FIELD NOTESSERVER COMPASS 1.45.0A DAY ON YOUR SERVER

New in 1.45 Tunnels for AI Agents. Your AI agent can now set up Cloudflare Tunnels over MCP.

Stop running your VPS from memory.

Right now it lives in fourteen terminal tabs and a notes file of half-remembered commands.

Server Compass charts the whole VPS in one window on your computer. Nothing is installed on the server.

Download free Follow one day
  • v1.45.0
  • 146,548 downloads
  • Free for one server
  • macOS 13+WindowsLinux
Server Compass dashboard listing five servers with their status, user, port and auth method Server Compass dashboard listing five servers with their status, user, port and auth method
FIG. 1 — Dashboard. Every server you manage, in one window on your computer.

HOW IT CONNECTS

Nothing to install on your server.

Compare with CoolifyCompare with Dokploy

FIG. 2

LANE A SERVER COMPASS

Your computerSSHYour VPSYour appsproxynothing installedYourcomputerSSHYour VPSYour appsproxynothinginstalled
  1. Runs on your computer
  2. Speaks SSH, like you do
  3. VPS runs only your apps

LANE B A PANEL (COOLIFY, DOKPLOY)

BrowserHTTPS :8000Your VPSYour appsproxyPanel + DB + UIpatchback upsecureBrowserHTTPS:8000Your VPSYour appsproxyPanel + DB + UIpatchback upsecure
  1. Installed on the VPS
  2. Own DB, UI, open port
  3. Yours to patch and back up
Nothing of ours runs on the server by default.

02:00— THE NIGHT BEFOREBEARING 030°

Every server has a shadow system.

Fourteen terminal tabs, half of them signed into the same box. A notes file of commands that worked once. A .env you copied by hand. You know where everything is — until something breaks at 2 a.m. and you’re grepping your own history.

  1. ssh root@prod
  2. ssh root@prod (2)
  3. logs -f
  4. htop
  5. nano .env
  6. certbot?
  7. docker ps
  8. ssh staging
  9. tail nginx
  10. crontab -e
  11. ufw status
  12. psql
  13. scp backup
  14. ???
EXHIBIT A — Illustration: the tab bar.

notes.txt

  1. deploy: git pull && docker compose up -d --build (or was it -f prod.yml?)
  2. ssl: certbot renew --dry-run <- did this ever work
  3. firewall: ufw allow 3000 ... remember to close it
  4. backup db: pg_dump ... where did I put the cron
  5. prod .env -> copy from laptop, NOT from staging
EXHIBIT B — Illustration: notes.txt.

Server Compass replaces the shadow system with a chart.

It connects to your servers over SSH and keeps every app, domain, secret and alert in one place. Your keys stay on your computer. Your server runs Docker, a proxy and your apps — no control panel.

06:40— MORNINGBEARING 100°

Point it at a repo. Get a running app.

Open the Stack Wizard and pick a GitHub or GitLab repo, any public Git URL, a Docker image or a compose file. Choose where it builds — on the VPS, in GitHub Actions, on your own machine, or pulled from a registry. Redeploys are zero-downtime, and Auto Deploy ships every push to your branch, even while the app is closed.

TEMPLATES
400+ one-click apps: PostgreSQL, n8n, WordPress, Ghost, Supabase, Uptime Kuma, even a full Linux desktop in the browser (Webtop).
BUILD MODES
  • Build on VPS
  • GitHub Actions
  • Local Build
  • Pull from Registry
NO GIT NEEDED
Static and PHP sites straight from the Stack Wizard.
AUTO DEPLOY
A small service on your server deploys each push, so your laptop can sleep.
Local Build Setup showing analysis, Dockerfile, build and upload steps with the live deployment log
FIG. 2 — Local Build: analyse the project, build the image on your machine, stream it to the server, verify.
Stack Wizard template catalogue with categories, a search for webtop and the Webtop template
FIG. 3 — The Stack Wizard’s template catalogue, filtered to Webtop.

