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Self-host Appsmith

v2.6.0

Low-code builder for internal tools and admin panels

ReleaseOpen CoreApache-2.0
GitHubWebsite
KubernetesFull install guide
helm install appsmith-ee appsmith-ee/appsmith -n appsmith-ee --create-namespace -f values.yaml
Updated2 weeks ago
LanguageTypescript
Setup difficultyModerate
Stars
41 242
RAM
at least 8 GB of RAM on the host for the all-in-one Docker Compose deployment
Ports
80 (HTTP, Appsmith web UI (Caddy in the container)), 443 (HTTPS with custom or Let's Encrypt certificates)
Docker
appsmith/appsmith-ce
Appsmith screenshot 1

What is Appsmith?

Appsmith alternatives

Should you self-host Appsmith?

Appsmith scores 80/100 on selfhost.directory (how scoring works) and ranks #1 of 3 in Internal Tools. It has 41 242 GitHub stars, +201 in the last 30 days.

It shipped 19 stable releases in the past year. The latest, v2.6.0, came out on 28 October 2026. New versions land roughly every 2 weeks.

Setup is moderate: expect some configuration beyond a single command. An official Docker image is available. It is Apache-2.0-licensed and written mostly in Typescript.

Its closest alternative on selfhost.directory is Dropbase (41/100, 1 283 stars). Appsmith scores higher overall. See Appsmith vs Dropbase side by side.

Features

  • AI prompt-based building
  • Air-gapped deploymentPriced as an Enterprise add-on.
  • Audit LogsBusiness plan feature on the pricing page.
  • Backup and Restore
  • Database and API connectivity
  • Drag-and-drop UI builder
  • Email notifications
  • Git-based version control
  • JavaScript customization
  • Multi-user editingEdits to the same page on the same branch can cause lost work.
  • Role-based Access ControlFree plan ships 3 standard roles; custom roles and access controls are Business plan.
  • SAML and OIDC single sign-onListed under the Enterprise plan; SAML requires a high-availability instance configuration.
  • Single sign-on (Google / GitHub OAuth)
  • Workflow Automation

Appsmith README

Appsmith Logo

Discord GitHub commit activity YouTube Channel Subscribers YouTube Channel Views

Organizations build custom applications like dashboards, admin panels, customer 360, IT automation, and service management tools to help their teams work more efficiently and effectively. Appsmith is an open-source low-code platform that streamlines custom application development, deployment, and maintenance. Learn more on our website.

How to install Appsmith

Install Appsmith with Docker

Environment variables
APPSMITH_ENCRYPTION_PASSWORD, APPSMITH_ENCRYPTION_SALT, APPSMITH_DB_URL

Create a folder named appsmith on your machine for deployment and data storage. Navigate to this folder using the cd command.

Create a docker-compose.yml file with:

version: "3"
services:
   appsmith:
     image: index.docker.io/appsmith/appsmith-ee:<version>
     container_name: appsmith
     ports:
         - "80:80"
         - "443:443"
     volumes:
         - ./stacks:/appsmith-stacks
     restart: unless-stopped

Start the Docker container by using the below command. You may need to use sudo if you don't have permission to run docker-compose:

docker-compose up -d

Open http://localhost and wait for the server to come up. This can take up to 5 minutes. Once the server is up and running, you can access Appsmith at http://localhost.

Fill in your details to create an administrator account.

Community edition image is appsmith/appsmith-ce; the docs recommend pinning a release tag.

How to configure Appsmith

  • APPSMITH_ENCRYPTION_PASSWORDEncryption password set in the docker-compose environment block of the development compose file.
  • APPSMITH_ENCRYPTION_SALTEncryption salt set in the docker-compose environment block of the development compose file.
  • APPSMITH_DB_URLConnection string pointing Appsmith at an external MongoDB replica set instead of the bundled one (docker.env or Helm values.yaml).

    values: mongodb+srv://{username}:{password}@{mongo.host.name}/{db_name}

Appsmith releases & version history

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FAQ

What is the pricing plan?

The docs point to the Appsmith pricing page for plan details.

Does Appsmith support multi-user editing?

Yes, through Git version control: users edit pages on separate branches and merge into master, since editing the same page on the same branch can lose work.

How secure is Appsmith?

Apps are secure by default; self-hosting keeps data inside your own VPC, which the docs cite as the route for HIPAA-style requirements. Cloud data is stored and processed on US servers.

How is Appsmith different from other no-code or low-code tools?

It is open source and self-hostable, so data stays under your control, and it takes a developer-first route with full JavaScript and Git workflow integration rather than pure no-code.

What kind of apps can I build on Appsmith?

Forms, admin panels, dashboards and other complex workflows: database GUIs, customer-support tools, back-office and approval apps, trackers, or a clean UI layer over scripts and CRUD operations.

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