Server control that
earns its keep.
hostctl is a secure, opinionated Rust CLI for managing Ubuntu web hosting infrastructure. Create sites. Protect routes. Enable TLS. Apply blueprints. Deploy with confidence.
Rust
Built for performance & safety
6+
Core commands
MIT
Open source license
0
Control panels needed
Features
Your server, under control.
hostctl gives you exactly what you need to run Ubuntu-hosted web apps — no more, no less. Fast, composable, and safe to run in production.
Nginx generation
hostctl writes battle-tested Nginx configs for PHP, Node, and static sites. Generated files are stamped and tracked — hostctl knows what it owns.
Safe by default
No silent destructive actions. Confirms before deletion. Refuses to overwrite unmanaged configs. Validates domains and paths before touching the filesystem.
Access protection
Lock down admin paths with IP allowlists in one command. Inject and remove access blocks without editing Nginx configs by hand.
One-command TLS
hostctl tls enable calls Certbot under the hood and handles the Nginx integration. HTTPS in under 30 seconds.
How it works
Install. Create. Deploy.
One binary. One command per site. From a bare Ubuntu server to production-ready hosting in minutes.
One binary. Zero dependencies.
Build from source with cargo build --release or grab a prebuilt binary. hostctl is a single static executable — drop it on your server and you're done.
Requires Ubuntu + Nginx + systemd. Certbot needed for TLS.
$ git clone https://github.com/yourname/hostctl $ cd hostctl && cargo build --release $ sudo cp target/release/hostctl /usr/local/bin/ ✓ hostctl is ready $ hostctl --version hostctl 0.1.0
$ sudo hostctl site create blog \ --domain blog.example.com \ --type php \ --root /var/www/blog/public \ --php-sock /run/php/php8.3-fpm.sock ✓ Config written → /etc/nginx/sites-available/blog ✓ Site enabled ✓ Nginx reloaded
One command from nothing to serving traffic.
Run hostctl site create and hostctl writes a production Nginx config, enables the site, and reloads Nginx. PHP, Node, and static sites all supported out of the box.
Use --dry-run to preview what would happen without writing anything.
Early access
Stop clicking around.
Start scripting.
hostctl is built for developers, operators, and small hosting teams who want a fast, scriptable, production-ready way to manage Ubuntu-hosted web apps — without dragging in a control panel.
Request early accessGet in touch
Get in early.
We're building hostctl for operators who want production-grade server management without the bloat. Tell us about your setup.