GitDock

Open source local dashboard to manage all your GitHub repositories in one place.
View, clone, organize, and operate on dozens of repositories without leaving the browser.

Website · Releases · Try Hub

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What is this?

GitDock is a local tool that runs on your machine and provides a web dashboard to search, organize, and operate on all your repositories from one interface.

It is not a cloud service. It is not an extension. It is a Node.js server that listens only on localhost (127.0.0.1) - no data leaves your machine, no port is exposed to the network.

Who is it for?

Developers who:

• Manage dozens or hundreds of repositories and want them all in one view
• Want to clone, pull, commit, push, and see status without jumping between tabs and terminals
• Need to see which repos have uncommitted changes, are behind remote, or are stale
• Use one GitHub account or several (work + personal) and want everything in one dashboard

What it is NOT

• Does not replace GitHub - it's a local facilitator
• Has no database - uses the GitHub CLI and Git directly
• Does not send data anywhere - everything runs on localhost (default 127.0.0.1:3847; auto-falls back if the port is in use)
• Does not require a special account - just an authenticated GitHub CLI

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Complete Feature List

Viewing and Organization

Feature	Description
Account support	Works with one account; add more anytime if you need them
Informative cards	Each repo displays: name, owner, description, language, stars, visibility, git status, branch, disk size
Advanced filters	Filter by account, visibility (public/private), status (cloned/not cloned/stale), sort (updated, A-Z, Z-A, size)
Real-time search	Search by name, description, language, or username. Shortcut: / key
Pinned repos	Mark favorite repos with ★ - they appear at the top, separated
Custom alias	Give any repo a nickname to remember what it's about. Opens an elegant modal, saved locally
Stale repo detection	"stale" badge on repos with no activity for over X months. Configurable threshold: 1, 3, 6, or 12 months
Disk size	Each card displays the repository size (KB/MB/GB)
Last local commit	For cloned repos, shows when the last local commit was made
Open PRs and Issues	Colored pills on the card showing the count of open Pull Requests and Issues (loaded in the background via GraphQL)
Attention panel	Sidebar lists repos that need attention: uncommitted changes, ahead, behind. Click to navigate directly to the card
Statistics	Sidebar displays: total repos, cloned, with uncommitted changes, stale
README viewer	"README" button on each card opens the content rendered in Markdown (local or via GitHub API)

Git Operations

Feature	Description
Clone	Clone repos with one click. Uses SSH with host aliases for multi-account
Pull	Pull with safety check - blocks if there are uncommitted changes
Fetch	Fetch from all remotes without merging
Pull All	Pull all cloned repos at once
Commit	Full Git modal: view changed files, select files, write message, commit
Push	Push directly from the Git modal, with set upstream support
Branch	View current branch, switch branches, create new branch - all from the modal
Revert	Revert specific commits directly from the history
Detailed status	View: branch, changed files with status (modified/added/deleted/untracked), recent commits with hash, and unpushed commit badges

Bulk Actions

Feature	Description
Multi-select	Checkboxes appear on card hover
Bulk clone	Select multiple repos and clone them all at once
Bulk pull	Pull all selected repos
Bulk fetch	Fetch all selected repos
Action bar	Fixed bottom bar appears when repos are selected

Transfer and Migration

Feature	Description
Transfer between accounts	Transfer GitHub repos from one account to another via REST API. Supports asynchronous transfers (requiring email confirmation)
Migrate existing repo	Move a local repo from any folder into the project's organized structure. Automatically updates the remote URL

Editor and Terminal Integration

Feature	Description
Open in Cursor	Opens the repo in Cursor via URI scheme (current window)
Open in Cursor (new window)	Opens in a new Cursor window via CLI
Open in VS Code	Opens the repo in VS Code via URI scheme (current window)
Open in VS Code (new window)	Opens in a new VS Code window via CLI
Open Terminal	Opens a terminal (PowerShell/Terminal.app/xdg-open) in the repo directory
Copy path	Copies the repo's local path to the clipboard

