# Own and self-host the whole system, the open-source alternative to Nimbalyst

> Nimbalyst is a desktop app installed on each machine; Kortix is the open-source alternative you can self-host, and the whole system lives in a git repo you own. One Docker Compose stack runs it on your own server, free.

URL: https://nimbalystalternative.com/self-hosting

## What you own when you self-host

Kortix is the open-source AI Operating System, and self-hosting puts the whole system on a server you control. Agents and skills are markdown, memory is files, and the connector rules and triggers are config, all in one git repo the team owns. Open source. Read it, fork it, audit it. Self-host is free ([Kortix](https://kortix.com/docs/host)).

## Everything runs as one stack

The `kortix self-host` commands install and run one Docker Compose stack. It holds the web app, the API, the LLM gateway, the database, and a daily updater, and there is no Redis and no separate worker to run. The first run asks six questions and no model key; GitHub connects in the dashboard, and models are bring-your-own in the app.

## What runs on the box and what does not

Sessions do not run on your server. Each one boots on a sandbox provider you choose, Daytona by default, or Platinum or E2B, and calls back to your instance's public API. The instance must be reachable from the internet for that call to land, and the images come from Docker Hub. This self-hosted instance is a control plane: the sessions run remotely and call back to it.

## Getting it running

On a bare Linux server, one bootstrap installs Docker and the CLI, sets the domain, and starts the stack with a TLS certificate. From a server that already runs Docker, install the CLI, then run `kortix self-host init` and `kortix self-host start`. Once the stack is up, run `kortix self-host doctor` and fix every failing check.

## The trade you are making

Self-hosting is free in money and costs you operations. You own the server, the DNS records, the certificate, the model keys, and the sandbox provider key. In return, the configuration, the memory, and the connector rules never leave a repo you can clone, diff, and move. For the money side of the same decision, see [is Kortix free?](https://kortix.com/blog/is-kortix-ai-free).

## Bring it up on your own server

Three short command sets, from install to a running stack.

### Install

`terminal`

```sh
curl -fsSL https://kortix.com/install | bash
kortix self-host init --domain kortix.example.com --admin-email you@example.com
kortix self-host start
```

### Try it locally

`terminal`

```sh
kortix self-host init --tunnel cloudflare
kortix self-host start
```

### Operate

`terminal`

```sh
kortix self-host configure
kortix self-host doctor
```

## Self-hosting questions

### Is self-hosting Kortix free?

Yes. The code is free to self-host, and the only running costs are the server you use, the model keys you provide, and a sandbox provider key for sessions.

### What do I need to run it?

A Linux server with a public IP, DNS records for your domain and its API subdomain, ports 80 and 443 open, a sandbox provider key, and a model provider key you add after the first sign-in.

### Does everything run on my server?

No. The platform runs on your server as one Docker Compose stack, while each session boots on a sandbox provider such as Daytona, Platinum, or E2B. The instance must be reachable from the internet so those sandboxes can call back.

### Can I try it before committing a server?

Yes. `kortix self-host init --tunnel cloudflare` and `kortix self-host start` run it on your own machine, with the web app at localhost:13737 and a temporary tunnel URL for the API.

## Run the whole system on your own box

Self-host is free, and the code is open source.

[Try Kortix](https://kortix.com) · [Read the docs](https://kortix.com/docs/host)

Open source · Any model, your keys · Self-host, VPC, or on-prem