Dockhand Docker management

What Dockhand is

Dockhand is a self-hosted Docker management application for controlling containers, images, volumes, networks and Compose stacks through a browser. It adds live logs, terminal access, Git-backed stacks and a consolidated view across more than one Docker environment.

Screenshot evidence

These screenshots are all from the Dockhand interface. Hawser is the remote agent shown inside each managed Docker environment. The container names visible in a row prove that Dockhand can see that host; they are not direct screenshots of the named application.

Dockhand multi-environment dashboard — **Dockhand environments overview.** The desktop dashboard shows several Docker environments connected through Hawser, with host-level health and resource summaries.

Dockhand AshleyMine container list — **AshleyMine through Dockhand.** A Dockhand container view for the AshleyMine host, including the Hawser agent and management containers.

Dockhand TrueNAS container list — **TrueNAS-linked Docker environment.** Dockhand is connected to the TrueNAS Docker environment through Hawser and reports its container inventory and state.

Dockhand Docker VM 1 container list — **Docker-VM-1 through Dockhand.** This is Dockhand’s container table for Docker-VM-1; it is platform-management evidence rather than an Nginx Proxy Manager or WireGuard interface screenshot.

Dockhand Docker VM 2 container list — **Docker-VM-2 through Dockhand.** The Dockhand view shows the services running on Docker-VM-2 and the Hawser connection used to manage that host.

Dockhand Docker VM 3 container list — **Docker-VM-3 through Dockhand.** The service names are container inventory inside Dockhand; they are not screenshots of the individual services.

Dockhand Docker VM 4 container list — **Docker-VM-4 through Dockhand.** Dockhand presents container state and routine controls for this remote Docker host through Hawser.

Dockhand Docker VM 5 container list — **Docker-VM-5 through Dockhand.** A separate Dockhand-managed environment showing its own smaller container estate.

Why it belongs in my lab

I run several Docker hosts, so the difficult part is not starting one container—it is keeping a consistent view of health, logs, storage and deployments across the estate. Dockhand gives me a second management workflow alongside the command line and Portainer, which is useful when comparing tools and validating how each handles the same operational tasks.

Where Hawser fits

Hawser is Dockhand’s remote agent. It allows a central Dockhand instance to manage Docker hosts that are not exposed directly to the management network. That is relevant to my segmented lab because the management plane can stay controlled while remote environments establish the required connection.

Operational focus

Keep the Docker socket and management UI private
Use named volumes or backed-up bind mounts for application state
Test stack updates before enabling automation
Review remote-agent permissions and network paths
Retain CLI access for recovery when a management UI is unavailable

Docker Compose example

docker-compose.yml

services:
  dockhand:
    image: fnsys/dockhand:latest
    container_name: dockhand
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "3000:3000"
    volumes:
      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
      - dockhand_data:/app/data

volumes:
  dockhand_data: