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A backup isn’t a recovery plan.

DockNest backs up your Docker sites, verifies every recovery point, and restores to a separate copy. Self-hosted, open source, and in beta.

Get DockNest Read the code on GitHub

Why DockNest

Most backups are first tested on the day something breaks. DockNest verifies every recovery point and lets you restore it to a separate copy, so you find out on a quiet afternoon instead.

What a recovery point holds

Everything a Docker or static nginx site needs to run again, encrypted before it leaves the server. DockNest lists a recovery point only after the job is verified.

Read the backup format

Demo Shop, nightly

Sample data
  1. Container images Captured
  2. Volumes and bind mounts Captured
  3. Writable layers Captured
  4. Databases PostgreSQL, MySQL/MariaDB and Redis Dumped
  5. Encryption AES-256-GCM Encrypted
  6. Integrity check Verified

Runs on hardware you own

DockNest lives on a Linux host you control. There is no account with us and no cloud in the middle.

  • SSH to each server. Host keys are pinned on first contact and checked every time.
  • Your storage. Backups go to your SFTP server. S3-compatible buckets are in beta.
  • Backs up itself. DockNest’s own data gets a recovery point too.
A small server cabin among pine trees above a mountain lake at dusk

Where every backup lands

The Map shows each server, the sites running on it, and the storage their backups go to. Drag a site’s line to another server to move it.

Commerce hostConnectedContent hostConnectedDemo ShopRestore checkedProduct CatalogVerifiedHelp CenterVerifiedStudio JournalBacking up nowBackup storage24 GB of 256 GB
  • Commerce host
    • Demo Shop Restore checked
    • Product Catalog Verified
  • Content host
    • Help Center Verified
    • Studio Journal Backing up now
  • Backup storage
    • SFTP 24 GB of 256 GB
Example built from the DockNest demo data.

Around the backup

The parts you reach for when something goes wrong, or before it does.

  • Jobs you can follow

    Transfer progress, a step-by-step timeline, and failure reasons written in plain language.

  • A library of recovery points

    Every point for every site, with per-site schedules, retention rules and pinned backups.

  • Alerts where you already look

    Telegram or email for backup results, moves, unreachable servers and low disk space.

  • Move a site to another server

    Reconnect it on the Map. The old copy stays stopped for seven days.

  • Installs what a server is missing

    nginx, Docker, Docker Compose or certbot, after you confirm.

  • Updates when you say so

    Opt-in update checks, applied through a host updater from the Update Center.

From first server to a tested restore

  1. Connect a server

    Add a Linux server over SSH and choose where backups go.

  2. Back up and verify

    DockNest finds the Docker projects and static nginx sites. Run a backup, then verify the recovery point.

  3. Restore to a copy

    Restore into a separate copy and check it runs. The live site is never overwritten automatically.

You need a Linux host with Docker, SSH key access to each server, and backup storage. See the full requirements.

Security you can read in the source

  • Backups are encrypted with AES‑256‑GCM before they reach your storage.
  • Each server’s SSH host key is pinned and checked before DockNest connects.
  • Every user signs in with a password and an authenticator app.
  • The dashboard never touches the Docker socket.
Read the security notes

Install on your own host

  • The DockNest host Linux with Docker and Docker Compose. Node.js 24 for the one-time setup.
  • Each server you back up Linux, Docker, Python 3, SSH key access and root.
  • Backup storage An SFTP server that supports fsync@openssh.com, or an S3-compatible bucket (beta).

Latest release: DockNest 2.8.2, 24 October 2026.

# Initialize your DockNest host
git clone https://github.com/DahanItamar/DockNest.git
cd DockNest
npm ci
npm run setup
# .env
APP_DOMAIN=backup.example.com
APP_ORIGIN=https://backup.example.com
SECURE_COOKIES=true

# Start with HTTPS via Caddy
docker compose --profile https up -d --build
npm ci
npm run setup
npm run build
npm start

# In a second terminal
npm run worker
Installation guide See all releases

Questions

DockNest is in beta. S3-compatible storage has only been tested against a simulated endpoint, and automatic recovery after a server reboot is not production-ready. Check the support matrix.

Is DockNest self-hosted?

Yes. It runs on a Linux host you control and connects to your servers over SSH.

What can it back up?

Docker sites and static nginx sites: images, volumes, bind mounts, writable layers, and PostgreSQL, MySQL/MariaDB and Redis databases.

Where are backups stored?

On an SFTP server you configure. S3-compatible buckets are supported in beta.

Does restoring overwrite my live site?

No. The standard restore goes to a separate copy, so you can check it before deciding what to do next.

What does it cost?

Nothing. DockNest is open source under the AGPL-3.0 license.

Prove your backups restore.

Install DockNest on a host you own and run your first restore to a copy this week.

Get DockNest Read the code on GitHub