12:10— MIDDAYBEARING 182°

A domain, a certificate, and secrets that never touch a notes file.

Add a domain and Server Compass routes it through Traefik with a Let’s Encrypt certificate — or through the Nginx or Caddy you already run. It checks DNS before you go live and renews certificates before they expire. Environment variables live in the .env Vault, encrypted with AES-256-GCM on your computer, and import into any app in one click.

.env Vault screen listing encrypted secret collections imported per project
FIG. 4 — The .env Vault. Secrets are encrypted with AES-256-GCM and stored locally.
SSL CERTIFICATES
Issued by Let’s Encrypt and renewed before expiration.
YOUR PROXY
Use the Nginx or Caddy already on the box instead of Traefik.
.ENV VAULT
Collections of secrets per project; “Import from .env Vault” into any app.
CLOUDFLARE TUNNEL
Publish an app without opening a port; close the public port once the tunnel is verified.
Domain tab with two domains and the SSL Certificates list showing certificate status
FIG. 5 — SSL Certificates, managed by Traefik via Let’s Encrypt.

15:30— AFTERNOONBEARING 232°

The alert comes to you. The fix is one step back.

Install the monitoring agent and set alert rules on CPU, memory, disk or load; alerts go to Slack, Discord, email or your own webhook. If a deploy goes wrong, roll back to any earlier deployment — routing comes with it. Before anything risky, take a snapshot: restore it later, or rebuild the whole server from it.

Monitor tab with the monitoring agent active and four alert rules for disk, CPU, memory and load
FIG. 6 — Alert rules on the monitoring agent.
Deployment History listing rollbacks and redeploys with the deployment log and a Rollback to this version button
FIG. 7 — Deployment history with a rollback to an earlier version.
ALERT RULES
  • CPU Usage
  • Memory Usage
  • Disk Usage
  • Load Average
, with Critical / Warning / Info.
NOTIFICATION CHANNELS
  • Slack
  • Discord
  • Email
  • Custom Webhook
ROLLBACK
Pick any earlier deployment from the history.
COMPOSE DRIFT
If someone edited the server by hand, the redeploy stops and shows you the diff instead of overwriting it.
SNAPSHOTS
  • Create Snapshot
  • Restore Snapshot
  • Rebuild Server from Snapshot
Server settings Snapshots tab with Create Snapshot and a list of recent snapshots
FIG. 8 — Snapshots in server settings.

21:15— EVENINGBEARING 319°NEW IN 1.45

Ask your agent to put the app online. It sets up the tunnel itself.

Turn on AI Access (MCP) and Claude Code, Codex, Cursor or six other AI tools can manage your servers through a local, token-secured endpoint — 50 tools, from listing apps to deploying templates. New in 1.45: 22 of those tools run Cloudflare Tunnels, so an agent can find the tunnel already on a server, preview a hostname route to your app, create it, and check that it’s reachable.

TERMS OF PASSAGE

  • Every token carries access levels — Read, Operate, Deploy, Danger — and can be limited to the servers you choose.
  • The endpoint listens on your computer only. Credentials never leave Server Compass.
  • Every call is written to the activity log, allowed or denied. Revoke a token any time.
  • 50MCP tools
  • 22tunnel tools, new in 1.45
  • 4access levels
  • 9AI tools with setup steps

Counted from the Server Compass 1.45.0 source.

