# Appsmith

Builds admin panels, internal tools and dashboards that connect to databases and APIs.

- Replaces: [Retool](https://openlogs.fyi/alternatives/retool)
- Summary: Paid internal tool builder services, such as Retool.
- Stack: TypeScript (language)
- Deployment: docker_compose
- License: Apache-2.0 (osi) [source](https://github.com/appsmithorg/appsmith/blob/987d435f893013f798f06c89d5d660bd0536a93b/LICENSE)
- Business model: unknown. The README at the pinned commit does not state a business model, so it stays unknown. ([source](https://github.com/appsmithorg/appsmith/blob/987d435f893013f798f06c89d5d660bd0536a93b/README.md), read 2026-10-22)
- Difficulty: easy. 1 service, 1 volume mount, no env values to set, no elevated host access. Heuristic score 0 of 11: easy.
- Requirements: not stated
- Repository: [appsmithorg/appsmith](https://github.com/appsmithorg/appsmith)

## Install

1. Docker with the Compose plugin ([source](https://github.com/appsmithorg/appsmith/blob/987d435f893013f798f06c89d5d660bd0536a93b/deploy/docker/docker-compose.yml))

   ```text
   A host with Docker and the Docker Compose plugin. This entry runs from a compose file.
   ```

2. Save the compose file as docker-compose.yml ([source](https://github.com/appsmithorg/appsmith/blob/987d435f893013f798f06c89d5d660bd0536a93b/deploy/docker/docker-compose.yml))

   ```yaml
   # Use for running an Appsmith, during development.
   
   version: "3"
   
   services:
     appsmith:
       image: index.docker.io/appsmith/appsmith-ce:release
       container_name: appsmith
       ports:
         - "8080:80"
       environment:
         APPSMITH_ENCRYPTION_PASSWORD: abcd
         APPSMITH_ENCRYPTION_SALT: abcd
       volumes:
         - ./stacks:/appsmith-stacks
   ```

3. Start it ([source](https://github.com/appsmithorg/appsmith/blob/987d435f893013f798f06c89d5d660bd0536a93b/deploy/docker/docker-compose.yml))

   ```bash
   docker compose up -d
   ```

4. Open the app ([source](https://github.com/appsmithorg/appsmith/blob/987d435f893013f798f06c89d5d660bd0536a93b/deploy/docker/docker-compose.yml))

   ```text
   Open http://localhost:8080. The compose file publishes host port 8080 for the appsmith service.
   ```

Compose file check: config_ok on 2026-10-22.

## Gotchas and maintenance

### Gotchas

- The compose file publishes host ports: Host ports: 8080 (appsmith). A port without a host address listens on all host network interfaces. ([source](https://github.com/appsmithorg/appsmith/blob/987d435f893013f798f06c89d5d660bd0536a93b/deploy/docker/docker-compose.yml), checked 2026-10-22)
- The compose file mounts host folders: Host paths mounted into containers: ./stacks at /appsmith-stacks (appsmith). ([source](https://github.com/appsmithorg/appsmith/blob/987d435f893013f798f06c89d5d660bd0536a93b/deploy/docker/docker-compose.yml), checked 2026-10-22)

### Signals

Computed from a GitHub snapshot taken 2026-10-22.

- Open issues and pull requests: 4513
- Stars: 41102, forks: 4815
- Last push: 2026-10-22 (0 days ago)
- Latest release: v2.5.1 on 2026-10-21 (0 days ago)

## Sources

- [Repository: https://github.com/appsmithorg/appsmith](https://github.com/appsmithorg/appsmith)
- [License: https://github.com/appsmithorg/appsmith/blob/987d435f893013f798f06c89d5d660bd0536a93b/LICENSE](https://github.com/appsmithorg/appsmith/blob/987d435f893013f798f06c89d5d660bd0536a93b/LICENSE)
- [Business model: https://github.com/appsmithorg/appsmith/blob/987d435f893013f798f06c89d5d660bd0536a93b/README.md](https://github.com/appsmithorg/appsmith/blob/987d435f893013f798f06c89d5d660bd0536a93b/README.md)
- [Compose file: https://github.com/appsmithorg/appsmith/blob/987d435f893013f798f06c89d5d660bd0536a93b/deploy/docker/docker-compose.yml](https://github.com/appsmithorg/appsmith/blob/987d435f893013f798f06c89d5d660bd0536a93b/deploy/docker/docker-compose.yml)

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Canonical: https://openlogs.fyi/tools/appsmith  
Last updated: 2026-10-22