Deploy Node.js and Docker apps without the SSH busywork
ArcPanel is a free, open-source control panel for Linux web servers. Next to classic PHP hosting it runs Node.js apps, long-running app servers and Docker apps on your domains with HTTPS, and everything it does is a command and an API call.
The problem
Hosting panels are built for PHP, so a Node.js app means nvm, pm2 and a reverse proxy by hand over SSH, and the panel does not know the app exists.
How ArcPanel helps
Node.js apps run under pm2 on a domain with HTTPS, with the Node version you pick.
See howApp processes keep Laravel Octane, queue workers and other app servers running as the hosting user.
See howWeb templates for Next.js, Nuxt, Django, Rails, Go and more set up the server side.
See howREST API v2, the arc command line tool and a typed TypeScript SDK cover what the panel does.
See howExample
Run a Node.js app on a domain
v-add-node-app alice app.example.com "npm start" 22
What ArcPanel does not do
- arc and the SDK are not published on npm yet; install them from their GitHub repositories.
- ArcPanel manages one server; it is not a multi-server deployment platform.
Questions
Do I need root to run a Node.js app?
No. Apps run as the hosting user, and the panel sets up the process manager and the reverse proxy.
Can I automate everything?
Yes. Every action is a v-* command on the server and an operation of REST API v2, with scoped access keys.
Can an AI agent manage the server?
Yes. The agent skills let Claude Code and Codex read the server first, preview every change and run it only after you confirm.