  • Claude Code
  • Codex CLI
  • Gemini CLI
  • Grok CLI
  • OpenCode
  • Cursor
  • Windsurf
  • Cline
  • VS Code
  1. 21:15youPut the blog on blog.example.com through the tunnel on prod.
  2. 21:15agentdiscover_cloudflare_tunnelsRead1 tunnel found, connector healthy
  3. 21:16agentlist_cloudflare_stack_servicesReadblog: ghost, port 2368
  4. 21:16agentpreview_cloudflare_routeReadDNS record + ingress rule, nothing applied yet
  5. 21:16agentcreate_cloudflare_routeDeployroute created
  6. 21:17agentverify_cloudflare_routeReadorigin, DNS and public reachability OK
EXHIBIT C — Illustration: an example session. The tool names and access levels are real.
AI Access settings with a token form, the Read, Operate, Deploy and Danger permission checkboxes and a server scope list
FIG. 9 — AI Access (MCP): create a token, choose its access levels and servers.
Tunnel hostname review showing visitor, tunnel and private name, and the DNS, network and compose changes Server Compass will make
FIG. 10 — Reviewing a tunnel hostname before anything changes on the server.
AI Access activity log listing tool calls, two of them denied because the token lacks the deploy tier
FIG. 11 — The activity log, including calls a token wasn’t allowed to make.
An AI coding agent in a terminal calling servercompass list_servers, list_templates and deploy_template to deploy WordPress
FIG. 12 — An agent deploying WordPress through the Server Compass MCP tools.

02:00— THE NEXT NIGHTBEARING 030°

Locked down, backed up, and reachable from your phone if you must.

Security Overview with a security score, brute-force, firewall and SSH checks and an Apply All Recommendations button
FIG. 13 — Security Overview with the audit score and recommendations.

The Security tab audits the box and applies the fixes: UFW Firewall, Brute-Force Protection, SSH Hardening with backups you can restore, and a sudo user instead of root. If something does need you, open Remote Control on your phone — on your Wi-Fi, through a Cloudflare Tunnel or over Tailscale — while your server keys stay on the desktop.

SECURITY AUDIT
A score, the findings, and “Apply All Recommendations”.
SUDO, NOT ROOT
Firewall, brute-force protection, hardening and deploys all work as a sudo user.
BACKUPS
Scheduled server backups to your own S3-compatible storage, plus portable snapshots.
REMOTE CONTROL
Pair a phone with a QR code; each device gets its own access level.
Remote access settings with Local network and Cloudflare Tunnel connection modes, a pairing QR code area and a paired iPhone
FIG. 14 — Remote Control: pair a phone; keys never leave the desktop.

LEGEND

Also on the chart.

Browse every feature
Terminal
A full terminal per server, with Snippets for the commands you keep retyping and replay of past sessions.
Files
Browse, edit, upload and download on the server.
Cron
Scheduled jobs you can read, with their run history.
Databases
Browse tables and run queries on PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB and Redis.
Client portal
Share a branded status page with a client; one server can serve several brands on their own hostnames (new in 1.44).
Migration
Bring apps over from Coolify, Dokploy, RunCloud, EasyPanel, Dockge or a hand-built VPS.
SSH config import
Add the servers already in your ~/.ssh/config in one go.
Device Sync
Keep the app in step across your computers, and review differences before anything is overwritten.

PRICE OF PASSAGE

Pay once. Keep it.

Free

$0no time limit

Manage one server end to end:

  • 1server
  • 1active deployment
  • 1domain
  • 5cron jobs
  • 20saved command logs
  • full terminal access
Download free

Pro

one-time licence

LicenceDevices
$291 device
$593 devices
$895 devices

Unlimited servers, deployments, domains, cron jobs and command logs, plus database provisioning.

12 months of updates; the version you have keeps working forever.

Buy Pro — $29 Compare plans
  • 7-day money-back guarantee
  • No subscription
  • A StoicSoft bundle key activates Pro too.

LOGBOOK ENTRIES

From people who made the switch.

Read all reviews

ENTRY 1

Self-hosting always felt like the punishment version of deploying. The kind of chore I'd save for the weekend and never actually do. Server Compass turned it into a 30-second thing.

Portrait of Tony Tin NguyenTony Tin NguyenWebsite (coderhorizon.com)

ENTRY 2

ServerCompass makes managing my own server and app deployments a breeze! It replaces a bunch of PaaS and SaaS subscriptions thus paying for itself in no time at all. Best of all, my code and data is more private, secure and centralized.

