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Kamal logo

Kamal

Deploy web apps anywhere

open sourceupdated Apr 21, 2026

Zero-downtime deployment tool created by 37signals (Basecamp/HEY) that deploys Docker containers to any VPS or bare metal server over SSH without requiring Kubernetes. Manages rolling deploys, health checks, SSL via Let's Encrypt, container registry, and load balancing with Traefik. Simple YAML-based config. Ideal for small teams deploying Rails, Node.js, or any Dockerized app. Ships as a Ruby gem. 12K+ GitHub stars and a growing alternative to complex container orchestration.

Kamal is a deployment tool created by 37signals (formerly Basecamp) that uses Docker and an integrated reverse proxy to deploy web applications to any server with zero-downtime. It follows the convention-over-configuration philosophy, allowing developers to boot a fresh Ubuntu server, add it to their configuration, and have it automatically provisioned with Docker and ready to run applications. Kamal ships as the default deployment tool in Rails 8, though it works with any web application that can be containerized.

Kamal 2.0 introduces multi-application support on a single server, built-in health checks, automatic rollbacks, and seamless integration with the Traefik reverse proxy for traffic management. The tool provides an intuitive CLI with clear feedback during deployments, manages the complete lifecycle from Docker image building to container orchestration, and handles asset bridging between old and new deployments. Configuration is defined in a single YAML file, keeping infrastructure decisions version-controlled and transparent.

Kamal is particularly appealing to Ruby on Rails developers and teams who want to deploy directly to their own servers or VPS instances without relying on managed PaaS platforms. It bridges the gap between the simplicity of Heroku-style deployments and the control of managing your own infrastructure, eliminating monthly platform fees while maintaining a polished deployment experience. Kamal works well with any cloud provider that offers bare servers, including Hetzner, DigitalOcean, and AWS EC2.

Pricing

Free

Platforms

CLI (Ruby — macOS, Linux)

Categories

Tags

Use Cases

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FAQ

What is Kamal?

Zero-downtime deployment tool created by 37signals (Basecamp/HEY) that deploys Docker containers to any VPS or bare metal server over SSH without requiring Kubernetes. Manages rolling deploys, health checks, SSL via Let's Encrypt, container registry, and load balancing with Traefik. Simple YAML-based config. Ideal for small teams deploying Rails, Node.js, or any Dockerized app. Ships as a Ruby gem. 12K+ GitHub stars and a growing alternative to complex container orchestration.

Is Kamal free?

Yes — Kamal is open source and free to use. Free

Is Kamal open source?

Yes — Kamal is open source.

What are the best Kamal alternatives?

The top editor-verified Kamal alternatives are Dokku, Kubernetes, CapRover.