RepoDock desktop application. The application detail page shows IT-Tools with the badges Running, healthy and curated, buttons for Open, Stop and Remove, the last operation log with provision, pull and build steps, and a status table listing the GitHub source commit, the local URL on 127.0.0.1, the recipe hash and the approved plan hash.
RepoDock 0.1.0 desktop app on Linux, 10 October 2026. IT-Tools, a public repository (CorentinTh/it-tools at commit d505845f), installed from a curated recipe and running on 127.0.0.1. Screenshot taken under Xvfb during testing, not a mock-up.

How it works

  1. Choose a supported repository

    Paste a GitHub link, optionally with a branch, tag or commit. RepoDock resolves it to an exact commit and downloads that archive. No script from the repository runs on your machine during this step.

  2. Review the installation plan

    Before anything builds, the plan shows the base image, whether dependencies are locked, the launch command, the port, data volumes, services, network and security settings, and every warning. Anything RepoDock could not determine is a question, not a guess. Approval is tied to that exact plan.

    RepoDock install page showing the plan for IT-Tools: source commit, curated recipe with its hash, runtime node 20 on node:20-bookworm-slim, locked dependencies with package.json and pnpm-lock.yaml hashes, the launch command, the web port published on 127.0.0.1, no persistent data declared, and the network statement.
    Plan review for the same IT-Tools install. Real screenshot from the Linux desktop build.

  3. Install and manage

    The image builds inside Docker and the app starts on 127.0.0.1 only. Installation counts as successful when the app answers its readiness check, not when the image builds. From then on: start, stop, logs, update with the previous image kept for rollback, backup and restore, and removal with or without the saved data.

What the container does and does not do

Nothing from the repository is installed on your host: no Python, no Node.js, no database server. Each app runs as an unprivileged user on a read-only filesystem with all Linux capabilities dropped and no host directories mounted. Recipes that ask for privileged mode, host networking, devices, host paths or the Docker socket are rejected before planning.

That boundary reduces interference between apps and your system. It is not a guarantee against malicious software or kernel vulnerabilities. Build steps execute the repository's own code inside the engine, containers keep ordinary outbound network access, and on a rootful Docker install container root is host root. Read the plan before approving it and only install repositories you would run anyway.

Compatibility

Each row is one repository at one pinned commit, installed on one host (Debian 13, Docker Engine 29.8.0) on 10 October 2026. Other commits of the same repositories are not verified.

Repository Commit Status What was checked
IT-Tools d505845f Verified Installed, opened, stopped, restarted and removed through the command line and through the desktop app. Curated recipe.
linkding 27b7303b Verified Installed through the command line; first user created; bookmarks survived a restart; backup and restore. Curated recipe.
Actual Budget 0728f1a3 Verified Installed through the command line; server password set and login checked after restart; backup and restore. Curated recipe.
ConvertX 70675b99 Verified Installed and then updated through the command line; PNG to JPEG and text to PDF conversions downloaded. Curated recipe.
Mealie 0601d2bc Verified Installed through the command line with a PostgreSQL 16 service; recipe saved; backup and restore. Curated recipe.

None of the five installed through automatic detection alone. Every one needed a curated recipe shipped with RepoDock, and every recipe needed corrections that were only found by running it. The five ran at the same time on the test host, and removing one left the others answering.

Pending and untested

  • Pending Automatic detection for Python and Node.js projects without a recipe. Implemented and tested on RepoDock's own fixture apps, not yet on a public repository.
  • Pending Recipes beyond the five above. None are in progress at the moment.
  • Untested Rootless Docker, Linux arm64 and Podman.
  • Untested Windows with Docker Desktop (code compiles, never run on a Windows host) and macOS (never built).
  • Not supported Databases other than PostgreSQL 16, Bun, multi-stage Dockerfiles, Alpine base images, and outbound network restrictions.

Status

  • BuildUnsigned development build 0.1.0 for Linux x86_64 (.deb, AppImage and command-line binary) produced on 10 October 2026. It exists only on the build machine and has not been published.
  • SourcePrivate GitHub repository. No tags or releases yet.
  • LicenceNot chosen. Builds will not be distributed until it is.
  • PurchaseNot available. When a release exists it will be sold through Lemon Squeezy. No price has been set.
  • DocsUser guide, compatibility matrix, security model and CLI reference live in the repository and will be published with the first release.

Questions

Which repositories does RepoDock support?
Only the ones in the table above, at the commits that were tested. The application classes RepoDock understands are Python web apps with requirements.txt or pyproject.toml, Node.js web apps with package.json and a lockfile, repositories that ship a repodock.yaml, and a constrained subset of Dockerfiles and Compose files. It refuses libraries, monorepos without a chosen directory, native desktop apps, kernel modules, drivers, GPU use and any recipe that asks for extra privileges.
What do I need installed?
Docker Engine 23 or newer with BuildKit, and a user account that can reach the Docker socket. RepoDock never changes group membership or socket permissions for you. You also need network access to GitHub, Docker Hub and the package indexes the app uses. Nothing else: no Python, Node.js or database on the host.
Where is my data, and what happens when I remove something?
App data lives in Docker named volumes. RepoDock's own database, backups and recipes live in its data directory, on Linux ~/.local/share/repodock. Removing an app keeps its volumes, secrets and backups unless you tick the delete option. Removing RepoDock itself leaves installed apps and their data on the engine.
How do I get support or a copy?
Email bryan@backwoodsdevelopment.com. There is no public download, issue tracker or security contact yet. Other work is on GitHub.