Deploy and Host self hosted Homelab Atlas (Network Diagrams) on Railway

This template deploys the unmodified upstream Homelab Atlas 0.12.0 image as one stateless Railway service for drawing servers, services, and network gear.

About Hosting Homelab Atlas open-source software on Railway (self hosted Homelab Atlas template)

Homelab Atlas is an MIT licensed diagram editor you can run on Railway as one service. This is independent community packaging of the unmodified upstream image, not affiliated with or endorsed by the project. Diagrams are saved in each browser, not on the server, so keep a JSON backup. Upstream describes the project as an early version.

Why Deploy Homelab Atlas, the homelab diagram editor on Railway (Railway Free Trial)

Deploying Homelab Atlas on Railway gives you a diagram editor on a URL reachable from any device, with no host to manage. The template runs as one stateless service with no volume and generates a discovery token.

Railway is a singular platform to deploy your infrastructure stack. Railway will host your infrastructure so you don't have to deal with configuration, while allowing you to vertically and horizontally scale it.

By deploying Homelab Atlas on Railway, you are one step closer to supporting a complete full-stack application with minimal burden. Host your servers, databases, AI agents, and more on Railway.

Railway vs Other Hosting Providers and VPS for Homelab Atlas self hosting

Hosts differ mainly in how much server work you take on.

Provider	What You Get with Railway	What You Get with the Other Provider
DigitalOcean	Template deploy with URL and discovery token wired; no server to patch.	A VM you control: install Docker, set the firewall, keep updates current.
AWS	One service with usage-based resources and no VPC or security group to configure first.	Broad networking and IAM controls, but you build the instance and rules yourself.
Hetzner	Deployment from the template with no SSH access or separate reverse proxy to set up.	A server with root access; you run the upstream Compose file and manage the host.

Pick based on how much administration you want.

Common Use Cases for hosted Homelab Atlas

Drawing servers, services and network gear: Add machines and apps; Atlas arranges the cards, and you can still move or resize them.
Exporting for docs or a forum post: Export a PNG or SVG for a wiki or thread. The Export dialog hides addresses, URLs and emails by default, and the preview shows the result. Check any custom names you typed.
Keeping a JSON project file: Use File, then Save project, to download an editable copy of your lab. Projects autosave only in your browser, so this file is the backup to keep.
Reviewing a saved Docker JSON or Nmap XML scan: Review each host or service in a scan you produced elsewhere before adding it. Nothing is applied automatically.
Sharing one editor URL across your devices: Open the same Railway address from your laptop and desktop to work on one lab. The editor is public to anyone with the URL, so keep it private.

Dependencies for Homelab Atlas Docker hosted on Railway

Homelab Atlas on Railway is one service with no database or volume.

Deployment Dependencies for Managed Homelab Atlas Service (one stateless container)

The template creates one service named homelab-atlas. It listens on port 8080 and uses /healthz for health checks. Anyone with the URL can open the editor.

Implementation Details for Homelab Atlas (unmodified upstream 0.12.0 image, no wrapper)

The service runs the unmodified upstream image ghcr.io/aiden0rchad/homelab-atlas:0.12.0, pinned by digest, with no wrapper layer. It serves the editor on port 8080. Two variables, zero manual inputs: ATLAS_ALLOWED_HOSTS is set to the Railway public domain, and ATLAS_API_TOKEN is a generated 48-character bearer token for the discovery API only.

How does Homelab Atlas compare against other tools

Homelab Atlas vs draw.io (Homelab Atlas Alternative)

Layout: Atlas auto-arranges cards; draw.io allows freer arbitrary diagrams.
Homelab focus: Atlas bundles a logo catalog for common self-hosted apps; draw.io needs more manual setup.
Export: Atlas exports PNG or SVG with network details hidden by default, which helps when you post publicly.

Homelab Atlas vs Excalidraw (Homelab Atlas Alternative)

Structure: Atlas keeps devices and services as structured data, so diagrams stay consistent. Excalidraw is a freehand whiteboard.
Editing style: Excalidraw wins for quick hand-drawn notes. Atlas suits a tidy reference diagram you refresh over time.

Homelab Atlas vs NetBox (Homelab Atlas Alternative)

Purpose: NetBox is an infrastructure source of truth for IP addressing and inventory. Atlas is a diagram editor and does not replace it.
Scope: Choose NetBox for authoritative network data and Atlas for a visual picture of your lab.
Discovery: Atlas discovery is optional and review-only.

