DronaHQ Self-Hosted - Low-Code Internal Tools Platform

TL;DR

TL;DR: DronaHQ self-hosted lets you deploy a full low-code internal tools platform on your own infrastructure — connect databases, APIs, and third-party services through a drag-and-drop UI with 150+ built-in controls.

Source and Accuracy Notes

⚠️ This section is MANDATORY. All links must be verified from actual source, not guessed.

• Project page: dronahq.com/self-hosted
• Source repository: github.com/dronahq/self-hosted
• Docker images: hub.docker.com/r/dronahq/self-hosted
• Community releases: community.dronahq.com
• License: No explicit license file found in repository (proprietary, requires license key)
• HN launch thread: news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31252322

What Is DronaHQ Self-Hosted?

DronaHQ is a low-code platform for building internal tools — admin panels, dashboards, forms, database GUIs, and CRUD apps. The self-hosted version lets you run it entirely within your own infrastructure, keeping all data on your servers.

From the README:

DronaHQ offers a low-code platform to build internal tools. Drag-and-drop UI components and connect them to your databases and APIs to build your own tools, rapidly. Connects with Postgres, REST APIs, Firebase, Google Sheets, and 3rd party systems like Hubspot, Shopify, Razorpay, Asana, Freshdesk, Zendesk and more.

Key capabilities:

• 150+ UI controls — table grids, card lists, charts, dashboards, form controls, and more
• Connect any datasource — Postgres, REST APIs, Firebase, Google Sheets, and third-party SaaS tools
• Actionflows — visual workflow builder with custom JavaScript transforms
• MCP Servers — early access support for Model Context Protocol servers
• SAML SSO — Okta and Active Directory integration
• No data leaves your infrastructure — fully self-contained deployment

Setup Workflow

Prerequisites

• Linux VM (Ubuntu 20.04 or higher) or cloud instance (AWS EC2, GCP Compute Engine, Azure VM)
• 2 vCPUs, 8 GiB+ memory, 60 GiB+ storage
• Ports 80, 443, 22, and 8080 open

Step 1: Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/dronahq/self-hosted.git
cd self-hosted

Step 2: Configure the Version

Edit the docker-compose.yml file and set your desired version:

image: dronahq/self-hosted:X.Y.Z

Check DockerHub tags for available versions.

Step 3: Run the Installer

sudo ./install_sh.sh

This installs Docker and Docker Compose if not already present.

Step 4: Add Your License Key

After running install_sh.sh, open the generated .env file and add:

LICENSE_KEY=YOUR_LICENSE_KEY

Contact DronaHQ to obtain a license key for the self-hosted version.

Step 5: Start the Server

sudo docker-compose up -d
sudo docker-compose ps

Step 6: Access the Application

Navigate to your server’s IP address in a browser on port 8080. The first user to register becomes the administrator.

Deploy on AWS EC2

1. Launch a new EC2 instance (Ubuntu 20.04+, t3.medium minimum)
2. Ensure the security group opens ports 80, 443, 22, and 8080 to 0.0.0.0/0
3. SSH into the instance and follow Steps 1–6 above
4. If connecting to internal databases, whitelist the instance’s IP

Deploy on GCP Compute Engine

1. Create a new VM instance (Ubuntu 20.04 LTS or higher)
2. Allow HTTP/HTTPS traffic in the firewall rules
3. Follow Steps 1–6 from the Linux deployment above

Deeper Analysis

DronaHQ self-hosted occupies the same space as Retool, Appsmith, and ToolJet — but with a heavier emphasis on enterprise features like SAML SSO and a larger library of UI controls out of the box.

The platform stores no data on DronaHQ’s servers; everything runs in your own cloud environment. This makes it suitable for regulated industries (BFSI, healthcare, manufacturing) where data residency is a compliance requirement.

The setup process is straightforward for anyone familiar with Docker. The ./install_sh.sh script handles Docker and Docker Compose installation automatically, reducing friction for teams without existing Docker infrastructure.

Limitations to be aware of:

• No license file in the repo — the self-hosted version requires a license key obtained directly from DronaHQ, not an open-source license
• No self-service signup — you need to contact DronaHQ for pricing and access
• GCP/Azure documentation is referenced but less detailed than the AWS EC2 walkthrough in the README

Practical Evaluation Checklist

• [ ] Ubuntu 20.04 VM spins up cleanly on your cloud provider
• [ ] ./install_sh.sh completes without errors
• [ ] .env file is created and LICENSE_KEY is set
• [ ] docker-compose up -d starts all containers
• [ ] Application is accessible on port 8080
• [ ] First login creates an admin account
• [ ] Can connect a test Postgres database
• [ ] SAML SSO configured (if required by your org)

Security Notes

• DronaHQ self-hosted runs entirely in your own infrastructure — no data is sent to DronaHQ’s managed cloud
• Docker containers should be run behind a reverse proxy with TLS termination on ports 80/443
• The default port 8080 is unencrypted; use a VPN or private network for production access
• Keep your LICENSE_KEY secret — do not commit it to version control

FAQ

Q: Is there a free tier for self-hosted? A: The self-hosted version requires a license key. Contact DronaHQ for pricing details. There is no community/self-hosted tier with an open license.

Q: Can I run it without Docker? A: The official deployment method uses Docker Compose. Running without Docker is not documented or supported.

Q: Does it support Kubernetes? A: Kubernetes deployment is not directly documented in the README. The Docker Compose setup can be adapted for Kubernetes using tools like Kompose, but this is not officially supported.

Q: What databases are supported? A: Postgres, REST APIs, Firebase, Google Sheets, and third-party integrations including Hubspot, Shopify, Razorpay, Asana, Freshdesk, and Zendesk.

Q: How does it compare to Retool self-hosted? A: DronaHQ offers more built-in UI controls (150+) compared to Retool, and includes MCP Server support. Retool has a larger community and more third-party integrations documented. Pricing models differ — Retool self-hosted uses a per-seat model while DronaHQ’s licensing is negotiated directly.

Conclusion

DronaHQ self-hosted is a production-ready option for teams that need to build internal tools behind their own firewall. The Docker-based deployment takes under 10 minutes on a fresh VM, and the built-in connector library covers most common database and API use cases. If you need SAML SSO, a large UI component library, and full data residency control, it is worth evaluating alongside Retool and Appsmith.

For a quick proof-of-concept on a cloud VM, clone the repo, set your license key, and run docker-compose up -d — you will have a running instance in under 15 minutes.