We are pleased to announce the official release of CasaOS v0.4.4! This new version brings exciting updates, including a brand new application store and a more convenient format for developers to showcase their apps using Docker Compose. With native Docker support and enhanced customization features, developers are encouraged to actively participate in the CasaOS ecosystem. In just one month after release of v0.4.4 alpha, our developers have contributed a wealth of new applications, alongside an impressive third-party contributor store.

We interviewed a contributor to the third-party app store, Cp0204, who shared his experience and thoughts on CasaOS. Let us his journey in CasaOS v0.4.4 together.

Q:Personal Introduction and Contribution to the Third-Party Store

A:I'm Cp0204, a non-professional individual with a strong interest in knowledge. My third-party store, CasaOS-AppStore-Play, is a collection of not only well-known applications but also niche, fun, and interesting ones. Two of my personal favorites are ChatGPT-Next-Web, an excellent GPT application, and Alist, which allows you to manage your cloud storage in one place.

Q:Experience with CasaOS v0.4.4

A:What attracted me the most about CasaOS v0.4.4 is its support for Compose orchestration, which allows for a richer combination of Docker applications. During my experience with the new version, I encountered some user interface issues, which I promptly reported to the CasaOS team. The biggest challenge was compatibility issues with old applications, but with the help of the CasaOS team, I successfully overcame this hurdle.

Q:Motivation and Process of Creating a Third-Party Store

A:The primary reason for creating a third-party store was to facilitate my own application installation, especially for niche applications or those involving policy issues. By studying CasaOS's app store contribution documentation, examining examples of new store applications, and summarizing my own experiences, I successfully completed the store.

Q:Views and Suggestions on CasaOS Ecosystem

A:I believe that the success of CasaOS depends on whether people use it. Therefore, I suggest that the CasaOS team provide a feature to add store sources on the user interface, introduce an application installation file editing tool, and actively listen to user opinions, promptly handling bugs and Pull Requests. I also hope that the CasaOS team can promote and expand CasaOS's influence through various platforms to attract more contributions.

For developers interested in contributing to CasaOS, my advice is to read more documentation, understand more details, explore and analyze user needs, find valuable application directions, maintain contact and cooperation with the CasaOS community and other developers, share experiences and solve problems together, focus on the quality and user experience of applications, and regularly update and maintain applications.

Q:Contribute for Our Community

A:The release of CasaOS v0.4.4 not only provides more features but also offers more possibilities for third-party developers. We look forward to seeing more developers like Cp0204 contribute to the CasaOS ecosystem in the future, jointly creating OUR CasaOS!

How to Contribute to CasaOS Community?

• Add Apps/appstore to CasaOS App store
• Writing Documentation
• Performing Alpha Testing
• Helping with Translations

We are pleased to announce the official release of CasaOS v0.4.4! This new version brings exciting updates, including a brand new application store and a more convenient format for developers to showcase their apps using Docker Compose. With native Docker support and enhanced customization features, developers are encouraged to actively participate in the CasaOS ecosystem. In just one month after release of v0.4.4 alpha, our developers have contributed a wealth of new applications, alongside an impressive third-party contributor store.

Today, CasaOS v0.4.4 is officially available, offering CasaOS users a more comprehensive application store and additional user-friendly features. Here are the key highlights of this release:

• Added support for third-party app sources and app search
• Click on the time to switch between 12-hour and 24-hour formats
• Click on the CPU temperature to switch between Fahrenheit and Celsius
• Introduced tips for applications, allowing users to store passwords or access default passwords
• Integration with Dropbox and Google Drive

We would like to express our special thanks to the community developers WisdomSky and Cp0204 for contributing the third-party stores. CasaOS v0.4.4 users can easily access the third-party store source by visiting http://awesome.casaos.io and add it with just one click, enabling them to quickly access a wide range of diverse applications.

CasaOS is a community-driven open-source project, and every person involved is also a CasaOS user. We greatly appreciate the immense help and support from our community users in every update and version. On the occasion of the official release of version 0.4.4, we extend our sincere gratitude and respect to all contributors: @wisdomsky, @correctroad, @thomas-chauchefoin-sonarsource and @CP0204.

CasaOS v0.4.4 release includes the following added and fixed:
New Appstore

• The application store has been fully upgraded with the addition of 30+ new applications, including support for composite applications.

