swarmpit
Swarmpit is a lightweight, self-hosted web UI for managing Docker Swarm clusters. It lets you deploy stacks, manage services, volumes, networks, and secrets through a simple interface or REST API, with optional MCP server support for LLM-driven automation.
Key facts
Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Repository | swarmpit/swarmpit |
| Owner | swarmpit |
| Primary language | Clojure |
| License | EPL-1.0 — Requires review (not clearly OSI) |
| Stars | 3.5k |
| Forks | 312 |
| Open issues | 177 |
| Latest release | 1.10 (2026-04-16) |
| Last updated | 2026-07-01 |
| Source | https://github.com/swarmpit/swarmpit |
What swarmpit is
Written in Clojure with a React frontend, Swarmpit uses CouchDB for application state and InfluxDB for cluster metrics. It exposes full management capabilities via REST API (Swagger docs at /api-docs) and an MCP server for programmatic control; runs as a Docker stack with agent, app, database, and metrics components.
Get the swarmpit source
Clone the repository and explore it locally.
git clone https://github.com/swarmpit/swarmpit.gitcd swarmpit# follow the project's README for install & configurationNeed it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.
Best use cases
Implementation considerations
- Requires Docker 1.13+ with Swarm mode initialized; x86 and ARM architectures supported. Installation via provided installer script or manual docker-compose deployment.
- Compose stack includes CouchDB and InfluxDB; strongly recommend persistent volumes for db-data and influxdb-data on shared storage to avoid data loss on node failures.
- Default port 888; environment variables and first-user setup can be automated via docker config and users.yaml file (see doc/configuration.md and doc/USER_CONFIG.md).
- User role system exists (see doc/user_types.md); plan RBAC and access control per team requirements before deployment.
- MCP server runs separately as a Node.js process; requires API token generation in UI and local environment setup (SWARMPIT_URL, SWARMPIT_TOKEN, optional SWARMPIT_REDACT).
When to avoid it — and what to weigh
- Using Kubernetes — Swarmpit is purpose-built for Docker Swarm only. Kubernetes clusters require entirely different management tools (Rancher, Argo, etc.).
- Minimal operational dependencies — Swarmpit adds a 4-service stack (app, agent, CouchDB, InfluxDB) to your cluster. If you need bare-bones Docker with zero overhead, this increases footprint.
- Highly regulated compliance environments — No explicit audit logging, compliance certifications, or security hardening documentation provided. Requires review before use in regulated industries.
- Large-scale multi-cluster federation — Swarmpit manages individual Swarm clusters. Federated management across many clusters or hybrid architectures is not clearly supported.
License & commercial use
Licensed under EPL-1.0 (Eclipse Public License 1.0), a copyleft OSI-approved license requiring derivative works to disclose source code under the same license.
EPL-1.0 permits commercial use of unmodified Swarmpit. If you modify the source code, EPL-1.0 requires you to disclose modifications under the same license. Requires review with legal counsel before bundling or reselling modified versions. No explicit warranty or commercial support terms stated in provided data.
DEV.co evaluation signals
Editorial assessment — not user reviews. Directional, with an explicit confidence level.
| Signal | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Maintenance | Active |
| Documentation | Adequate |
| License clarity | Clear |
| Deployment complexity | Low |
| DEV.co fit | Good |
| Assessment confidence | High |
Self-hosted, no external telemetry per README claim. API tokens generated in UI for programmatic access; MCP server documentation recommends token handling via local environment (not LLM context). CouchDB and InfluxDB run in-cluster without explicit hardening guidance. No explicit vulnerability disclosure process, threat model, or security audit results stated. Requires assessment of Swarm node isolation, network policies, and data encryption in transit/at rest for your environment.
Alternatives to consider
Portainer
Full-featured Docker/Swarm/Kubernetes management UI with broader platform support, commercial backing, and more extensive documentation. Higher complexity and resource footprint.
Docker CLI + custom scripts
Native CLI with full control; avoids additional services and dependencies. Requires manual process handling and lacks visual management interface for non-technical team members.
Rancher (for Kubernetes transition)
Multi-cluster orchestration platform; better fit if you plan to migrate to Kubernetes or manage hybrid environments. Not suitable if locked into Docker Swarm.
Build on swarmpit with DEV.co software developers
Swarmpit offers a self-hosted, team-friendly interface for Swarm clusters with programmatic API and LLM automation support. Contact Devco to assess fit for your infrastructure and deployment model.
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swarmpit FAQ
Does Swarmpit support Kubernetes?
Can I automate deployments with Swarmpit?
What storage does Swarmpit require?
Is Swarmpit suitable for production use?
Custom software development services
Adopting swarmpit is usually one piece of a larger software development effort. As a software development agency, DEV.co provides software development services and web development expertise — pairing senior software developers and web developers with your team to design, build, and operate mcp servers software in production.
Ready to streamline your Docker Swarm operations?
Swarmpit offers a self-hosted, team-friendly interface for Swarm clusters with programmatic API and LLM automation support. Contact Devco to assess fit for your infrastructure and deployment model.