Help & Docs

Stapelwerk helps you compose a curated, compatibility-checked Docker stack and export a ready-to-run docker-compose.yml.

Getting started

  1. Browse the service catalog or start from a template in the Stack Builder.
  2. Add the services you need to a stack. The builder flags port and volume conflicts as you go.
  3. Configure each service — environment variables, ports and volumes. Required secrets are generated for you.
  4. Export the generated docker-compose.yml plus an .env and a deploy.sh, or hand it off to Portainer/Coolify/Dokploy/Openship.
  5. Optionally deploy to a remote host with the bundled deploy.sh — it runs on your machine and drives your server over your own SSH (we never hold your key) — or deploy directly to a Docker host from the stack's Deploy tab and watch live logs.

Understanding the service catalog

The catalog is a curated set of self-hostable services grouped by category (databases, media, networking, monitoring, …). Each service ships with real image, environment and volume metadata so the exported compose file actually runs. When you add services, Stapelwerk checks:

  • Compatibility — warns about combinations that clash (e.g. two reverse proxies on the same port).
  • Resource budget — sums CPU/RAM so you can tell whether the stack fits your Pi or server.
  • Required configuration — surfaces the secrets and volumes a service needs to start cleanly.

Getting help

Every stack can generate its own README and troubleshooting notes from its Documentation view — that is the best place to start when a deployment misbehaves. Check the Deploy tab's live logs for the exact error from the Docker host.

Still stuck? Review your service configuration for missing required variables, confirm the host has enough free memory for the stack, and make sure the target ports aren't already in use.