In simple English
This is a private Git server that you can run on your own hardware. You manage users, repositories, and permissions by typing commands over a secure shell connection. It includes a text-based interface that lets you browse your code directly in the terminal. You do not need a heavy web panel or complex setup to host your own code. It is free and open source.
What it is
Soft Serve is a self-hostable Git server written in Go that packages a Git server, an SSH server, an HTTP server, and an interactive terminal user interface into a single binary. It stores its data in a local database and gives you full control over access rules using SSH public keys.
What it is good for
Solo builders who want to host their own private repositories on a cheap virtual private server without installing heavyweight platforms like Gitea or GitLab.
- Packs everything into a single lightweight binary file.
- Includes a polished terminal interface with syntax highlighting.
- Supports SSH, HTTP, and Git protocols out of the box.
- Requires comfort with the command line and SSH configuration.
- Newer RSA keys are not supported due to a Go library limitation, so you must use Ed25519 keys.
- Self-hosting means you are responsible for your own backups and server uptime.
GitHub, GitLab, or Gitea for private self-hosted code storage
Docker or systemd to keep the server running in the background
- go-gitea/gitea59k stars
A full-featured self-hosted Git service with a web interface, whereas Soft Serve is designed for the terminal.
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brew install charmbracelet/tap/soft-serve