Krystie
503de258b8
Committed by Hermes autonomous QA sprint 2026-08-13. These files were modified during the Aug 12 sprint but never committed.
108 lines
4.6 KiB
Markdown
108 lines
4.6 KiB
Markdown
# DashCaddy Product Vision
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## The Problem
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Self-hosting software is hard. To deploy a single app (Plex, Nextcloud, Vaultwarden, anything), you need to:
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1. **Understand Docker** — images, containers, volumes, ports, networks, compose files
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2. **Configure a reverse proxy** — Caddy/Nginx/Traefik config files with obscure syntax
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3. **Set up TLS/HTTPS** — certificate generation, ACME, DNS challenges, trust stores
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4. **Configure DNS** — A records, CNAMEs, split-horizon DNS, DoH
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5. **Secure it** — firewall rules, auth, rate limiting, CSRF, CORS
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6. **Monitor it** — health checks, log rotation, disk space, restart policies
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7. **Maintain it** — updates, backups, migrations, disaster recovery
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Each of these is a rabbit hole. A typical homelabber spends **hours per app** fighting configuration files, reading documentation, and debugging cryptic errors. This is why most people give up and just use SaaS.
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## The Solution
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**DashCaddy is a self-hosting platform.** It eliminates the complexity by fusing Docker, Caddy, and DNS management into one unified interface.
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### Core Value: "Self-host anything in 30 seconds."
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```
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User picks an app from the catalog
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↓
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DashCaddy deploys the Docker container
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↓
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DashCaddy generates the Caddy reverse proxy config automatically
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↓
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DashCaddy provisions TLS certificates
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↓
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DashCaddy configures DNS records
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↓
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DashCaddy sets up authentication (SSO gate)
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↓
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App is live at https://app.yourdomain.com — done.
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```
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No editing config files. No Docker networking headaches. No TLS cert errors. No DNS archaeology.
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## What Makes DashCaddy Different
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### vs. Plain Docker / docker-compose
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- Docker gives you containers. DashCaddy gives you **containers + networking + TLS + DNS + auth + monitoring**.
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- Docker doesn't know about your domain. DashCaddy manages the full stack from DNS record to container port.
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- Docker doesn't tell you when your disk is full. DashCaddy monitors, alerts, and auto-cleans.
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### vs. Portainer
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- Portainer is a **Docker UI**. DashCaddy is a **self-hosting platform**.
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- Portainer shows containers. DashCaddy shows services — with their URLs, health, certs, and auth.
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- Portainer doesn't manage Caddy, DNS, or TLS. DashCaddy fuses all three.
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- Portainer doesn't have a one-click app catalog with auto-configured reverse proxy + DNS + TLS.
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### vs. CasaOS / Umbrel
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- These are **app stores**. DashCaddy is a **platform**.
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- They bundle their own Docker management. DashCaddy works with your existing Docker setup.
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- They don't manage Caddy or advanced DNS. DashCaddy handles the full network stack.
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- DashCaddy's SSO gate, credential injection, and security center are enterprise-grade features.
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### vs. Yunohost / FreedomBox
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- These are **complete OS replacements**. DashCaddy is a **single Docker container**.
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- No OS install needed. Deploy DashCaddy on any Linux machine in 60 seconds.
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- DashCaddy works alongside your existing setup — it doesn't take over your machine.
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## The Three Pillars
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### 1. One-Click Deploy (The "Wow" moment)
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Pick an app → DashCaddy handles everything:
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- Docker container creation with optimal defaults
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- Caddy reverse proxy route with TLS
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- DNS record creation
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- SSO authentication gate
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- Health check configuration
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- Disk budget allocation
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### 2. Zero-Config Networking (The "It just works" layer)
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- Automatic TLS via Caddy's ACME + Let's Encrypt
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- Automatic DNS via Technitium/Cloudflare integration
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- Automatic reverse proxy with sane defaults
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- Automatic SSO with credential injection
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- Automatic subdomain routing (subdomain or subdirectory mode)
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### 3. Self-Healing Infrastructure (The "Set it and forget it" layer)
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- Health checks with retry/backoff and notification on state transitions
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- Auto-restart failed containers
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- Auto-cleanup when disk approaches budget
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- Config drift detection and correction
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- SSL certificate expiration monitoring
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- Container log rotation and size enforcement
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- Docker image cleanup — old images pruned automatically
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## Who Is It For?
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1. **Homelabbers** — tired of spending weekends on config files
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2. **Small businesses** — want self-hosted alternatives to SaaS without hiring a sysadmin
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3. **Privacy-conscious users** — want to own their data without the technical burden
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4. **Developers** — want a quick way to deploy side projects with TLS + auth
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## Revenue Model
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- **Free tier**: Up to 5 services, community support
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- **Pro license**: Unlimited services, email alerts, advanced health checks, priority updates
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- **Site license**: Multi-host, team accounts, API access
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## North Star Metric
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**Time-to-first-app-deploy** — how long from install to having a working self-hosted service with HTTPS. Target: under 60 seconds.
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