[GUIDE] Dashy docker app 2022

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

What is Dashy?
Dashy helps you organize your self-hosted services by making them accessible from a single place

Support for multiple pages
Real-time status monitoring for each of your apps/links
Use widgets to display info and dynamic content from self-hosted services
Instant search by name, domain, or tags + customizable hotkeys & keyboard shortcuts
Many built-in color themes, with UI color editor and support for custom CSS
Many icon options - Font-Awesome, homelab icons, auto-fetching Favicon, images, emojis, etc.
Optional authentication with multi-user access, configurable privileges, and SSO support
Multi-language support, with 10+ human-translated languages, and more on the way
☁ Optional, encrypted, free off-site cloud backup and restore feature available
A workspace view, for easily switching between multiple apps simultaneously
A minimal view, for use as a fast-loading browser Startpage
Choose app launch methods: new tab, same tab, clipboard, pop-up modal, or open in workspace view
Customizable layout, sizes, text, component visibility, sort order, behavior, etc.
Options for a full-screen background image, custom nav-bar links, HTML footer, title, etc.
Easy to setup with Docker, or on bare metal, or with 1-Click cloud deployment
Easy single-file YAML-based configuration, and option to configure app through the UI
Under active development with improvements and new features added regularly
Small bundle size, fully responsive UI, and PWA for basic offline access
100% free and open-source
Strong focus on privacy
And loads more...

https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy


A screenshot showcase of the types of dashboards you can setup
https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/blob/m ... howcase.md




So a basic use case for this app is you have docker apps setup, managed switch, router etc, so many links and ports you can't keep track of. So using dashy you can pretty much make a pretty bookmark where you can 1 click to open new tab to those pages on your browser. It can also do other simple stuff like check for connectivity for the device. It can do more but the ones i mentioned are just the very basics.



For this guide i will be using portainer to setup. But if you want to use container station that works fine too. We will be using docker compose (in cs this is called create application)

This guide came from this one
https://www.addictedtotech.net/install- ... pisode-30/


but i used this on a QNAP QTS running portainer to setup the docker using docker compose.


step1:

Preparation

we need to setup a persistent storage so whenever you update the app (recreate pull latest image), your dashy config will persist and not get wiped.

So you need to create a location and the config.yml file

As example, i put mine here

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/share/Container/lissy93-dashy

and inside there is a config.yml file i created using notepad++ using a windows 11 desktop client.

create the config.yml in the Container\lissy93-dashy folder location using the code below

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---
# Page meta info, like heading, footer text and nav links
pageInfo:
  title: Dashy
  description: Welcome to your new dashboard!
  navLinks:
  - title: GitHub
    path: https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy
  - title: Documentation
    path: https://dashy.to/docs

# Optional app settings and configuration
appConfig:
  theme: colorful

# Main content - An array of sections, each containing an array of items
sections:
- name: Getting Started
  icon: fas fa-rocket
  items:
  - title: Dashy Live
    description: Development a project management links for Dashy
    icon: https://i.ibb.co/qWWpD0v/astro-dab-128.png
    url: https://live.dashy.to/
    target: newtab
  - title: GitHub
    description: Source Code, Issues and Pull Requests
    url: https://github.com/lissy93/dashy
    icon: favicon
  - title: Docs
    description: Configuring & Usage Documentation
    provider: Dashy.to
    icon: far fa-book
    url: https://dashy.to/docs
  - title: Showcase
    description: See how others are using Dashy
    url: https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/blob/master/docs/showcase.md
    icon: far fa-grin-hearts
  - title: Config Guide
    description: See full list of configuration options
    url: https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/blob/master/docs/configuring.md
    icon: fas fa-wrench
  - title: Support
    description: Get help with Dashy, raise a bug, or get in contact
    url: https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/blob/master/.github/SUPPORT.md
    icon: far fa-hands-helping

note: If you are doing this from notepad++ using a windows 11 client, MAKE SURE in notepad++ > edit >> EOL Conversion >> *SELECT Unix LF. Then copy/paste the code to notepad++ and save it. Because i did not do this before, the docker compose did not work. So if yours didn't work, this could be why. But if you are setting this up using the addictedtotech method, that will work too. this note is only for the windows users trying to create this file and may not notice this issue as to why their docker compose errored out

step2:

now go to portainer (if your using container station go there, then click create application).