  • New applications: Adminer, Alist, ChatbotUI, Cloudflared, Databag, EmulatorJS, Handbrake, MariaDB, Memos, MineOS, Mongo, MongoDB4, Overseerr, Petio, PostgreSQL, Resilio-sync, Snapdrop, Stash,ChatGPT-Next-Web.
• You can add third-party app sources from one page ( the page link will be live ,align with 0.4.4 in this week), offering thousands of applications to choose from.
• Migrated from Docker-cli to Docker-compose.
• Added support for multiple languages.
• Added author type filters to the app store. （ credits: @WisdomSky）
• Supports assigning multiple applications to the same network.
• Added management of global environment variables, allowing injection of arbitrary environment variables into all CasaOS applications, such as OPENAI_API_KEY (credits: @CorrectRoadH).
• Added relevant subcommands for managing global environment variables (credits: @CorrectRoadH).
• Synchronized application list to the local system, providing more stability.

• Potential issues (if concerned, please hold off on upgrading):

  • Removed the settings, update, and clone functions for installed applications. Installed applications can not be updated or have their configurations changed, but their expected operation and data remain unaffected!
  • Removed the feature of randomly assigning ports when there is a port conflict in applications.
  • Removed the sorting function for applications in the application store.
  • Removed the application cloning function.

Added

• Changed the synchronization method between frontend and backend to socket.io, using socket.io communication throughout the application's lifecycle.
• Added a prompt feature to applications, allowing users to save passwords or query default passwords in the tips section
• Clicking on the time allows switching between 12-hour and 24-hour formats
• Clicking on the CPU temperature allows toggling between Fahrenheit and Celsius
• Added the functionality to download system logs.
• Integration with Dropbox and Google Drive
• Added the file editor performs syntax checking for the following file formats: JavaScript, CSS, HTML, JSON, YAML.

Security Advisories（ Fixed）

• CVE-2023-37265: Incorrect identification of the source IP address.
• CVE-2023-37266: Weak JWT secret.
• Fixed a security vulnerability (credits: @thomas-chauchefoin-sonarsource @CorrectRoadH).
  If you are still on an older CasaOS version, please do not expose your CasaOS to anyone you do not trust. See details by searching CVE IDs in https://github.com/advisories.

Fixed

• Optimized some styles and aesthetics.
• Fixed sorting and other issues in the file list.
• Fixed the issue of incorrect paths when downloading multiple files.
• Fixed the forced JSON formatting behavior of the editor when saving files.
• Faster speed for app update checks.
• Adjusted fonts on the log, console, and other pages to match the native console.
• Merged the "Exited Applications" panel into the application list.
• Fixed the mounting issue when there are no partitions on the disk.

You can update by click or as follow （ if already v0.4.4alpha, please updated it by manual) :
Installation script ：curl -fsSL https://get.casaos.io/v0.4.4 | sudo bash
Update script ：curl -fsSL https://get.casaos.io/update/v0.4.4 | sudo bash

Try it and enjoy it!

CasaOS Team

WisdomSky: A Pioneering Contributor to CasaOS

WisdomSky is an enthusiastic web developer and a lover of both movies and music who has recently made a considerable contribution to the CasaOS community. His innovation - a third-party app store for CasaOS - infuses the platform with a new dynamism. Available on GitHub at WisdomSky's CasaOS-Appstore.It brings a fresh element to the CasaOS ecosystem.

In the CasaOS v0.4.4 Alpha release, the entire CasaOS AppStore and application management underwent significant redevelopment. The team implemented a novel CasaOS AppStore based on Git repositories and introduced native Docker feature support underpinned by an application format that leverages Docker Compose. These innovative features provide enhanced convenience for both developers and users alike, laying the groundwork for the development of WisdomSky's third-party app store.

About this 3rd party App store

WisdomSky's innovative mind recently gave birth to the LinuxServer Appstore, an extraordinary third-party appstore for CasaOS. Housing a rich collection of over 150 applications maintained by the LinuxServer.io community, this store ensures automatic updates are provided daily. With the likes of Plex, Radar, Transmission, and Tautulli gracing the platform, movie enthusiasts will find a haven in this store.

Building the App Store: Motivation and Challenges

CasaOS v0.4.4 Alpha presents users with impressive features and improvements compared to its predecessors, not least of which is the ability to create and add a third-party Appstore. According to WisdomSky, the platform is a joy to use, with minor challenges like limited access to the settings of previously installed apps, easily solved by reinstalling them without any data loss.

WisdomSky's inspiration to create the third-party appstore sprung from a desire to personalise the list of apps and eliminate the waiting time for their addition to the official appstore. After overcoming an installation error through the guidance of a CasaOS team developer, Tiger, WisdomSky managed to launch the third-party appstore within a day. His development process involved creating a tool to automatically generate a third-party CasaOS appstore based on an existing list, making it a breeze to add over 150 apps to the platform.

Envisioning the Future

This enables contributed new app store functions undoubtedly enhances the CasaOS ecosystem, its extensibility and customizability, serving as a significant factor in its popularity and growth. WisdomSky believes that this feature will attract more developers and, in turn, increase the range of apps available for CasaOS.

