Dashy is a highly customizable, open-source dashboard application designed for self-hosting. It allows users to centralize access to their self-hosted apps, services, and tools, all within a beautiful, responsive interface. Dashy is lightweight, easy to deploy, and gives you full control over your data, making it an excellent choice for developers and system administrators. This guide covers installing Dashy, reverse proxy setup with Nginx, logging and debugging, backups, updates, and leveraging its unique features.
Installing Dashy
📦 Docker/Docker Compose Setup
Docker Compose is the simplest and most flexible way to deploy Dashy. Below is an example docker-compose.yml file tailored for Dashy.
version: '3.8'
services:
dashy:
image: lissy93/dashy:latest
container_name: dashy
ports:
- "8080:80" # Map Dashy to port 8080 on your host
volumes:
- ./dashy_config:/app/public/conf # Persistent config storage
- ./dashy_data:/app/public # Optional: Store additional files
environment:
- NODE_ENV=production # Run Dashy in production mode
restart: unless-stopped
Save this file as docker-compose.yml and start Dashy using the following commands:
docker-compose up -d
## Verify that Dashy is running
docker ps
🚀 Manual Installation
For those who prefer a manual installation on a Linux server, follow these steps:
- Install Node.js and npm:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y nodejs npm
- Clone the Dashy repository:
git clone https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy.git
cd dashy
- Install dependencies and start the app:
npm install
npm run build
npm start
Access Dashy in your browser at http://<your-server-ip>:8080.
Configuring Nginx as a Reverse Proxy
🌐 Nginx Configuration
To serve Dashy through a reverse proxy, create an Nginx server block configuration file:
server {
listen 80;
server_name yourdomain.com;
location / {
proxy_pass http://localhost:8080; # Point to Dashy's port
proxy_http_version 1.1;
proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
proxy_set_header Connection 'upgrade';
proxy_set_header Host $host;
proxy_cache_bypass $http_upgrade;
}
}
Save the file in /etc/nginx/sites-available/dashy and enable it:
sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/dashy /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo nginx -t # Test the configuration
sudo systemctl reload nginx # Reload Nginx
🔒 SSL/TLS Setup
Secure Dashy with Let's Encrypt by installing Certbot and generating certificates:
sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx
sudo certbot --nginx -d yourdomain.com
Automate certificate renewal by adding this to your crontab (crontab -e):
0 3 * * * certbot renew --quiet
🛠️ Testing and Reloading Nginx
After making any changes to your Nginx configuration, always test and reload:
sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl reload nginx
Logging and Debugging Dashy
🗃️ Enabling Debug Logs
To enable Dashy’s debug logging, edit the config.yml file located in your persistent volume (dashy_config):
appConfig:
logging: true
logLevel: debug
📄 Viewing Logs
If using Docker, view container logs with:
docker logs dashy
For manual installations, Dashy logs can be found in the logs directory of the project:
tail -f ./logs/server.log
🛠️ Troubleshooting Common Issues
-
Port conflicts: Ensure no other app is using Dashy's port (
8080). Usesudo lsof -i -P -n | grep LISTENto check. -
Nginx misconfiguration: Test with
sudo nginx -tand check/var/log/nginx/error.log.
📤 Exporting Logs
To forward logs to an ELK Stack, use this configuration in the Dashy Docker container:
environment:
- LOG_OUTPUT=stdout
- LOG_DRIVER=gelf
- LOG_OPTIONS={"gelf-address":"udp://<ELK_SERVER_IP>:12201"}
Backup and Restore
🗂️ File-Based Backups
Backup your Dashy configuration and data using the tar command:
tar -czvf dashy_backup_$(date +%F).tar.gz ./dashy_config ./dashy_data
To restore, extract the backup:
tar -xzvf dashy_backup_<date>.tar.gz -C /path/to/destination
📅 Automated Backup Scripts
Automate backups with a cron job. Add the following to crontab -e:
0 2 * * * tar -czvf /backups/dashy_backup_$(date +%F).tar.gz /path/to/dashy_config /path/to/dashy_data
Updating and Upgrading Dashy
⬆️ Updating Docker Images
Update to the latest Dashy version with:
docker-compose pull
docker-compose up -d
🛠️ Manual Updates
For manual installations, pull the latest changes from GitHub:
git pull origin main
npm install
npm run build
npm start
🔍 Checking for Updates
Visit Dashy’s GitHub repository (https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy) for release notes and updates.
Leveraging Dashy’s Unique Features
🔧 Enabling APIs
Enable Dashy’s API by adding this to your config.yml:
appConfig:
enableApi: true
Test the API with curl:
curl -X GET http://<your-domain-or-ip>/api/v1/status
🌟 Advanced Configurations
Add a custom background theme by modifying customStyles in config.yml:
appConfig:
customStyles:
backgroundImage: "url('https://example.com/background.jpg')"
Integrate third-party tools like Grafana by embedding links or iFrames in your dashboard widgets.
Wrapping Up
We’ve covered everything from installing Dashy to securing it with Nginx, logging, backing up, and leveraging its advanced features. Self-hosting Dashy gives you unparalleled flexibility and complete control over your dashboard. Start using the provided code examples, customize your setup, and make Dashy your go-to tool for managing your self-hosted ecosystem.
