getarcaneapp/arcane

Analysis updated 2026-07-03

★ 5,509GoAudience · ops devopsComplexity · 3/5LicenseSetup · moderate

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((arcane))
    What it does
      Manage Docker containers
      Control Compose projects
      Browser-based dashboard
    Audience
      Self-hosters
      Non-CLI users
      Home lab owners
    Tech Stack
      Go backend
      Docker
      Docker Compose
    Deployment
      Self-hosted
      Container image
      Remote agent support
    Features
      Multi-language UI
      BSD-3 licensed
      Remote machine support

mindmap root((arcane)) What it does Manage Docker containers Control Compose projects Browser-based dashboard Audience Self-hosters Non-CLI users Home lab owners Tech Stack Go backend Docker Docker Compose Deployment Self-hosted Container image Remote agent support Features Multi-language UI BSD-3 licensed Remote machine support

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What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Replace terminal-based Docker management with a point-and-click browser dashboard on your home server.

USE CASE 2

Monitor and restart containers on a remote machine using the Arcane Agent component.

USE CASE 3

Give a non-technical teammate a way to start and stop Docker services without command-line access.

USE CASE 4

Manage multiple Docker Compose projects from a single web interface instead of SSH-ing into each server.

What is it built with?

GoDockerDocker Compose

How does it compare?

	getarcaneapp/arcane	kgateway-dev/kgateway	mgechev/revive
Stars	5,509	5,509	5,509
Language	Go	Go	Go
Setup difficulty	moderate	hard	easy
Complexity	3/5	4/5	2/5
Audience	ops devops	ops devops	developer

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · moderate Time to first run · 30min

Requires Docker and Docker Compose on the host, older installs need image reference updates after v1.7.2.

Use freely for any purpose, including commercial use, as long as you keep the copyright notice and do not use the project name for endorsement.

In plain English

Arcane is a web-based interface for managing Docker containers and Docker Compose projects. Docker is software that packages applications into isolated units called containers, making it easier to run software consistently across different computers. Managing containers normally requires typing commands in a terminal, which can be intimidating. Arcane provides a graphical dashboard in the browser so you can start, stop, inspect, and configure containers without memorizing commands. The project is described as designed for everyone, meaning it aims to be approachable for people who are not experienced with the command line. It is self-hosted, meaning you run it on your own server or computer rather than relying on a third-party cloud service. The backend is written in Go. A separate component called Arcane Agent (also called arcane-headless) handles cases where you need to manage containers on a remote machine. Both components are distributed as container images via GitHub Container Registry. The project is translated into multiple languages through Crowdin, and community members can contribute translations there. The README is brief and points to the official documentation site for full setup and configuration details. It notes that the project moved to a new GitHub organization after version 1.7.2, so users on older versions should update their image references. The project is licensed under the BSD-3-Clause license.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1

I have Arcane running on my home server. How do I set up the arcane-headless agent on a second machine so I can manage its containers from the main Arcane dashboard?

Prompt 2

Help me write a Docker Compose file that runs Arcane alongside my existing app stack so I can manage all containers from one browser tab.

Prompt 3

I just upgraded Arcane past version 1.7.2 and my containers stopped pulling the image. What image reference do I need to update to in my Compose file?

Prompt 4

Walk me through configuring Arcane to use a reverse proxy with HTTPS so I can access my dashboard securely from outside my home network.

Prompt 5

I want to contribute a translation to Arcane via Crowdin. Show me the steps to sign up, find the project, and submit translated strings.

Frequently asked questions

What is arcane?

A self-hosted browser dashboard for managing Docker containers and Compose projects without typing terminal commands, designed to be approachable for non-technical users.

What language is arcane written in?

Mainly Go. The stack also includes Go, Docker, Docker Compose.

What license does arcane use?

Use freely for any purpose, including commercial use, as long as you keep the copyright notice and do not use the project name for endorsement.

How hard is arcane to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated moderate, with roughly 30min to a first successful run.

Who is arcane for?

Mainly ops devops.

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