His love for CasaOS, fuelled by its aesthetic appeal and versatility, motivated him to contribute to the CasaOS community by launching the third-party AppStore. He saw an opportunity to enrich the Appstore, given the limited number of apps available initially.

A Call for Contributors

To those interested in developing CasaOS, WisdomSky's message is clear: "CasaOS is the future of dashboards for home servers. Let's help make CasaOS gain more popularity by contributing in any way we can." As such, we invite developers and tech enthusiasts alike to join us in making CasaOS a more versatile and user-friendly platform.

In his vision for the future, WisdomSky suggests that the CasaOS team should focus on creating the ability for third-party widgets. He said he already has a couple ideas of custom widgets to write and add into his CasaOS, and will make it true.

Join us on this exciting journey to shape the future of CasaOS. Every contribution, big or small, brings us closer to creating a more user-friendly and personalised platform for everyone. Together, let's make CasaOS even better!

How to Contribute to CasaOS Community?

• Add Apps/appstore to CasaOS App store
• Writing Documentation
• Performing Alpha Testing
• Helping with Translations

We have redeveloped the entire app store and application management in the CasaOS v0.4.4 Alpha version, adopted a new app store based on Git repositories, and brought native Docker feature support based on the application format based on docker compose, which made it easier for developers and users.

One of our community members, Ali.Sa, is here to share his experience and insights on using CasaOS v0.4.4 Alpha, the latest version, along with his favorite apps.

CasaOS: Simplifying Docker for Seamless User Experience

Ali.Sa has adopted CasaOS as an indispensable tool across his home lab, servers, and virtual machines. The power of CasaOS lies in its sleek, user-friendly GUI that effortlessly simplifies Docker for all user levels. From a built-in file manager and system statistics to a Docker management system, CasaOS monitors container resources effectively, making it easier to handle any lurking zombie containers.

Ali.Sa ‘s CasaOS DashBoard

When configuring a system with Docker containerization, Ali.Sa prioritizes the installation and setup of CasaOS. Three apps he typically deploys, irrespective of the environment, include "Node Exporter" for extracting OS metrics, "Prometheus" for data gathering, and "Grafana" for data visualization. These three containers, with the aid of CasaOS, can be up and running in under five minutes, thereby setting up a customizable monitoring system complete with alerts.

In Ali.Sa's home lab, he applies a combination of "Pi-hole exporter", "ESXi exporter", and "Mikrotik exporter". These tools collectively facilitate extraction and monitoring of metrics, allowing them to surpass their native capabilities. The combined use of these apps is highly recommended for users interested in in-depth metric tracking and monitoring.

"BookStack" serves as a noteworthy tool for Ali.Sa. It acts as his personal wiki and knowledge management system. With the use of CasaOS V0.4.4 Alpha, the installation of BookStack and similar containers becomes an easy task. The application supports Docker Compose, even for multi-container stacks, simplifying the process for users and enhancing their overall experience.

For astronomy enthusiasts, "Stellarium" comes highly recommended. As part of Ali.Sa's suite of applications, Stellarium allows him to identify celestial bodies, such as stars and planets, by simply pointing his device at the sky. This information is subsequently recorded in a container named 'daily notes', creating a fascinating log of the celestial bodies observed on specific days.

"Microbin" is an app that Ali.Sa finds invaluable for note-taking. It offers a simple GUI that enables users to take notes, access them from anywhere, and delete them with ease. The deployment and installation of Microbin are streamlined by CasaOS, making it an ideal tool for those in need of an efficient and flexible note-taking solution.

For users who prefer self-hosted alternatives to browser bookmarks, Ali.Sa suggests "Neonlink". It serves as a comprehensive solution for managing and organizing bookmarks, ensuring easy access to saved content.

Film lovers would appreciate Ali.Sa's recommendation of "Flox". As a movie and series watchlist with a built-in rating system, it lets users share their thoughts with friends after watching a film. The functionality of Flox makes it an appealing app for those who enjoy sharing and discussing their cinematic experiences.

Lastly, "Nginx Proxy Manager" (NPM) proves to be a versatile tool in Ali.Sa's arsenal. With a clean GUI, NPM manages domains, SSL certificates, and even issues free certificates. NPM is used in almost all of Ali.Sa's CasaOS setups to access apps and containers locally and remotely via his domain address, eliminating the need to remember individual IPs and ports. With CasaOS, users can add NPM along with other containers on a single Docker network, enhancing the overall security and accessibility of their setups.

Ali.Sa said " thanks to CasaOS and its developers, users like him are able to simplify the process of building, deploying, and managing tools that typically require Linux expertise. This makes CasaOS a highly recommended platform for both new and experienced users alike.