Go to stacks, add stacks, then copy/paste this code

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---
version: "3.8"
services:
  dashy:
    # To build from source, replace 'image: lissy93/dashy' with 'build: .'
    # build: .
    image: lissy93/dashy:latest
    container_name: Dashy
    # Pass in your config file below, by specifying the path on your host machine
    volumes:
      # - /root/my-config.yml:/app/public/conf.yml
      - /share/Container/lissy93-dashy/conf.yml:/app/public/conf.yml
      - /share/Container/lissy93-dashy/icons/dashboard-icons/icons:/app/public/item-icons/icons      
    ports:
      - 4000:80
    # Set any environmental variables
    environment:
      - NODE_ENV=production
    # Specify your user ID and group ID. You can find this by running `id -u` and `id -g`
      - UID=1000
      - GID=1000
    # Specify restart policy
    restart: unless-stopped
    # Configure healthchecks
    healthcheck:
      test: ['CMD', 'node', '/app/services/healthcheck']
      interval: 1m30s
      timeout: 10s
      retries: 3
      start_period: 40s

sauce
https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/blob/m ... er-compose



we replace this part

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/PATHTOAPPDATA/DASHY

with your own path. like in my example it's

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/share/Container/lissy93-dashy

then click create stack. It should then say successful.



To access your dashy app, go to

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http://your qnap nas lan ip:4000

Now you should have a working dashy docker app setup via portainer


i recommend you test that persistent storage works.

make some changes in dashy, then click save to disk (wait for that to complete and say successful)

Next, recreate the container. start it up (if it didn't auto start up after recreating), then access dashy again. Does the dashy changes remain the same? if it does, congratulations, you have a working persistent storage setup correctly for your dashy app.

note: if you are worried that your persistent storage may not work, you could use the dashy cloud backup. So if for some reason dashy doesn't load back your modified settings, you can then simply restore using your cloud backup. But if you setup the persistent storage as instructed, then you won't have to rely on that. But just a reminder you have a 2nd alternative in case of failure to recover.

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

The next thing you need to know about Dashy is how to add icons.

You go here
https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/walkxcode/d ... icons/png/

ctrl+F

type the name of whatever e.g. unifi, then it will go straight to the icons for unifi. Then open those then get the url e.g.

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https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/walkxcode/dashboard-icons@master/png/unifi.png

so when you create an item in Dashy using the Edit button, in icons, just paste the url then save. Then F5 to refresh the browser and the icon should now show


In the dashy site it says there is other ways to get icons to work. I tried a different app before called homarr, where u type the app name and it will auto populate the icon. Dashy supposedly can also do this, but i haven't figured out how. So till then this method i mentioned works unless u can figure out other methods which you can find on the dashy site
https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy#icons-



And fyi walkxcode isn't the only place for icons (though this is the one i tested and used). there are others as well. if u find a good one, feel free to share, i would like to know as well
https://github.com/walkxcode/Dashboard-Icons/

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

there is one part i haven't figured out yet. setting icons to load locally rather than from online. here is what i found so far

dave on 21st September 2022

So this is my second comment don’t know why my first isn’t there but here we go again. I am trying to get the icons to be pulled locally instead of from a site.

Within docker compose I have added the below line under volumes:

– /mnt/Media/appdata/dashy:/app/public/item-icons

The favicon was converted .png to a .ico.

From within Dashy added portainer.ico to the icon section and saved to disk.
I also did this from within the conf.yml file.
I’ve tried adding the actual path from within dashy and conf.yml as /mnt/Media/appdata/dashy/portainer.ico

No matter what the icon still shows as being broken. Clearly there is something I am missing I just don’t know what at this point.


Mikael on 2nd October 2022
Try looking at the permissions on your icon directory.




Nick on 17th November 2022
I know I am way late for this one because I had this issue as well but here is for anyone looking for this fix in the future.

My local icons are in the following folder
/mnt/jelly/appdata/dashy/icons/dashboard-icons

My docker compose file has the below line for the local icons.
/mnt/jelly/appdata/dashy/icons:/app/public/item-icons/icons

In order for the icons to load I had to add /icons to the end of sides of the colon.

sauce
https://www.addictedtotech.net/install- ... pisode-30/



there is a reference here for the icons volume for dashy. This is the part i am trying to get to work but haven't yet. but even if you don't do it, you can still link images using their online urls, though that is not efficient.

App Not Starting After Update to 2.0.4
Version 2.0.4 introduced changes to how the config is read, and the app is build. If you were previously mounting /public as a volume, then this will over-write the build app, preventing it from starting. The solution is to just pass in the file(s) / sub-directories that you need. For example:

volumes:
- /srv/dashy/conf.yml:/app/public/conf.yml
- /srv/dashy/item-icons:/app/public/item-icons

https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/blob/m ... ate-to-204


if you want to setup local icons, then you have to user the updated docker composte that includes the volume portion for the icons as was mentions in the comments above

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---
version: "2.1"
services:
  dashy:
    image: lissy93/dashy
    container_name: Dashy
    volumes:
      - /PATHTOAPPDATA/DASHY/conf.yml:/app/public/conf.yml
      - /mnt/jelly/appdata/dashy/icons:/app/public/item-icons/icons
    ports:
      - 4000:80
    environment:
      - NODE_ENV=production
      - UID=1001
      - GID=100
    restart: always

*update

even after the new compose docker that included the icons volume, i still couldn't get mine to work. i suspect the issue is possibly a permission rights issue? the solution to that would be to chown.