Homelab Atlas with Docker vs Railway (Homelab Atlas Hosting Comparison)

Docker: Running Atlas locally keeps it on your LAN and enables the optional restricted collector.
Railway: Railway gives you a public URL with no server to maintain. The editor has no login, so anyone with the URL can open it, though it stores no diagrams on the server.
Discovery: Live Docker discovery and Nmap scanning are unavailable here, so Railway suits drawing and exporting.

How to use Homelab Atlas on Railway?

After the deploy finishes, open the public URL Railway assigned and follow these steps.

Open the public URL in a current desktop browser.
Choose File, then Load example or Start empty.
Add devices and services from the inventory rail.
Choose Export to download a PNG or SVG.
Choose File, then Save project to download a JSON backup.
To use the discovery API, paste ATLAS_API_TOKEN into the Access token field and choose Unlock. It is held in memory only.

The live Docker collector and Nmap scanning are not part of this template, since the image is scanner-free and Railway has no Docker socket.

Use Discover devices and choose a saved Docker JSON or Nmap XML scan, then review the results before adding them.

How to self host Homelab Atlas on other VPS Services (Homelab Atlas self hosting guide)

You can run the same upstream setup on any VPS or home server with Docker and Compose v2. Project data lives only in each browser.

Clone the Repository

Download the v0.12.0 Compose file from upstream.

curl -fsSLO https://github.com/aiden0rchad/homelab-atlas/releases/download/v0.12.0/compose.release.yaml

Install Dependencies

Install Docker Engine or Docker Desktop with Compose v2. No database or volume is needed. Upstream has no login, so keep Atlas on localhost or a trusted LAN.

Configure Environment Variables

By default the container binds to 127.0.0.1. For a trusted LAN, set the bind address, allowed hostname, and discovery token.

export ATLAS_BIND=0.0.0.0
export ATLAS_ALLOWED_HOSTS=localhost,127.0.0.1,your-domain
export ATLAS_API_TOKEN=$(openssl rand -hex 32)

Replace your-domain with the exact hostname or IP you will use in the browser. ATLAS_API_TOKEN protects only the discovery API, not the editor itself; generate it with openssl rand -hex 32.

Start the Homelab Atlas Application

Start the container, then open the editor.

docker compose -f compose.release.yaml up -d

Open http://localhost:8080 on the host, or http://your-domain:8080 from another trusted machine. The optional Docker collector also needs ATLAS_COLLECTOR_TOKEN and --profile discovery; see the upstream discovery guide.

Pricing and License of Homelab Atlas (Homelab Atlas pricing)

Homelab Atlas is MIT licensed and free to self-host. Check your Railway usage to see what the template costs monthly.

Homelab Atlas hosted vs self hosted comparison (Pricing, features, costs, and more)

Homelab Atlas is free MIT-licensed software with no hosted plan, so the real choice is where you run it.

Monthly cost of self hosting Homelab Atlas on Railway

Railway bills by usage, so the monthly cost depends on the RAM, CPU, and runtime used. Check the Railway dashboard after a few days for your real figure.

System Requirements for Hosting Homelab Atlas on a VPS

The container is small, but exact needs depend on your host and other services. Keep it off the open internet.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is there a login on my Homelab Atlas Railway deployment?

No. Upstream has no login and advises localhost or a trusted LAN. On Railway, anyone with the URL can open the editor, though the server stores no diagrams. Keep the URL private or add your own authentication proxy.

Where are my diagrams stored?

Diagrams autosave in your browser's localStorage, not on the server.

Can Homelab Atlas on Railway scan my home network?

No. Railway cannot reach your LAN, and Nmap is not included in the image. Export a saved scan from your own network and import it into the editor instead. Imported scan text can contain private hostnames or service details, so review it before sharing.

What does ATLAS_API_TOKEN protect?

It protects only the discovery API calls, not the editor, and it is not an account system. ATLAS_ALLOWED_HOSTS must include the hostname you use in the browser, so add any custom domain to it.

Why is there no volume attached to the service?

The server writes nothing to disk because all diagram data lives in each visitor's browser, so the service needs no persistent storage.

What should I back up?

Back up the project JSON files you download from the File menu, since they are the only copies outside the browser. Clearing browser data or private browsing can make a project disappear.