Sandstorm

A self-hostable web productivity suite and security-hardened app package manager, where each document runs in its own sandbox.

7.1k stars, 716 forks JavaScript On GitHub since January 2014

Visit website View on GitHub How to run it
Development has slowed down. No commits in the last 90 days; the latest on 26 May 2026. Active alternatives: Coolify, Umbrel, Cosmos.

What is Sandstorm?

Sandstorm makes running your own server feel like installing apps on a phone. You install apps for documents, spreadsheets, blogs, Git repositories, task lists and more from its app market, and every document or project, called a grain, runs in its own isolated sandbox. That design limits the damage a vulnerable app can do and lets you share each grain with fine-grained permissions. It runs on Linux and can be self-hosted.

Good fit if

  • Security of the apps you self-host is your top concern.
  • You want to share individual documents rather than whole apps.

Look elsewhere if

  • You want an active project: Sandstorm had no commits in the last 90 days. YunoHost is maintained.
  • You want current versions of popular apps: Sandstorm's packaged apps are often old.

Before you adopt it

Sandstorm is Apache-2.0 and community-run since the original company closed in 2017. Development is very slow, so expect little change and check that the apps you need still work.

Drafted with AI from the project's README and repository data, then checked against that data on 30 October 2026. Report a correction

Sandstorm health: is it still maintained?

31 of 100, slowing down

  • Activity
    No commits in the last 90 days, the latest on 26 May 2026.
    0 / 30
  • Contributors
    Nobody committed in the last 90 days.
    0 / 20
  • Releases
    No releases published on GitHub.
    6 / 20
  • Replies to issues
    Maintainers answered 95% of recent issues, with a median first reply after 1 hour.
    20 / 20
  • Security practices
    OpenSSF Scorecard 4.8 of 10.
    5 / 10

Read from GitHub on 1 November 2026. How the score works

Sandstorm license: is it open source?

Sandstorm uses Apache-2.0, an open-source license approved by the OSI.

  1. January 2014First published on GitHub.
  2. TodayApache-2.0.

How to run Sandstorm yourself

Docker
No Docker files in the repository
Compose file
None in the repository
Setup effort
Not rated: no compose file to judge from
Kubernetes
No Helm chart in the repository
Desktop and mobile
No app builds in GitHub releases
Interface languages
English only

Install instructions: sandstorm.org or the README on GitHub.

Alternatives to Sandstorm

  • CoolifyAn open-source, self-hostable PaaS alternative to Vercel, Heroku & Netlify that lets you easily deploy… 78 health · Apache-2.0 · 65.5k stars
  • UmbrelAn elegant home server OS. Run OpenClaw, store your files and, and do more with over 300 apps in the Umbrel… 58 health · PolyForm license · 12.5k stars
  • CosmosThe Most Secure and Easy Selfhosted Home Server. Take control of your data and privacy without sacrificing… 58 health · Apache-2.0 + Commons Clause · 6.2k stars
  • DokployOpen Source Alternative to Vercel, Netlify and Heroku. 86 health · Apache-2.0 · 38.2k stars
  • DokkuA docker-powered PaaS that helps you build and manage the lifecycle of applications 78 health · MIT · 32.2k stars

All 25 projects in Self-hosting & PaaS

Questions about Sandstorm

Is Sandstorm open source?

Yes. Sandstorm is published under Apache-2.0, an OSI-approved open-source license.

Is Sandstorm still maintained?

Its health score is 31 of 100 (slowing down). It had no commits in the last 90 days, the latest on 26 May 2026.

How do I run Sandstorm?

The repository has no Docker files or app builds, so you build it from source. The README on GitHub has the steps.

What are the alternatives to Sandstorm?

Close alternatives in the Self-hosting & PaaS category include Coolify, Umbrel, Cosmos.