Overview
Dokku is a lightweight, extensible, Docker-powered PaaS that helps you build and manage the lifecycle of applications on a single host. It supports Heroku buildpacks, Dockerfiles, and git push deploys, making it the classic open-source mini-Heroku. A rich plugin ecosystem adds databases, SSL, and more.
Key features
- Deploys apps via git push, the same workflow as Heroku
- Supports Heroku buildpacks and plain Dockerfiles for builds
- Runs entirely on a single host using Docker under the hood
- Plugin system adds managed databases (Postgres, MySQL, Redis, etc.)
- Automated SSL via Let's Encrypt through a plugin
- CLI-driven app lifecycle management (scale, config, logs, domains)
Our take
Dokku is the closest you'll get to Heroku's developer experience without paying Heroku prices, and the git push deploy plus buildpack support means many existing apps run with little to no change. The plugin ecosystem covers the essentials, so adding a Postgres database or SSL certificate is a one-line command. The main caveat is right there in the design: it's built for a single host, so there's no built-in clustering or high availability, and if that server goes down your apps go with it. Expect to spend time on the command line and to understand a fair bit of Docker and Linux administration, which is why the difficulty rating sits on the higher end despite the polished workflow.
Ideal for: Solo developers and small teams who want a Heroku-style git-push deploy experience on a single VPS they control.
Where it falls short of Heroku
- Primarily single-server; no built-in horizontal scaling or clustering like cloud PaaS.
- CLI-first with no official web UI (community UIs exist but are unofficial).
- No managed CDN/edge, autoscaling, or integrated team management.
- Initial setup and plugin configuration require comfort with the Linux command line.
We list the gaps honestly so you can decide if the trade-off is worth owning your data.
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