Best Heimdall Application Dashboard on Linux with Docker

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Best Heimdall Application Dashboard on Linux with Docker

Best Heimdall Application Dashboard on Linux with Docker

This guide will walk you through installing and accessing the Best Heimdall Application Dashboard on Linux with Docker. The Heimdall Dashboard provides a clean and user-friendly interface for organizing links to your frequently used websites and applications into a single, centralized dashboard.

The Heimdall dashboard offers a range of customization options. Users can easily modify the dashboard’s color scheme, add custom links to any web service or application, and adjust application settings to suit their individual needs. Furthermore, Heimdall allows users to leverage APIs for accessing advanced application features and data integration.

The Heimdall application can be deployed using several methods, including Docker, Docker Compose, or manual installation by cloning the repository from GitHub and configuring it directly on your Linux server.

In this guide, we will focus on installing and running the Best Heimdall Application Dashboard on Linux with Docker. Using Docker simplifies the setup and configuration process, making it quick and efficient. We will use Ubuntu 22.04 as our Linux server for this demonstration, but the principles apply to most Linux distributions.

Remember that you can use any Linux Distro you prefer, but you need to install Docker on your server. After that, simply follow the steps below to set up the Heimdall Application Dashboard. For instructions on installing Docker on various Linux distributions, you can refer to our Docker Tutorials.

Because we want to set up the Best Heimdall Application Dashboard on Linux with a Docker Container, you must have Docker installed on your server. As mentioned, we will use Ubuntu 22.04, so we installed the requirements with the following guides on our server.

First, log in to the server with a non-root user with sudo privileges by using this guide on Initial Server Setup with Ubuntu 22.04.

Then, set up Docker by using this guide on Install and Use Docker on Ubuntu 22.04.

Now, follow the steps below to complete this guide and access the Best Heimdall Application Dashboard on Linux with Docker.

Step 1 – Download the Heimdall Application Dashboard Docker Image

The first step is to download the official Docker image for the Heimdall application from Docker Hub. The base image available is linuxserver/heimdall. To download the image, run the following docker pull command:

docker pull linuxserver/heimdall

Once the download is complete, you will see output similar to the following:

**Output**
Using default tag: latest
latest: Pulling from linuxserver/heimdall
1e1af25a270c: Pull complete
8bc286c87514: Pull complete
1d9c02ad50f8: Pull complete
eb2a36e37c4d: Pull complete
6deb374f8dea: Pull complete
43eab98e9e19: Pull complete
e0067ab81895: Pull complete
11988eda0b40: Pull complete
1a7b03ac3f30: Pull complete
Digest: sha256:dc4f01cd09a9a2f1dbb9c2029d1300070861355754004ac70b33723bd42ff957
Status: Downloaded newer image for linuxserver/heimdall:latest
docker.io/linuxserver/heimdall:latest

Step 2 – Run Heimdall Application Dashboard Docker Container on Linux

Now that you have the image, you need to create a container from it and start the container on your Linux server.

You can use the docker run command with the --name flag to create your container and run it. The -p 80:80 option maps port 80 on your host machine to port 80 inside the container, which is used for the HTTP GUI:

docker run -d --name=heimdall -p 80:80 linuxserver/heimdall

You will get something similar to this in your output:

**Output**
0a226430e7616f0704c4d555f5d47f9b74c09db3458523913591dec0c517db18

Step 3 – Verify Heimdall Application Container is Running

At this point, you can verify that your Heimdall container is active and running on your server. To do this, type your server’s IP address in your web browser:

http://<your-server-ip>

If everything is configured correctly, you will see the Heimdall Application Dashboard:

Step 4 – How To Use Heimdall Application Dashboard?

The dashboard features a menu on the left side, containing options for System Settings, Users, Tags List, and Application List. You can click on each of these to customize your dashboard.

The System Settings tab looks like the following image:

You can easily make changes and edit them according to your needs. For example, you can edit the background image as follows:

Browse to your desired image and click Save to change your background.

You can also use the Application list to add your desired applications and websites. To do this, click on the Add button.

As an example, we added the OnlyOffice application to the list. Remember to provide the URL for it and click on Save.

Then, you will see the Application on your Home dashboard, and you can easily access it.

You can also easily edit the Tag list, add your desired tags, and edit your users from the Users list.

For more information, you can visit the Official Heimdall Application Site.

Conclusion

You have now learned how to install and run the Best Heimdall Application Dashboard on Linux using a Docker Container. As you’ve seen, working with Docker containers makes the process much easier. You’ve also learned how to work with the Application list and edit your settings, tags, and users from within your Heimdall dashboard.

We hope you found this guide helpful! We welcome your ideas and comments.

Alternative Solutions for Deploying Heimdall

While Docker offers a streamlined deployment method, here are two alternative approaches to setting up the Best Heimdall Application Dashboard on Linux:

1. Using Docker Compose

Docker Compose simplifies managing multi-container Docker applications. Instead of running individual docker run commands, you define your application’s services in a docker-compose.yml file and deploy them with a single command. This is especially useful if you want to configure more advanced options, such as persistent storage volumes, environment variables, and network configurations.