Interface and UX

Feature	Description
Dark theme	Dark interface inspired by GitHub Dark
Sidebar + grid layout	Fixed sidebar with filters and stats, scrollable main area with responsive card grid
Modals	7 modals: Alias, Remove, Migrate, Transfer, Confirm Action, README, Git
Toasts	Temporary notifications (success/error/info) in the top-right corner
Activity log	Real-time log of all operations in the sidebar
SSE (Server-Sent Events)	Real-time server updates - connection indicator at the top
⋮ Menu (three dots)	Context menu on each cloned card with all quick actions
Keyboard shortcuts	/ for search, Escape to close modals, Enter to confirm
Responsive	Sidebar becomes horizontal on screens smaller than 768px

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Security

The server implements multiple layers of protection:

Measure	Detail
Localhost only	Listens exclusively on 127.0.0.1 - inaccessible from the network
IP validation	Middleware rejects any request not coming from localhost (403)
Body limit	Requests limited to 10KB (protection against payload abuse)
Input sanitization	Repo names, branches, commit messages, and hashes are sanitized with strict regex
Path validation	Paths are normalized and verified against directory traversal (..)
Directory confinement	File operations restricted to the project's base directory
Accidental deletion protection	Checks for uncommitted changes and unpushed commits before removing
CLI serialization	Queue ensures gh CLI operations don't conflict between accounts
Migration protection	Blocks migration of sensitive directories (.ssh, AppData, Library, etc.)
Markdown sanitization	README rendered with DOMPurify to prevent XSS

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Prerequisites

Before installing, you need:

Tool	Minimum version	Check installation
Node.js	v18+	node --version
npm	v9+ (comes with Node.js)	npm --version
Git	v2.30+	git --version
GitHub CLI (gh)	v2.0+	gh --version
SSH	OpenSSH	ssh -V

Install prerequisites

Windows

# Node.js - download from https://nodejs.org (LTS recommended)
# Or via winget:
winget install OpenJS.NodeJS.LTS

# Git
winget install Git.Git

# GitHub CLI
winget install GitHub.cli

# OpenSSH (usually included in Windows 10/11)
# If not installed:
Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name OpenSSH.Client~~~~0.0.1.0

macOS

# Node.js
brew install node

# Git (usually comes with Xcode Command Line Tools)
xcode-select --install  # installs git as well
# Or via Homebrew:
brew install git

# GitHub CLI
brew install gh

# SSH is already installed on macOS

Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)

# Node.js (via NodeSource)
curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_lts.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt-get install -y nodejs

# Git
sudo apt-get install -y git

# GitHub CLI
(type -p wget >/dev/null || sudo apt install wget -y) \
  && sudo mkdir -p -m 755 /etc/apt/keyrings \
  && wget -qO- https://cli.github.com/packages/githubcli-archive-keyring.gpg | sudo tee /etc/apt/keyrings/githubcli-archive-keyring.gpg > /dev/null \
  && echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/githubcli-archive-keyring.gpg] https://cli.github.com/packages stable main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/github-cli.list > /dev/null \
  && sudo apt update \
  && sudo apt install gh -y

# SSH
sudo apt-get install -y openssh-client

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Quick Start (Standalone Executable)

If you just want to run GitDock without installing Node.js or cloning the repo:

1. Go to the latest release or download from gitdock.dev
2. Download the zip for your platform (Windows, macOS, or Linux)
3. Extract the zip to a folder of your choice
4. Run the executable:
   • Windows: double-click start.bat (runs minimized) or gitdock.exe (shows server logs)
   • macOS / Linux: run ./gitdock from a terminal

The dashboard opens automatically in your browser.

Windows note: SmartScreen may warn that the app is unrecognized because the executable is not code-signed yet. Click "More info" then "Run anyway". You can also right-click the zip before extracting, select Properties, and check "Unblock" to prevent this.

You still need Git and GitHub CLI (gh) installed and authenticated. See Prerequisites below.

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Step-by-Step Installation (Developer)

1. Clone and install

git clone https://github.com/gitdock-dev/gitdock.git
cd gitdock
npm install

This installs Express (the sole dependency).

2. Start the server

Windows:

.\start.ps1

macOS / Linux:

chmod +x start.sh
./start.sh

Or directly:

node server.js

Open your browser at http://127.0.0.1:3847 (or the next available port if 3847 is in use).