[peelos]

Just moved nearly all of my qpkgs to docker using portainer, so this looks interesting, thanks for flagging @Moogle..

On a side note, did you find a reliable way to update portainer from container station - if so, could you link to a guide pls?

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

Just moved nearly all of my qpkgs to docker using portainer, so this looks interesting, thanks for flagging @Moogle..

On a side note, did you find a reliable way to update portainer from container station - if so, could you link to a guide pls?

i figured this out thx to the help from drauk from the unofficial qnap discord. if u donno things thats a good place to ask for help (which i did).

but anyway with his help i managed to setup portainer using container station.

I refrained from posting the setup just yet until i'm certain of this setup. But if you want i'll post it soon




by the way dashy is good, but by default there is no authentication enabled. you browse to the

http://your nas ip:4000

then it goes straight to the dashy with the bookmark of links. for myself, these links go to services where you still need to enter credentials, and i use a lan only setup on a private vlan separate from guest network (so my guests can't just go to :4000 to dashy)

Dashy you can enable some form of required authentication to access dashy, but i did not cover how to do this because implement it myself. but it's mention on dashy's website in their instructions



this is what i came up with so far

[giovannivl]

there is one part i haven't figured out yet. setting icons to load locally rather than from online. here is what i found so far

even after the new compose docker that included the icons volume, i still couldn't get mine to work. i suspect the issue is possibly a permission rights issue? the solution to that would be to chown.

Hi, did you find a solution to load the icons?, i'm having the same issue, thanks!

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

Hi, did you find a solution to load the icons?, i'm having the same issue, thanks!

sorry no i haven't. i've been busy with other things.

for now i merely use the online url links.

for long term, learning how and setting up to use localized image icons would be best.

but if i ever cross this off my check list, i will be sure to post here. or perhaps someone else will ;]

anyway lovin dashy it's one of my daily usage drivers. it's basically a cool looking UI bookmark for me to click the icons to open them in new tabs so i can access these services (most of which are docker apps. and others are my networking gear with a web ui interface for management).


one place you can probably check is the dashy github. they have some documentation there that may explain how to set this up.


*update

did a quick search for you, these may have some leads

https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/wiki/configuring

https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/issues/545

[giovannivl]

Hi, did you find a solution to load the icons?, i'm having the same issue, thanks!

sorry no i haven't. i've been busy with other things.

for now i merely use the online url links.

for long term, learning how and setting up to use localized image icons would be best.

but if i ever cross this off my check list, i will be sure to post here. or perhaps someone else will ;]

anyway lovin dashy it's one of my daily usage drivers. it's basically a cool looking UI bookmark for me to click the icons to open them in new tabs so i can access these services (most of which are docker apps. and others are my networking gear with a web ui interface for management).


one place you can probably check is the dashy github. they have some documentation there that may explain how to set this up.


*update

did a quick search for you, these may have some leads

https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/wiki/configuring

https://github.com/Lissy93/dashy/issues/545

Thanks for te links!, i found that using my chrome console shows me a Warnings related to the paths, so i change my docker-compose file on volume section to:

[folder_of_my_icons]:/app/public/item-icons/dashboard-icons

(icons to dashboard-icons)

And my dashy configuration on icon section to: /dashboard-icons/png/n8n.png

And now it is working!

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

Thanks for te links!, i found that using my chrome console shows me a Warnings related to the paths, so i change my docker-compose file on volume section to:

[folder_of_my_icons]:/app/public/item-icons/dashboard-icons

(icons to dashboard-icons)

And my dashy configuration on icon section to: /dashboard-icons/png/n8n.png

And now it is working!

awesome!

I'll give this a try when i am able to

[Moogle Stiltzkin]

...

after a few trial and errors, this was what worked for me

in the docker compose. i redeployed after changing this part

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- /share/Container/lissy93-dashy/item-icons:/app/public/item-icons

then in dashy icons editor, i added this *so no you don't have to do the full pathing, as i found this worked apparently

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/truenas.png

then on the qnap, the actual location is this

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\\nasname\Container\lissy93-dashy\item-icons\truenas.png

[Q-nap]

I used Dashy for some time but I found the work involved in adding the link, icons and formatting to be a pain. I've moved to HomePage which is slightly easier to edit and format. However for my main start page I'm using NeonLink. It is really easy to populate and move the items around if you need to.

So my start page is Neonlink and in there I have my daily browses and a jump point to two HomePage setups. One for my HomeLab pages and links to my ISP, Domains, etc. and the other for my general stuff, such as my hobbies and the like.

I liked Dashy but it just got too much trouble to deal with and HomPage is very similar but much simpler

All run in docker containers on the QNAP with no issue.