Why Slipway?
The Problem Today
Developers building with Sails.js and The Boring JavaScript Stack have to cobble together multiple tools:
- Coolify/Dokploy for deployment (generic, not Sails-aware)
- AdminJS/Forest Admin for admin panels (separate setup, not integrated)
- A REPL workaround for production debugging (no elegant Tinkerwell equivalent)
- Separate job queue monitoring (no Horizon equivalent)
- Multiple dashboards for different concerns
What Laravel Developers Have
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Laravel Forge | Server provisioning & deployment |
| Laravel Nova | Admin panel |
| Laravel Tinker | Production REPL |
| Laravel Horizon | Queue monitoring |
| Laravel Pulse | Application monitoring |
Sails developers deserve the same integrated experience.
What Slipway Provides
A single, unified platform that:
- Deploys Sails apps with one command
- Manages databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL, Redis)
- Provides a Sails-aware admin panel (like Nova)
- Offers a production REPL (like Tinkerwell)
- Monitors queues (Sails Quest integration)
- All with a slick, modern dashboard inspired by Linear and Resend
Learning from the Best
Slipway combines the best ideas from existing tools:
From Kamal (37signals)
| Principle | How Slipway Applies |
|---|---|
| Transparency | Show users the actual Docker commands being run |
| No Agents | Direct Docker, minimal server footprint |
| Single Config File | .slipway.json for project linking |
| Zero-Downtime | Caddy-based blue-green deployments |
From Dokku
| Principle | How Slipway Applies |
|---|---|
| Git Push Deploy | Support git push alongside CLI deploy |
| Service Linking | Creating a service auto-sets DATABASE_URL |
| Plugin Architecture | Extensible service system |
The Comparison
| Feature | Coolify | Dokku | Kamal | Slipway |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focus | Generic | Generic | Rails-first | Sails-native |
| Web Dashboard | Yes | Pro only | No | Yes |
| CLI | Basic | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
| Git Push Deploy | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Service Linking | Manual | Auto | Manual | Auto |
| Admin Panel | No | No | No | Built-in (Bridge) |
| Framework REPL | No | No | exec only | Sails Helm |
| Monitoring | Basic | No | No | Lookout |
| Queue Dashboard | No | No | No | Quest integration |
| Transparent Docker | Hidden | Hidden | Yes | Yes |
What Makes Slipway Different
1. Sails-Native, Not Generic
Slipway understands Sails applications:
- Auto-detects
config/models.js,config/datastores.js,api/models/ - Knows about Sails lifecycle, hooks, and policies
- Integrates with Sails Quest for job queues
- Provides a REPL where
await User.find()just works
2. The Full Suite
Instead of piecing together separate tools:
- Deploy tool (Coolify)
- Admin panel (AdminJS)
- REPL (custom scripts)
- Queue monitor (custom dashboard)
You get one integrated platform where everything works together.
3. Lightweight
| Component | Memory |
|---|---|
| Slipway Server | ~80MB |
| Caddy Proxy | ~40MB |
| Total | ~120MB |
Compare to Coolify's ~800MB-1GB footprint.
4. Beautiful Dashboard
Inspired by Linear and Resend:
- Dark mode first
- Keyboard shortcuts everywhere
- Command palette (Cmd+K)
- Clean, modern design
The Bottom Line
If you're building with Sails.js, Slipway is purpose-built for you. No more cobbling together generic tools. No more separate setups for admin panels, REPLs, and queue monitoring.
One platform. One command. Zero complexity.