3. Add your account

The dashboard shows an empty state: "No repositories yet. Add a GitHub account to get started."

1. Click Add Account (in the empty state or via Settings → Account Manager).
2. Fill in the form:
   • Account name: one word, no spaces (e.g. work, personal) - used for the folder and SSH key name
   • Display label: name shown in the app (e.g. Work, Personal)
   • GitHub username: your GitHub login for this account
   • Email: used for git commits
   • SSH host (optional): leave empty for default github.com-{account name}
3. Click Add. The dashboard opens a setup timeline that guides you through:
   • Step 1: Account created (automatic)
   • Step 2: Click Generate SSH Key - the public key appears. Click Copy Key, then add it at GitHub → Settings → SSH and GPG keys
   • Step 3: Confirm the key is added on GitHub (click Add Manually on GitHub to open the page)
   • Step 4: Connect a personal access token (or use Advanced: use gh CLI and run gh auth login in a terminal)
   • Step 5: Git config created (automatic)
   • Step 6: Once all steps are green, the Load Repos & Close button appears - click it to finish
4. Your repositories appear in the dashboard. Clone, pull, commit, and push from there.

Accounts and workspace data are stored in your workspace directory (e.g. ~/.gitdock or a path you chose), in config.json.

4. Add more accounts (optional)

Repeat step 3 for each additional GitHub account. The dashboard manages SSH host aliases and keys for you.

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Project Structure

gitdock/
├── server.js                  # Express server (API + security)
├── workspace.js               # Workspace path management (~/.gitdock)
├── dashboard.html             # Web interface (single HTML/CSS/JS file)
├── workspace-setup.html       # First-run workspace picker (packaged build)
├── package.json               # Dependencies (Express only)
├── start.ps1                  # Startup script (Windows)
├── start.sh                   # Startup script (macOS/Linux)
├── .gitignore
├── LICENSE                    # Apache 2.0
├── README.md
├── CONTRIBUTING.md            # Contribution guide
├── hub/                       # Multi-machine Hub (optional)
│   ├── server.js              # Hub API and dashboard
│   ├── README.md              # Hub setup and deploy
│   └── ...
├── site/                      # Landing page (gitdock.dev)
│   ├── index.html
│   ├── privacy.html
│   └── terms.html
└── <workspace>/               # Your chosen data dir (e.g. ~/GitDock)
    ├── config.json            # Accounts, machine, Hub settings
    ├── account1/              # Clones for account 1
    └── account2/              # Clones for account 2

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Useful Commands

Server management

# Start
node server.js

# Start with auto-reload (development)
npm run dev

# Check if it's running
curl http://127.0.0.1:3847/api/health

GitHub CLI

# View authenticated account(s)
gh auth status

# Switch active account (if you have more than one)
gh auth switch --user YOUR_USERNAME

# List repos for a user
gh repo list YOUR_USERNAME --limit 200

# Check token permissions
gh auth status -t

SSH

# Test SSH connection (use the host alias you set for the account, e.g. github.com-work)
ssh -T git@github.com-work

# List keys in the agent
ssh-add -l

# Add key to agent
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519_work

# Debug SSH connection (verbose)
ssh -vT git@github.com-work

Git

# View remote URL of a repo
cd professional/my-repo
git remote -v

# Change remote URL
git remote set-url origin git@github.com-professional:USER/REPO.git

# View status
git status

# View branches
git branch -a

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Advanced: Manual SSH configuration

If you prefer to set up SSH keys and ~/.ssh/config yourself (instead of using the dashboard's Generate SSH Key flow), you can do it manually.

Generate a key (one per account):

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "yourname@github" -f ~/.ssh/id_ed25519_work

Add a host block to ~/.ssh/config (Windows: C:\Users\YOUR_USERNAME\.ssh\config):

Host github.com-work
    HostName github.com
    User git
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_ed25519_work
    IdentitiesOnly yes

Add the key to the SSH agent (Windows often needs Start-Service ssh-agent first; macOS/Linux: eval "$(ssh-agent -s)" then ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519_work).

