Arcane is a modern solution that simplifies Docker management without stripping away the power and flexibility developers expect. It brings everything you need into one clean, intuitive interface, designed to make working with Docker faster, clearer, and more enjoyable.

What is Arcane?

Arcane offers a simple and modern way to manage your Docker containers, images, volumes and networks all from one dashboard.

Arcane Core Features

  • Modern UI Interface
    Clean and intuitive design that makes Docker management a breeze
  • Real-time Monitoring
    Live updates of container status, resource usage, and logs
  • Container Management
    Start, stop, restart, and inspect containers with ease
  • Image Management
    Pull and manage Docker images
  • Network Configuration
    Create and configure Docker networks
  • Volume Management
    Create and manage persistent data with Docker volumes
  • Resource Visualization
    Visual graphs for CPU, memory, and network usage
  • Auto Updating Containers
  • Automatically update containers when newer images are found

Install Arcane using Docker Compose

If you don't have Docker installed and need help getting started, I recommend checking out our self-hosting guides for beginners. These guides cover the basics of setting up Docker on your server. They're designed to help you get up and running smoothly, even if you're new to self-hosting.

Docker Compose configuration:

services:
  arcane:
    image: ghcr.io/ofkm/arcane:latest
    container_name: arcane
    ports:
      - '3552:3552'
    volumes:
      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
      - arcane-data:/app/data
      - /host/path/to/projects:/app/data/projects
    environment:
      - APP_URL=http://localhost:3552
      - PUID=1000
      - PGID=1000
      - ENCRYPTION_KEY=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
      - JWT_SECRET=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
    restart: unless-stopped

volumes:
  arcane-data:

For detailed installation instructions and setup guidance, visit the Arcane wiki. It provides clear steps, helpful tips, and best practices to get Arcane running smoothly in your environment.

One of Arcane’s most helpful features is its ability to translate raw metrics into visual graphs. CPU, memory, and network usage are presented in a way that makes sense at a glance. Instead of sifting through lines of output, you get a clear picture of how your containers are performing and where optimizations might be needed.

One of my favorite things about Arcane is the ability to prune unused images, volumes, and networks with a single click. It instantly frees up space that would otherwise sit around quietly, taking up valuable storage. It’s simple, efficient, and a little satisfying to see everything cleaned up without having to run commands or track down forgotten resources.

Arcane is a step toward making Docker approachable, reliable, and even enjoyable to work with. By combining modern design with real power, it gives those who self-host a smarter way to run their containers and apps.

Arcane also includes automatic image updates, so your containers stay current without extra effort. When a newer version of an image is available, Arcane can pull it down and update the container for you, keeping your services secure and up to date.

Final Notes and Thoughts

Arcane takes what people like about Portainer and makes it feel modern. Unlike Portainer’s dated interface, Arcane is clean, responsive, and designed to work seamlessly on mobile devices. That means you can check containers, monitor resources, or restart a service right from your phone, something Portainer still struggles with.

Arcane is still a work in progress, and updates are on the way to make it even better. New features, improvements, and refinements are constantly being developed to enhance the experience and make Docker management smoother and more intuitive.

Be sure to give the Arcane project a star on the Arcane Github repo!