Overview
Organism is a self-hosted application platform built by WiseJNRS. Think of it as Steam for Docker — a web-based dashboard that lets you discover, install, and manage containerised applications on your own hardware.
Instead of manually pulling images, writing compose files, and debugging container networking, Organism handles all of that for you. Browse the App Catalogue, click Install, and Organism takes care of the rest — including database setup, secure credential generation, health monitoring, and updates.
Key Concepts
App Catalogue
The App Catalogue is a curated library of containerised applications available for one-click installation. Each listing includes:
- Feature descriptions and screenshots
- Resource requirements (CPU, memory, disk)
- Pricing and free trial availability
- Ratings and reviews from other users
Apps are defined using YAML manifests that describe everything Organism needs to install them — container images, port mappings, environment variables, volumes, health checks, and dependencies.
Container Orchestration
Organism manages the full lifecycle of containerised applications:
| Action | What Organism Does |
|---|---|
| Install | Creates networks, pulls images, generates credentials, starts containers, runs migrations |
| Start / Stop | Gracefully starts or stops all containers in the correct order |
| Restart | Stops then starts containers, preserving all data |
| Update | Pulls new images and recreates containers without data loss |
| Uninstall | Stops containers, removes networks, optionally deletes data volumes |
Each application can consist of multiple containers (e.g. a web app, an API service, and a database) that Organism coordinates as a single unit.
Auto-Configuration
When you install an app, Organism automatically generates:
- Database passwords — cryptographically secure, unique per installation
- Encryption keys — for application-level data encryption
- Port mappings — with automatic conflict detection
- Data volumes — persistent storage that survives container restarts
You can customise any of these during the install wizard, or accept the secure defaults.
Health Monitoring
Organism continuously monitors the health of every running container:
- Real-time status — green (healthy), yellow (starting), red (unhealthy)
- CPU and memory metrics — track resource usage over time
- Disk usage — monitor storage consumption across volumes
- Automatic restart — containers are configured to restart on failure
Container Logs
All container output is aggregated into a single log viewer with:
- Filtering by container, log level, and time range
- Real-time streaming — logs appear as they're written
- Search — find specific entries across all containers
WiseJNRS Account Integration
Organism connects to your WiseJNRS account for:
- App Catalogue access — browse and install apps from the online catalogue
- Licence verification — apps validate their licence status through Organism
- Update notifications — get notified when new versions are available
- Cloud sync — optional sync of settings and preferences across instances
Your data stays on your hardware. The WiseJNRS connection is used only for catalogue access, licence checks, and updates — never for uploading your application data.
Architecture
Organism runs as a single container with two services:
| Service | Port | Technology | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web Dashboard | 4517 | Next.js | Browser-based management UI |
| API Server | 4518 | Python (FastAPI) | Container orchestration, health checks, app management |
The API server communicates with your local Docker or Podman engine via the container socket to manage application containers. All application state (installed apps, configuration, logs) is stored locally in an embedded SQLite database.
Container Engine Support
Organism works with both Docker Desktop and Podman:
| Engine | Platform | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Docker Desktop | macOS, Windows, Linux | Commercial licence may be required |
| Podman | macOS, Linux | Free and open source, rootless by default |
The installer automatically detects which engine is available and configures Organism accordingly. If neither is installed, you'll be prompted to choose one.
Ports
Organism uses two default ports:
| Port | Service | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 4517 | Web Dashboard | Browser UI for managing apps |
| 4518 | API | REST API used by the dashboard and installed apps |
These can be customised during installation if they conflict with other services on your machine.
Applications installed through Organism use their own ports (configured during the install wizard), so they don't conflict with Organism itself.
Data & Privacy
Organism is designed with a local-first philosophy:
- All application data stays on your machine — databases, files, and configuration live in local Docker volumes
- No telemetry — Organism doesn't collect usage analytics or send diagnostic data
- Minimal cloud contact — the only outbound connections are for catalogue browsing, licence verification, and update checks
- Full control — you can stop, inspect, or remove any container at any time
- Portable — your data volumes can be backed up, migrated, or restored independently
Installed Apps Management
The Installed page gives you a complete view of all running applications:
From here you can:
- View the status and health of each application
- Start, stop, or restart individual apps
- Access app-specific settings and configuration
- Uninstall applications (with the option to preserve or remove data)
What's Next?
- Getting Started on macOS — Install Organism on macOS with Docker Desktop or Podman
- Getting Started on Linux — Install Organism on Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, or any Linux distribution
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