Overcoming Challenges with CasaOS

Ali.Sa's journey with CasaOS was not without challenges. One such issue involved creating a Docker network for attaching his containers. He addressed this by using Portainer to create a custom Docker network, and then used CasaOS to attach his containers to this network or install a new container with the custom Docker network as its default. It is important to note that using Portainer later on to make changes to the app settings through CasaOS (if it was originally used for app/container installation) would result in reverting the network settings back to the Docker bridge.

Another issue was the mismatch between the names CasaOS used for its dashboard and the actual container names. This was particularly problematic when two containers on the same network needed to communicate privately. Ali.Sa resolved this issue by using Portainer to verify the actual container names or executing commands via the command-line interface (CLI).

Conclusion

Despite some hurdles, tools like Portainer and the CLI, enabled Ali.Sa to navigate challenges and make the most of CasaOS. His experience underlines the significance of CasaOS in simplifying the process of building, deploying, and managing apps that would typically require Linux expertise. Ali.Sa's journey offers valuable insights and inspiration for both seasoned developers and beginners exploring CasaOS.

Let's try and enjoy in CasaOSv0.4.4 Alpha Now!

Hey Users！CasaOS v0.4.4 Alpha Released now!

CasaOS - A simple, easy-to-use, elegant open-source Personal Cloud system, Community-based open source software focused on delivering simple home cloud experience around Docker ecosystem. The people involved are CasaOS users. That means CasaOS will always need contributions from community members just like you!

In order to continue to uphold the open source spirit of CasaOS, we have redeveloped the entire app store and application management in the CasaOS v0.4.4 version, adopted a new app store based on Git repositories, and brought native Docker feature support based on the application format based on docker compose, which made it easier for developers to launch the process and customize the features of the app store, and encouraged more developers to participate in the construction of CasaOS.

New App Store Features for CasaOS v0.4.4

Upgrade the old API-based app store to the new app store based directly on the Git repository

• App submission process = Git PR process
• Git syncs to local, eliminating the need for network connection when loading the app store, and improving the stability of app store loading.
• Enabling the deployment of third-party app stores significantly improves the fulfillment of user-specific needs.

• Application format based on docker compose

  • Standardized the application import and export format in the store, significantly simplifying the developers to customize and launch applications.
  • From the old app store with single English to the new app store with multilingual support, benefiting CasaOS users around the world.
  • Brought the support of native Docker features, such as: access to GPU, multi-container applications, etc.

  • Existing community standards replace CasaOS’s own appfile format

    • Reduce the barrier of learning to launch applications in the app store
    • Can directly import original docker compose without modification （No need Icon and description)

CasaOS v0.4.4 New Features

Added

• App store fully upgraded

  • Store configuration synchronized to local
  • Opened third-party store interface
  • Added multilingual support
  • Added author type filter to app store
• Migrated from Docker-cli to Docker-compose completely
• Changed the synchronization method between front-end and back-end to socketIO, and used socketIO communication throughout the application lifecycle
• Added tips feature to the application

Fixed

• Changed several styles
• Fixed sorting and other issues
• Fixed the path confusion problem when downloading multiple files
• The check and update function no longer pulls the online version, making it faster
• The font of the log, console and other pages is adjusted to be consistent with the native console
• Merged the "exited App" panel to the application list

Removed

• Removed clone function
• Removed settings, update, and clone functions of docker-cli application
• Removed import and export functions of the docker-cli application

Use CasaOS v0.4.4 Alpha version now!

We warmly welcome CasaOS users to participate in the use of v0.4.4 alpha version and experience the possible new applications that will be launched every day. Alpha version experience method:

• Install CasaOS v0.4.4-alpha

  curl -fsSL https://get.casaos.io/v0.4.4-alpha | sudo bash

• Update to CasaOS v0.4.4-alpha from older version

  curl -fsSL https://get.casaos.io/update/v0.4.4-alpha | sudo bash

• Uninstall CasaOS v0.4.4-alpha

  casaos-uninstall

We are very happy that as of now, we have received two APP applications contributed by two developers - Memos and MineOS. Memos is a flash note APP that can help users think at any time and build their own knowledge system. MineOS is a Minecraft server management tool that allows users to easily host Java or Bedrock servers.

Here, CasaOS Team expresses deep gratitude to the two developers - CorrectRoad and Chàra! We look forward to seeing more developers publish their useful applications to CasaOS, and we also look forward to more CasaOS users proposing your application needs to the community.

How to Contribute to CasaOS Community?

• Add Apps to CasaOS App store
• Writing Documentation
• Performing Alpha Testing
• Helping with Translations