with Heroku-like simplicity.
Overview
What is Dokku?
Dokku is the smallest PaaS implementation you'll find—a Docker-powered platform that brings Heroku-style deployment workflows to your own infrastructure. Designed for developers and teams who want simple git-push deployments without vendor lock-in or complex orchestration overhead, Dokku transforms a single VM into a fully functional application platform.
Who Should Use It?
Ideal for startups, indie developers, and small teams running Ubuntu or Debian servers, Dokku supports buildpack-based deployments across multiple languages (Go, Python, Ruby, PHP, Java, JavaScript, and more). Whether you're prototyping new ideas or running production workloads on a budget, Dokku delivers a familiar developer experience with minimal operational complexity.
Deployment & Capabilities
Installation takes minutes on a fresh VM. Once configured with SSH keys and domain settings, you can deploy applications via git push, manage SSL certificates, configure databases, and scale services—all through a straightforward CLI. Dokku integrates with Docker's ecosystem while abstracting away container orchestration, making it accessible to teams without Kubernetes expertise. The MIT-licensed project is actively maintained with comprehensive documentation and community support.
Highlights
Git-push deployments with Heroku-compatible buildpack support
Single-server installation on Ubuntu/Debian with minimal dependencies
Built-in SSL, domain management, and zero-downtime deployment capabilities
Extensible plugin architecture for databases, storage, and custom integrations
Pros
- Extremely lightweight footprint compared to Kubernetes or other orchestration platforms
- Familiar Heroku-style workflow reduces learning curve for developers
- Self-hosted control eliminates vendor lock-in and recurring PaaS fees
- Active community with 31k+ GitHub stars and comprehensive documentation
Considerations
- Single-server architecture limits horizontal scaling compared to distributed platforms
- Requires manual VM provisioning and basic Linux administration skills
- Fewer managed services and integrations than commercial PaaS offerings
- Not designed for multi-region or high-availability enterprise deployments
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When teams consider Dokku, these hosted platforms usually appear on the same shortlist.
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Fit guide
Great for
- Startups and indie developers seeking cost-effective Heroku alternatives
- Teams wanting self-hosted infrastructure with simple deployment workflows
- Prototyping and staging environments that don't require complex orchestration
- Small to medium production workloads on single-server or modest infrastructure
Not ideal when
- Enterprise applications requiring multi-region failover and high availability
- Teams needing managed database backups, monitoring, and compliance tooling
- Organizations already invested in Kubernetes or container orchestration platforms
- Projects demanding automatic horizontal scaling across distributed clusters
How teams use it
Rapid MVP Deployment
Launch multiple prototype applications on a single $10/month VPS with git-push simplicity, avoiding expensive PaaS bills during validation phases.
Agency Client Hosting
Consolidate dozens of small client websites and apps on dedicated servers with isolated containers, SSL automation, and straightforward maintenance.
Internal Tool Infrastructure
Deploy internal dashboards, APIs, and microservices behind your firewall without cloud vendor dependencies or complex Kubernetes overhead.
Cost-Optimized Production
Run production workloads for small SaaS products or side projects at fraction of Heroku costs while maintaining familiar deployment patterns.
Tech snapshot
Shell56%
Go38%
Makefile2%
Python1%
HTML1%
Dockerfile1%
Frequently asked questions
How does Dokku compare to Heroku?
Dokku replicates Heroku's git-push deployment workflow and buildpack support but runs on your own infrastructure. You gain cost savings and control but manage the underlying server yourself.
Can Dokku scale horizontally across multiple servers?
Dokku is designed for single-server deployments. For multi-server orchestration, consider Kubernetes or Docker Swarm. Dokku excels at simplicity on modest infrastructure.
What languages and frameworks does Dokku support?
Dokku supports any language with Heroku buildpacks—including Node.js, Python, Ruby, Go, PHP, Java, and Scala. You can also deploy via Dockerfile for custom environments.
Does Dokku require Docker expertise?
No. Dokku abstracts Docker complexity behind a simple CLI. You interact with familiar commands like 'git push' and 'dokku apps:create' rather than managing containers directly.
Is Dokku suitable for production workloads?
Yes, for single-server or modest-scale production apps. Many teams run production services on Dokku. Evaluate your availability, scaling, and disaster recovery requirements first.
Project at a glance
Active- Stars
- 31,796
- Watchers
- 31,796
- Forks
- 2,018
LicenseMIT
Repo age12 years old
Last commit3 hours ago
Self-hostingSupported
Primary languageShell
Last synced 3 hours ago