atlas
Atlas is an open-source containerized tool for discovering, scanning, and visualizing Docker containers and network hosts in real time. It combines Go scanning backends, a FastAPI service, and a React dashboard to map infrastructure topology across subnets.
Key facts
Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Repository | karam-ajaj/atlas |
| Owner | karam-ajaj |
| Primary language | JavaScript |
| License | MIT — OSI-approved |
| Stars | 1.1k |
| Forks | 50 |
| Open issues | 20 |
| Latest release | 3.3.4 (2026-02-19) |
| Last updated | 2026-07-05 |
| Source | https://github.com/karam-ajaj/atlas |
What atlas is
Atlas uses Go CLI modules (fastscan, dockerscan, deepscan) to perform ARP/Nmap reconnaissance and Docker introspection, persists findings in SQLite, exposes data via FastAPI/OpenAPI, and serves a React frontend through Nginx proxy. Deployment is Docker-native with configurable scan intervals and optional authentication.
Get the atlas source
Clone the repository and explore it locally.
git clone https://github.com/karam-ajaj/atlas.gitcd atlas# follow the project's README for install & configurationNeed it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.
Best use cases
Implementation considerations
- Deploy with `--network=host` and Docker socket mount; this grants broad privileges. Restrict network exposure (firewall, VPN, internal subnet only) and change default credentials immediately.
- SQLite is embedded; no external DB setup required, but backups of `/config/db/atlas.db` are manual. Plan retention and archival separately.
- Scan intervals (fast: 1h, docker: 1h, deep: 2h) are configurable. Tune based on network size and monitoring urgency; aggressive scanning may impact network performance.
- Multi-subnet support via `SCAN_SUBNETS` env var; subnets must be reachable from the Atlas host and firewalls must permit ARP/Nmap traffic.
- Authentication is optional and disabled by default. Enable `ATLAS_ADMIN_PASSWORD` for UI/API gating; no external OAuth/LDAP integration noted.
When to avoid it — and what to weigh
- Enterprise RBAC or Multi-Tenant Requirements — Atlas supports only a single admin user (ATLAS_ADMIN_USER/PASSWORD). No role-based access control, team management, or tenant isolation.
- Large-Scale Production Monitoring (1000+ hosts) — No evidence of benchmarks or clustering support. SQLite backend and design are oriented toward small-to-medium labs; scale untested.
- Compliance or Formal Audit Trail Needs — No documented API logging, role-based access logs, or compliance audit reporting; authentication is session-based (24h TTL default) with no formal audit trail.
- High-Security Perimeter Networks — Requires NET_RAW and NET_ADMIN capabilities and Docker socket access; no documented segmentation, secret rotation, or formal security hardening review.
License & commercial use
MIT License (OSI-approved, permissive). Allows commercial use, modification, and distribution with attribution and no warranty.
MIT is permissive and clearly allows commercial deployment. However, verify with your legal team that embedded dependencies (Go, FastAPI, React, Nginx, Nmap) align with your commercial policy. No commercial support or SLA documented; community support only.
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 | Medium |
Atlas requires NET_RAW, NET_ADMIN, and Docker socket access to function; these are broad privileges. No documented TLS/certificate management for UI/API. Authentication is optional, single-user, and session-based (no MFA, no token refresh mechanism noted). Network scanning (ARP, Nmap) generates traffic; ensure firewall policies permit this and notify network ops. Default credentials (admin/change-me) must be changed before production use. No security audit, penetration test results, or vulnerability disclosure policy documented. Requires review before deploying in high-security environments.
Alternatives to consider
Zabbix / Grafana + Telegraf
Enterprise monitoring stacks with multi-user RBAC, clustering, alerting, and formal audit trails. Steeper learning curve and more infrastructure overhead; better for large production deployments.
Prometheus + node_exporter (Kubernetes-focused)
Cloud-native monitoring for Kubernetes and containerized workloads. Requires Prometheus + Grafana setup; designed for metrics and time-series data, not network topology discovery.
Netdata
Real-time monitoring of hosts and containers with minimal setup. Includes auto-discovery and dashboards but is single-node focused; lacks multi-subnet network visualization and Docker host scanning.
Build on atlas with DEV.co software developers
Deploy Atlas in minutes with a single Docker command. Discover containers, map subnets, and monitor infrastructure topology in real time—no external database or complex setup required.
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atlas FAQ
Can I run Atlas in production with 500+ hosts?
Does Atlas support Kubernetes?
How do I back up and restore the database?
Can I use Atlas without exposing it to the internet?
Custom software development services
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Visualize Your Docker & Network Infrastructure
Deploy Atlas in minutes with a single Docker command. Discover containers, map subnets, and monitor infrastructure topology in real time—no external database or complex setup required.