A bare-metal homelab admin deck with root access. Minimal footprint, runs anywhere.
Small enough to live alongside Pi-hole on a Pi Zero. Capable enough to control your entire network.
**Website:** [deq.rocks](https://deq.rocks) · **Support:** [Patreon](https://patreon.com/deqrocks)
DeQ runs bare metal, not in Docker.
It's designed for low-power devices that are already online 24/7 - a Pi, a mini PC, even a WRT router. These give you always-on access to your homelab via Tailscale or LAN, without the overhead of a full server. Docker would add overhead and break core features: Wake-on-LAN needs raw sockets, the file manager needs your filesystem, SSH and rsync run as host processes, and shutdown commands don't work from inside a container. DeQ aims to bridge monitoring and control - but with a minimal footprint as its core principle. It bridges monitoring and control - with a minimal footprint as its core principle. One file, focused scope, no bloat.
This comes with responsibility.
DeQ runs as root and has direct access to your system. That's what makes features like WOL, file transfers, and remote shutdown possible - but it also means you should never expose it to the public internet.
- Use Tailscale, Wireguard or another VPN for remote access
- Only run DeQ on trusted networks
- Device Control - Wake-on-LAN, shutdown, Docker start/stop
- Scheduled Tasks - Automated backups, wake and shutdown
- File Manager - Dual-pane file browser, copy/move/upload between devices
- System Stats - CPU, RAM, temperature, disk usage
- Quick Links - Bookmarks to your services with custom icons (Lucide or Dashboard Icons)
- Theming - Custom colors, wallpapers, and transparency/blur effects
- PWA Support - Install as an app on any desktop or smartphone
wget https://github.com/deqrocks/deq/releases/download/stable/deq.zip
unzip deq.zip -d deq && cd deq
sudo ./install.shThe installer asks a few questions (IP, port) and gives you your access URL.
- Open your DeQ URL in a browser (like 192.168.1.1:5050)
- Follow the onboarding dialog to scan your network for devices and containers
- Click the pencil icon to edit existing items or to add devices manually
- Add links and notes - assign icons
- Drag links or devices to reorder them
- Click the layout button (eco/1/4/2/4/4/4) to change link arrangement
- Click the eye icon to hide sections you don't need
- Click the palette icon to toggle monochrome icons
- Scroll down to the Theme section to customize colors and wallpaper
The server running DeQ is automatically added as the "Host" device with local stats.
Links and devices support three icon sources:
| Format | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Lucide | server |
Default. See lucide.dev/icons |
| Dashboard Icons | dash:proxmox |
Self-hosted app icons. See dashboardicons.com |
| Custom URL | https://... |
Any image URL |
In edit mode, click the palette icon next to "Links" to toggle monochrome mode for all icons.
Manually You can manually add devices by activating the edit mode > go to the devices section > click "+". After you added the device you can manually add containers or scan for containers running on that device.
Using the Wizard You can automatically add devices and containers by using the wizard: activate edit mode > go to the devices section > click "scan". Add your devices and SSH user name. Next step it will scan for Docker containers. Make sure to have ssh keypairs exchanged for that to work.
Each device can have:
| Feature | What it does |
|---|---|
| Wake-on-LAN | Power on the device remotely |
| Quick Connect | Buttons for RDP, VNC, or web interfaces |
| Docker | Scan for containers or add manually, start/stop, optional RDP/VNC/Web buttons |
| SSH | Enables stats and shutdown for remote devices |
DeQ uses different IPs for different purposes:
-
Local IP (device settings): Always your LAN IP (192.168.x.x). Used by the DeQ server for Wake-on-LAN, SSH connections, and ping checks.
-
Quick Connect / Docker IPs: These are for your browser/phone to connect. Use LAN IPs when at home, or Tailscale IPs when accessing remotely.
Example with Tailscale:
- Device Local IP:
192.168.1.100(for WOL/SSH) - Docker VNC:
100.x.x.x:8006(Tailscale IP, so VNC works from anywhere)
To see stats or shutdown remote devices, DeQ needs SSH access. This is optional - devices without SSH still work for Wake-on-LAN and links.
Quick setup:
# Generate a key (skip if you already have one)
ssh-keygen -t ed25519
# Copy it to your device
ssh-copy-id user@device-ip
# DeQ runs as root, so copy the key there too
sudo cp ~/.ssh/id_ed25519* /root/.ssh/
sudo chmod 600 /root/.ssh/id_ed25519
# Test it
sudo ssh user@device-ip 'echo OK'DeQ has no built-in authentication. For secure remote access, use Tailscale or another VPN. Access DeQ via your Tailscale IP.
DeQ can run tasks automatically:
- Wake - Power on a device or start a Docker container
- Shutdown - Power off a device or stop a Docker container
- Backup - Sync files between devices using rsync
Example workflow: Wake your NAS at 3 AM, run a backup from your main server, shut it down when done.
Click the folder icon (top right) to open the dual-pane file manager. Browse files on any device with SSH configured. File Manager will also work on your smartphone. BE CAREFUL with what you're doing in the root folder!
Features:
- Copy and move files between devices
- Upload files (button or drag & drop)
- Delete files
- Create new Folders
- Create zip archives (or tar.gz as fallback)
- Download individual files
Navigation:
- Click to select (single pane only)
- Double-click to open folders
- Drag files from your desktop to upload
In edit mode, scroll down to the Theme section to customize the look:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Colors | Background, cards, borders, text, accent color |
| Transparency | Transparency effect for cards (0-100%) |
| Blur | Background blur amount (0-30px) |
| Wallpaper | Background image URL (https://...) |
Click "Reset to Defaults" to restore the original dark theme.
DeQ works as a Progressive Web App - install it like a native app on any device. No app store, no updates to manage.
Why install as an app?
- One tap access from your home screen or dock
- No browser tabs to dig through
- Fullscreen, distraction-free interface
- Will serve the bookmarks that are important in your homelab context
How to install:
| Platform | Steps |
|---|---|
| iOS/iPadOS | Safari → Share button → "Add to Home Screen" |
| Android | Chrome → Menu (⋮) → "Add to Home Screen" or "Install app" |
| macOS/Windows | Chrome → Menu (⋮) → "Cast, save, and share" → "Install page as app..." |
Once installed, DeQ opens in its own window and feels like a native app.
sudo systemctl status deq # Check status
sudo systemctl restart deq # Restart
sudo journalctl -u deq -f # View logsAll data is stored in /opt/deq/config.json. To backup: just copy config.json. To restore: copy it back and restart.
To update DeQ, download the latest release and run the installer again:
wget https://github.com/deqrocks/deq/releases/download/stable/deq.zip
unzip deq.zip -d deq && cd deq
sudo ./install.shYour config.json is preserved - the installer only overwrites server.py.
sudo systemctl stop deq
sudo systemctl disable deq
sudo rm /etc/systemd/system/deq.service
sudo rm -rf /opt/deq
sudo systemctl daemon-reloadOr as single command
sudo systemctl stop deq && sudo systemctl disable deq && sudo rm /etc/systemd/system/deq.service && sudo rm -rf /opt/deq && sudo systemctl daemon-reloadDeQ is provided "as is" without warranty. The authors are not liable for any damages resulting from its use. By installing DeQ, you accept full responsibility for securing your system. See LICENSE for details.
CC BY-NC 4.0 - Free for personal use, no commercial use without permission. See LICENSE.