Add the public key to GitHub: copy ~/.ssh/id_ed25519_work.pub and paste it at GitHub → Settings → SSH and GPG keys.

When adding the account in the dashboard, use the same SSH host (e.g. github.com-work) so GitDock uses your key for clone and push.

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Troubleshooting

"Server offline" in the dashboard

The server is not running. Start it with node server.js or .\start.ps1 (Windows) / ./start.sh (macOS/Linux).

Repos from one account don't show up

Most likely cause: The GitHub CLI is not authenticated for that account, or the authentication is incorrect.

# Check
gh auth status

# Re-authenticate
gh auth login

Clone fails with "Permission denied (publickey)"

The SSH key is not configured correctly.

# Test
ssh -T git@github.com-professional

# If it fails, check:
# 1. Was the public key added to GitHub?
# 2. Is the SSH agent running?
# 3. Was the key added to the agent?
ssh-add -l  # list keys in the agent
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519_professional  # add if needed

"Permission denied" when removing a clone (Windows)

Processes may be locking files. Close editors and terminals that are using the repo, then try again.

Transfer fails with "Repository has already been taken"

There is a pending transfer for the same repo. Go to GitHub, cancel the pending transfer, and try again.

Transfer requests email confirmation

Transfers between personal GitHub accounts are asynchronous - they require the recipient to accept via email or the GitHub web interface. This is not a bug, it's GitHub's default behavior.

SSH Agent won't start (Windows)

# Run as Administrator
Set-Service ssh-agent -StartupType Automatic
Start-Service ssh-agent

SSH Agent doesn't persist (macOS)

Add to ~/.ssh/config:

Host *
    AddKeysToAgent yes
    UseKeychain yes

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Customization

Adding or editing accounts

Use Settings → Account Manager in the dashboard to add, edit, or remove accounts. Each account is stored in config.json in your workspace directory. The dashboard creates the account folder and SSH setup for you. To add another account, click Add Account and follow the same setup timeline (SSH key, GitHub, token).

Changing the port

You can set the port using an environment variable:

GITDOCK_PORT=3847 node server.js

Or (Windows PowerShell):

$env:GITDOCK_PORT=3847
node server.js

If the port is already in use, GitDock will automatically try the next ports.

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Hub (multi-machine sync)

The Hub code is in the hub/ folder. You can self-host it at no cost.

We also run a hosted Hub at hub.gitdock.dev: one machine is free; unlimited machines are $5/month. Sign up there, create an API key in Settings, then in each machine set Hub URL to https://hub.gitdock.dev and paste the key. In the local GitDock dashboard use the dashboard’s Configure Hub to set the URL and key so this machine sends snapshots.

Contributing

We welcome contributions. See CONTRIBUTING.md for development setup, code style (vanilla JS, no frameworks), and how to submit pull requests and report issues.

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Data and Privacy

Aspect	Detail
Where is data stored?	Everything is local. Cloned repos in the project folder. Preferences (pins, aliases, filters) in the browser's localStorage
What is sent to the internet?	Only calls to the GitHub API (via gh CLI) to list repos, fetch READMEs, and count PRs/Issues. These are the same calls you would make manually
Can anyone access the dashboard?	No. The server only accepts connections from 127.0.0.1. No device on your network can access it
Are tokens exposed?	No. The gh CLI manages tokens in the operating system's keyring. The server never touches tokens directly
Can I use it on a corporate network?	Yes. No port is opened externally. Traffic flows only between the browser and the server, both on your machine

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Tech Stack

• Backend: Node.js + Express (single server, ~1100 lines)
• Frontend: HTML + CSS + vanilla JavaScript (single file, ~1400 lines, zero frameworks)
• Git authentication: SSH with host aliases (Ed25519)
• GitHub API: GitHub CLI (gh) + REST API + GraphQL API
• Data: GitHub CLI for remote repos, Git for local status, localStorage for preferences
• Real-time: Server-Sent Events (SSE) for asynchronous operations
• Markdown: marked.js + DOMPurify for secure README rendering
• Security: 10+ layers of protection (see Security section)

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_{Built for devs who want all their repos in one place.}