Portrait of Brian HayBrian HayLinkedIn, Creative 3D/XR/Web/App Developer

ENTRY 3

Server Compass - A Game Changer for Indie Developers. I was one of the early adopters of Server Compass, and honestly, it has completely transformed my deployment workflow. Before this, I was stuck in an awkward middle ground - paying too much for PaaS platforms like Vercel, or wasting hours wrestling with terminal commands and SSH configurations.

Portrait of Nam TranNam TranTrustpilot, ReadyApp.Store

ENTRY 4

Server Compass hits a gap that’s been quietly draining teams for years. Devs love the polish of Vercel or Railway but hate the mounting bills and platform lock-in. This bridges that divide perfectly—the same clean UX, but fully self-hosted, giving you total control without the overhead.

Portrait of ctran.ethctran.ethX

ENTRY 5

The standout difference? Server Compass runs locally on your machine, not on your server. Unlike Coolify, Dokploy, or CapRover—which install heavyweight dashboards on your VPS—Server Compass connects via SSH only when deploying. Your server stays clean and focused on running your apps. At $29 with no subscription, it pays for itself in the first month compared to Vercel or Railway.

Portrait of Terry CarsonTerry CarsonGitHub

ENTRY 6

I googled alternative to Dokploy and Coolify. then I found your reddit post from google search. I've bought solo builder. Thanks for the great product.

aznjDiscord

ENTRY 7

I also have told my friend group about this app and hopefully they will check it out and spread the word because the concept is amazing, I think you really nailed it

makimaDiscord

QUESTIONS FROM THE MARGIN

Before you set out.

Does Server Compass install anything on my server?

Only what your apps need: Docker, and Traefik if you let it manage domains (or it uses the Nginx or Caddy you already run). The monitoring agent, the Auto Deploy service and the client portal are opt-in. No control panel or dashboard runs on the server — the app lives on your computer and connects over SSH.

Which servers does it work with?

Any VPS you can reach over SSH: Hetzner, DigitalOcean, Vultr, Linode, AWS and the rest. For a new server the app recommends Ubuntu 22.04 or 24.04, at least 2 GB of RAM and a public IPv4 address. You can sign in as a sudo user; root isn't required.

What can an AI agent do through MCP — and what can't it?

Only what its token allows. You choose the access levels (Read, Operate, Deploy, Danger) and, if you like, which servers it may touch. The endpoint listens on your computer only, credentials never leave Server Compass, every call is logged as allowed or denied, and you can revoke a token at any time.

Which AI tools can connect?

The setup panel has steps for Claude Code, Codex CLI, Gemini CLI, Grok CLI, OpenCode, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline and VS Code. Any other tool that speaks MCP over HTTP can use the same endpoint and token.

What's free, and what does Pro add?

Free manages one server end to end with no time limit: 1 server, 1 active deployment, 1 domain, 5 cron jobs and 20 saved command logs, with full terminal access. Pro removes the limits and adds database provisioning.

Is Pro a subscription?

No. Pro is a one-time licence — $29 for one device, $59 for three, $89 for five — with 12 months of updates. When the update window ends, the version you have keeps working. There's a 7-day money-back guarantee, and a StoicSoft bundle key activates Pro too.

What happens to my apps if I stop using Server Compass?

They keep running. Your apps are Docker containers behind Traefik or your own proxy on your server; Server Compass was never in the path of your traffic.

Do I need to know the command line?

No, but it's there when you want it: a full terminal for every server, Snippets for the commands you keep retyping, and a replay of past sessions.

SET OUT

Chart your first server tonight.

Free for one server, no account needed to start. Version v1.45.0

macOS

13 Ventura or later

APPLE SILICON.dmg.zip
INTEL.dmg.zip

Windows

Installer .exePortable .exe

Linux

.AppImage.deb