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# Dockhand Deployment
> ⚠️ **Prerequisite:** This repository assumes you already have Docker and Docker Compose installed on your host system. If you need to install Docker, please follow the [Ben's Cloud Docker Installation Guide](https://wiki.bens-cloud.com/docker-stuff/01-docker-installation) for a brief overview of what Docker is and step-by-step instructions for your Linux distribution of choice.
---
## What is Dockhand?
Docker is an incredible tool for containerization, but managing everything strictly through the command line can become cumbersome and confusing as your homelab grows.
**Dockhand** is a rising star in the world of container management, offering a streamlined, user-friendly interface to monitor and manage your Docker environments without relying entirely on the CLI. While industry veterans like Portainer remain solid and reliable choices, Dockhand provides a fresh, modern approach that is rapidly gaining popularity for self-hosters.
This repository provides a streamlined, "plug-and-play" Docker Compose configuration to get your own instance of Dockhand up and running in seconds.
![Example of Dockhand](images/Screenshot_20260708_120518.png)
---
## Features of this Repo
* **Production-Ready Compose File:** Optimized configuration for a quick spin-up.
* **Git-and-Go Workflow:** Designed to be cloned and deployed immediately with minimal configuration.
* **Persistent Storage:** Pre-configured volumes to ensure your Dockhand data survives container updates.
---
## Quick Start
Getting started is designed to be as simple as possible. Just run the following commands in your terminal:
1. **Clone the repository:**
```bash
git clone https://git.bens-cloud.com/angel/dockhand.git
cd dockhand
2. **Deploy the container using Docker Compose**
```bash
docker compose up -d
3. **To Access the logs if needed**
```bash
docker compose logs
```
---
## Accessing the Dashboard
Once the container is running, open your web browser and navigate to:
```text
http://<YOUR_SERVER_IP>:3000
```
---
## Setting up the First Environment
Follow these steps to connect Dockhand to your local Docker host and start monitoring your containers:
### Step 1: Access the Dashboard
When you first log into Dockhand, you will be greeted by an empty dashboard indicating that no environments have been configured yet. Click on the **Go to Settings** button in the center of the screen, or click **Settings** at the bottom of the left sidebar.
<!-- INSERT SCREENSHOT_20260708_120347.png HERE -->
![Step 1](images/Screenshot_20260708_120347.png)
---
### Step 2: Add an Environment
Once inside the Settings panel, ensure you are on the **Environments** tab. Click the blue **+ Add environment** button located on the right side of the screen.
<!-- INSERT SCREENSHOT_20260708_120407.png HERE -->
![Step 2](images/Screenshot_20260708_120407.png)
---
### Step 3: Configure the Unix Socket
An "Add environment" modal will appear. Configure it with the following details:
* **Name:** Give it a recognizable name (e.g., `local`).
* **Connection type:** Select **Unix socket** from the dropdown menu.
* **Socket path:** Leave this as the default `/var/run/docker.sock` (Dockhand will auto-detect it).
Click **Test connection** at the bottom left of the modal. Once you see the green **Connected!** toast notification in the bottom right corner, click the blue **+ Add** button.
<!-- INSERT SCREENSHOT_20260708_120427.png HERE -->
![Step 3](images/Screenshot_20260708_120427.png)
---
### Step 4: Verify Environment Overview
You will be redirected back to the main Dashboard view. Your local environment card will now be visible, showing real-time CPU utilization, memory usage, and the total count of running vs. stopped containers.
<!-- INSERT SCREENSHOT_20260708_120457.png HERE -->
![Step 4](images/Screenshot_20260708_120457.png)
---
### Step 5: Explore Running Containers
Click on the **Containers** tab in the left sidebar. You will see a complete, live list of all containers running on your host (including the `dockhand` container itself), along with individual uptime stats, IP allocations, internal ports, and resource metrics.
<!-- INSERT SCREENSHOT_20260708_120518.png HERE -->
![Step 5](images/Screenshot_20260708_120518.png)
# Conclusion
Congratulations on making it this far. You have successfully deployed Dockhand and connected it to your local Docker environment. All the containers you have deployed on the host you deployed Dockhand on should appear here. As you can see you can explore Stacks, Images, Volumes, etc. You can even go into Stacks, click Create Stack, and paste a docker-compose.yml content and deploy it right from here.
![Example Compose](images/Screenshot_20260708_123812.png)
Of course on the test machine I deployed this to the only container running is the Dockhand I just deployed. Hence why it looks empty. Now all thats left is for you to explore and see what it can do. See if it fits you needs. I will be doing a separate git repo for the Hawser Agent which can be used to connect Dockhand to other nodes.