Dokku is a self-hosted platform as a service that automates the deployment and management of web applications on your own infrastructure. It functions as an infrastructure automation tool, providing a git-driven engine that triggers container builds, service orchestration, and release workflows directly from source code repositories.
The platform distinguishes itself by using buildpack-based image construction to detect project structures and automate container creation without manual configuration. It manages the full application lifecycle through a simplified interface that abstracts low-level container runtime commands, while dynamically handling reverse-proxy routing and environment-variable-driven configuration to map traffic and decouple settings from the underlying host.
Beyond core deployment, the system provides comprehensive infrastructure lifecycle management, including the automated setup of system dependencies and the configuration of administrative access controls. The platform is designed for modular expansion, allowing users to extend core functionality through a plugin system that hooks into lifecycle events. It is installed on Linux distributions using automated scripts to ensure consistent environment preparation.
