Hostim.dev

About Hostim.dev

Hostim.dev is a specialized Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) engineered for developers seeking to deploy containerized applications with maximum efficiency and minimal operational overhead. It functions as a managed bare-metal platform hosted exclusively in Germany, providing a robust, GDPR-compliant foundation for modern applications. The core value proposition is eliminating the complexity of infrastructure management, allowing developers to focus solely on building their software. Users can deploy directly from Docker images, Git repositories, or complete Docker Compose files without any rewrites, with the platform automatically handling provisioning, networking, and service integration. It is designed for freelancers, agencies, startups, and students who require a simple, transparent, and controlled environment to launch personal projects, client work, or SaaS products without navigating the intricacies of cloud provider consoles, YAML configurations, or unpredictable usage-based billing.

Features of Hostim.dev

Bare-Metal EU Hosting with GDPR Compliance

Hostim.dev operates on dedicated bare-metal servers located in Germany, ensuring high performance and low latency for European users. This infrastructure choice provides a transparent, predictable hardware environment. By default, all hosting is fully compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), offering a legally sound foundation for projects handling EU citizen data without requiring additional configuration or legal vetting from the user.

Integrated Managed Databases and Persistent Storage

The platform provides instant, one-click provisioning of fully managed database services including MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Redis. These services are not external add-ons; they are natively integrated into the project's isolated network. Upon creation, connection strings and credentials are automatically injected as environment variables into your application containers, eliminating manual wiring. Persistent volumes for file storage are also included, managed directly within the platform.

Docker Compose and Git-Based Deployment

Hostim.dev supports native Docker Compose file deployment, allowing developers to lift and shift existing multi-container application definitions without modification. Alternatively, deployment can be triggered directly from a Git repository, enabling continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) workflows. This flexibility supports complex application stacks defined as code while abstracting away the underlying orchestration layer, requiring zero knowledge of Kubernetes manifests or other infrastructure-as-code tools.

Per-Project Isolation and Transparent Cost Tracking

Every application or client project is deployed into its own isolated Kubernetes namespace, providing strong security and resource separation. Each project has its own dedicated cost tracking and billing, calculated on a transparent, hourly basis. This model provides clear financial accountability, simplifies client invoicing for agencies, and prevents cost overruns with predictable, flat-rate pricing for core resources instead of opaque usage-based charges.

Use Cases of Hostim.dev

Freelancer and Independent Developer Projects

Freelancers can rapidly prototype and ship applications for clients using familiar Docker tooling. The per-project isolation and billing allow for clean handover of projects to clients, including a precise infrastructure cost breakdown. This eliminates the need to manage separate cloud accounts or servers, streamlining the entire development and delivery process from a single, simplified interface.

Digital Agency Client Work

Agencies managing multiple client engagements benefit from strong project isolation, ensuring one client's application cannot impact another's. The clear per-project cost tracking provides an exact billable amount for infrastructure, simplifying client proposals and invoices. The EU-based, GDPR-compliant hosting is a key selling point for agencies serving European clients with strict data sovereignty requirements.

Startup and SaaS Application MVP

Startups can launch a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) quickly without upfront DevOps investment. The platform supports scaling CPU, RAM, and replicas directly from the UI as the user base grows. Built-in databases, HTTPS, and metrics mean founders can focus on product development and market fit instead of infrastructure configuration, monitoring, and database administration.

Educational and Portfolio Development

Students and developers building a portfolio can work with production-grade technologies like Docker, PostgreSQL, and Redis on real, deployed infrastructure. The free trial and student credits lower the barrier to entry, allowing for practical learning. Projects remain publicly accessible and can be demonstrated to potential employers, providing hands-on experience beyond local development environments.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the free tier include?

The free tier includes a 5-day trial project with full platform access, requiring no credit card for signup. Beyond the trial, core managed services like MySQL, PostgreSQL, Redis, and persistent volumes have permanently free tiers with specified resource limits. This allows for running small, non-production applications or specific services at zero ongoing cost.

Can I deploy with just a Docker Compose file?

Yes, Hostim.dev supports native Docker Compose file deployment. You can paste your existing docker-compose.yml content directly into the platform's interface. The system will parse and deploy the defined services, networks, and volumes without requiring any rewrites or adaptation to proprietary formats, enabling a live application in minutes.

Where is my application hosted?

All applications and data are hosted exclusively on bare-metal servers in German data centers. This provides performance benefits associated with dedicated hardware and ensures all data processing and storage occurs within the European Union, making the platform GDPR-compliant by default for data sovereignty and privacy.

Do I need to know Kubernetes to use Hostim.dev?

No, Kubernetes knowledge is not required. Hostim.dev uses Kubernetes as its underlying orchestration engine but completely abstracts it away from the user. You interact only with Docker, Git, or Compose concepts. The platform manages all Kubernetes objects like namespaces, pods, services, and ingresses automatically on your behalf.