Dockhand — Modern Docker Management with a Clean Web UI

Introduction

Dockhand is a self-hosted Docker management tool that gives you a polished web interface for managing containers, images, volumes, networks, and Docker Compose stacks. Built with Svelte for a responsive frontend, it aims to simplify day-to-day Docker operations without the complexity of full-featured platforms.

What Dockhand Does

• Displays running and stopped containers with resource usage metrics
• Manages Docker images including pulling, tagging, and removing
• Handles Docker Compose stacks with visual editing and deployment
• Monitors container logs in real-time with search and filtering
• Provides volume and network management through an intuitive interface

Architecture Overview

Dockhand is a single-container application that communicates with the Docker daemon via the Docker socket. The frontend is built with Svelte and SvelteKit, providing a reactive interface that updates in real-time. The backend proxies Docker API calls and adds authentication and session management on top. All state comes directly from Docker, so there is no additional database to manage.

Self-Hosting & Configuration

• Deploy as a single Docker container with the Docker socket mounted
• Configure authentication credentials via environment variables
• Set the listening port and optional TLS certificates for HTTPS
• Adjust container resource limits through Docker run parameters
• Place behind a reverse proxy for domain-based access with SSL

Key Features

• Clean and modern interface built with Svelte for fast interactions
• Real-time container metrics including CPU, memory, and network usage
• Docker Compose stack management with file editing and redeployment
• Container shell access directly from the browser
• Lightweight single-container deployment with no external dependencies

Comparison with Similar Tools

• Portainer — full-featured but heavier with Kubernetes support; Dockhand focuses on Docker simplicity
• Dockge — Compose-focused manager by Uptime Kuma's author; Dockhand covers broader Docker management
• Lazydocker — terminal-based Docker TUI; Dockhand provides a web UI accessible from any browser
• Docker Desktop — proprietary desktop app; Dockhand is open-source and server-friendly

FAQ

Q: Does Dockhand support Docker Swarm or Kubernetes? A: Dockhand focuses on single-host Docker management. It does not manage Swarm or Kubernetes clusters.

Q: Is authentication built in? A: Yes, Dockhand includes basic authentication to protect the dashboard.

Q: Can I manage remote Docker hosts? A: It connects to the local Docker socket by default. Remote hosts can be accessed by exposing the Docker socket over TCP with proper security measures.

Q: What browsers are supported? A: Any modern browser with JavaScript enabled works. The Svelte frontend is lightweight and compatible with Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge.

Sources

• https://github.com/Finsys/dockhand