Supported Runtimes

Dockless is designed primarily for statically compiled applications running as host processes.

It is optimized for low-resource edge systems where minimal overhead and predictable behavior are required.

Primary Target: Static Binaries

Dockless works best with statically compiled binaries.

Examples:

  • Go applications compiled with static linking
  • Rust binaries
  • C or C++ applications
  • Zig binaries
  • Other compiled executables that do not require external runtime dependencies

These applications:

  • Run directly on the host
  • Require no interpreter
  • Have minimal runtime overhead
  • Are well suited for edge hardware such as Raspberry Pi

This is the recommended deployment model.

Dynamic Applications

Dynamically linked binaries can also run under Dockless, provided that:

  • All required shared libraries are present on the system
  • The host environment satisfies runtime dependencies

Dockless does not manage dependency resolution. It supervises processes only.

If the host system is properly configured, dynamic applications may run without issue.

Embedded Web Servers

Web applications embedded directly inside a compiled binary are fully supported.

Examples:

  • A Go application serving HTTP internally
  • A Rust binary exposing a web API
  • A C++ service exposing REST endpoints

This model is ideal for Dockless.

The application binds to a host port and Dockless supervises the process.

Node.js and Python

Dockless does not officially target Node.js or Python-based applications.

While it is technically possible to run:

node app.js
python app.py

Dockless does not:

  • Install interpreters
  • Manage virtual environments
  • Resolve language-level dependencies

These runtimes introduce additional overhead that conflicts with Dockless’ edge-focused design goals.

For constrained systems, statically compiled binaries are strongly recommended.

Containers

Dockless is not a container runtime.

It does not:

  • Provide namespace isolation
  • Provide cgroups management
  • Offer layered filesystems
  • Replace Docker or Kubernetes

Dockless supervises host-level processes directly.

For best results:

  1. Compile your application as a static binary.
  2. Ensure it can run independently on the host.
  3. Register it through the Dockless dashboard.
  4. Let Dockless supervise and restart it if necessary.

This approach provides:

  • Minimal memory footprint
  • Faster startup time
  • Reduced operational complexity
  • Predictable behavior on edge hardware

Design Intent

Dockless prioritizes simplicity and low overhead.

It is not intended to be a general-purpose runtime for every language ecosystem.

It is intended to run efficient, standalone services in controlled environments.