Dokku
The original Heroku-style PaaS for self-hosting. Older, simpler, smaller surface than Coolify.
VISIT DOKKUKey takeaway: Sysadmins who want a Heroku-shaped deploy target and nothing else are the audience here: bash and Go, a CLI, a plugin per service, no web UI to maintain. Dokku has been stable for over a decade. For a new self-hosted PaaS, Coolify moves faster and covers more ground unless CLI-only transparency is specifically what you want.
Quick facts
- CategorySelf-hosted PaaS
- PricingOpen source
- LicenseMIT
- Created2013
- GitHub stars30.7k
- Edge-readyNo
- Free tierYes
- Egress billingFair
Bundled services: Postgres Redis Let's Encrypt Plugin ecosystem
What it is
Dokku is the original Heroku-shape self-hostable PaaS, written in bash + Go, around since 2013. Mature, smaller feature surface than Coolify, simpler model. Plugin ecosystem for Postgres / Redis / Let's Encrypt. Used heavily by sysadmins who want a stable Heroku-shape platform without web-UI overhead.
Best for
- CLI-first deployments without web UI overhead
- Existing Dokku deployments, stable and well-maintained
- Single-developer servers where simplicity wins
When not to pick it
For new self-hosted PaaS deployments in 2026, Coolify has more momentum, more features, and a polished web UI. Dokku is fine but it is a slower-moving project.
My take
Dokku is mature and battle-tested but Coolify has overtaken it on velocity. Pick Dokku if you specifically want CLI-first and bash-script transparency; otherwise Coolify.
A small surface you can read end to end
Dokku is bash and Go, deliberately, and the whole system is readable in an afternoon. You push to a git remote, a buildpack or Dockerfile builds the app, and it runs behind nginx by default with a Let's Encrypt plugin handling certificates. Services like Postgres and Redis come from plugins that are themselves small scripts, so when something behaves oddly you can read the code that caused it rather than filing an issue and waiting. There is no web interface, no daemon with its own database, and no control plane to keep upgraded. For a sysadmin running a handful of applications on one box, that transparency is the feature, and it is why Dokku installations tend to survive for years without much attention. It has been maintained continuously since 2013, one of the longer track records in this category.
Where Coolify has taken over
Momentum has moved. Coolify ships features quickly, has a web interface that non-CLI teammates can use, manages several servers from one place, and provisions databases without installing a plugin first. Dokku moves slowly by comparison, and slow is not the same as dead, but it does mean newer conveniences arrive late or not at all. For a new self-hosted deployment the default recommendation is now Coolify, unless you specifically want a CLI-only tool with no moving parts. The cases where Dokku still wins are real: a single developer on a single server, an environment where a web control panel is an unwanted attack surface, or an existing installation that has worked for years and has no reason to change. Migrating a healthy Dokku setup for its own sake is wasted effort.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dokku still maintained?
Yes. Dokku has been developed continuously since 2013 and still receives releases, though at a slower pace than Coolify. Stability rather than novelty is the point, and for a mature project with a small surface that is a reasonable trade. Existing installations are safe; new ones simply have a faster-moving alternative available to them.
Dokku or Coolify?
Coolify for most new self-hosted setups, because of the web interface, multi-server management, and faster feature development. Dokku when you want a CLI-first tool whose internals are shell scripts you can read, or when you are already running it happily and nothing is broken. Both deliver Heroku-style git deploys on hardware you own.
Can Dokku run on a single small VPS?
That is exactly what it is designed for. A modest server can host several applications plus Postgres and Redis via plugins, with nginx and Let's Encrypt handled for you. Memory is usually the limiting factor rather than CPU, since each application and database holds its own footprint. Paired with an inexpensive VPS, running costs stay very low.
Links
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If Dokku is your pick, the next conversation is short
The 30-min call is where your hosting choice becomes a real architecture, a migration plan if you are switching, and a price range you can take to your stakeholders without surprise bills in month 4. Describe your stack, your traffic shape, your budget. I tell you whether Dokku is genuinely your fit.