Explanation:

Docker Compose utilizes a YAML file to define the services that make up your application. In this case, we’ll define a single service for Heimdall. The file specifies the image to use, the ports to expose, and any necessary environment variables. This method is preferable for more complex setups, allowing for easier management and reproducibility.

Example docker-compose.yml file:

version: "3.8"
services:
  heimdall:
    image: linuxserver/heimdall
    container_name: heimdall
    ports:
      - "80:80"
      - "443:443" # Optional: For HTTPS
    volumes:
      - ./config:/config
    restart: unless-stopped
    environment:
      - PUID=1000 # Replace with your user ID
      - PGID=1000 # Replace with your group ID
      - TZ=Etc/UTC # Replace with your timezone

Explanation of the docker-compose.yml file:

  • version: "3.8": Specifies the version of the Docker Compose file format.
  • services:: Defines the services that make up the application.
  • heimdall:: Defines the Heimdall service.
  • image: linuxserver/heimdall: Specifies the Docker image to use.
  • container_name: heimdall: Sets the name of the container.
  • ports:: Maps ports from the host machine to the container.
    • "80:80": Maps port 80 (HTTP) on the host to port 80 in the container.
    • "443:443": Maps port 443 (HTTPS) on the host to port 443 in the container (optional, requires additional configuration).
  • volumes:: Defines persistent storage volumes.
    • ./config:/config: Mounts a local directory named config to the /config directory inside the container. This ensures that your Heimdall configuration is preserved even if the container is stopped or removed.
  • restart: unless-stopped: Configures the container to restart automatically unless it is explicitly stopped.
  • environment:: Sets environment variables for the container.
    • PUID=1000: Sets the User ID. Replace 1000 with the actual User ID of the user running Docker.
    • PGID=1000: Sets the Group ID. Replace 1000 with the actual Group ID of the user running Docker.
    • TZ=Etc/UTC: Sets the timezone. Replace Etc/UTC with your desired timezone.

To deploy with Docker Compose:

  1. Save the above YAML file as docker-compose.yml in a directory of your choice.
  2. Open a terminal in the same directory as the docker-compose.yml file.
  3. Run the command: docker-compose up -d

This will download the Heimdall image (if it’s not already present), create the container, and start it in detached mode (running in the background).

2. Manual Installation (Cloning from GitHub)

While less common due to the complexity, you can install Heimdall directly on your Linux server by cloning the source code from GitHub and manually configuring the application. This gives you the most control over the installation process but requires more technical expertise.

Explanation:

This method involves cloning the Heimdall repository, installing necessary dependencies (such as PHP and a web server like Apache or Nginx), and configuring the application to run on your server. It is the most hands-on approach, providing full control over every aspect of the installation. This method is best suited for experienced users who need specific customizations not available through Docker. Since Heimdall is a PHP-based application, you will need to set up a web server, PHP, and a database (like MySQL or MariaDB).

Steps (General Outline):

  1. Clone the Repository:

    git clone https://github.com/linuxserver/Heimdall.git /opt/heimdall
cd /opt/heimdall

    (Note: This is a general location; you may choose a different directory)

  2. Install Dependencies: This step is highly dependent on your Linux distribution. You’ll need to install a web server (Apache or Nginx), PHP, PHP extensions, and a database server (MySQL or MariaDB). Here’s an example for Ubuntu:

    sudo apt update
sudo apt install apache2 php libapache2-mod-php php-mysql php-gd php-curl mysql-server php-xml php-mbstring

  3. Configure the Database:

    • Log into your MySQL/MariaDB server: sudo mysql -u root -p

    • Create a database and user for Heimdall:

      CREATE DATABASE heimdall;
CREATE USER 'heimdalluser'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your_strong_password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON heimdall.* TO 'heimdalluser'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

  4. Configure Apache/Nginx: Create a virtual host configuration for Heimdall. Here’s an example for Apache:

    Create a file /etc/apache2/sites-available/heimdall.conf with the following content (adjust paths as needed):

    <VirtualHost *:80>
    ServerName your_server_ip_or_domain
    DocumentRoot /opt/heimdall/public

    <Directory /opt/heimdall/public>
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
    </Directory>

    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/heimdall_error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/heimdall_access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

    Enable the site:

    sudo a2ensite heimdall.conf
sudo a2enmod rewrite  # Enable rewrite module
sudo systemctl restart apache2

  5. Configure Heimdall: You’ll likely need to copy a sample configuration file and adjust it to point to your database. Consult the Heimdall documentation for specific instructions, as this process can vary.

  6. Set File Permissions: Make sure the web server user (e.g., www-data on Debian/Ubuntu) has the correct permissions to read and write to the Heimdall directory.

Important Considerations for Manual Installation:

  • Security: You are responsible for securing your web server and database.
  • Updates: You will need to manually update Heimdall by pulling the latest code from GitHub and running any necessary database migrations.
  • Complexity: This method requires a good understanding of Linux system administration, web server configuration, and database management.

While these alternative methods offer different levels of control and complexity, Docker remains the recommended approach for most users due to its simplicity, consistency, and ease of management.

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