Flisk

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Run your whole app on your computer with one command: build, start, check and fix a local stack.

What can you do with Flisk?

  • One service.json per service. Flisk generates the Dockerfile, the Compose entry, the Traefik routes, the health check and the Tiltfile from it. You do not hand-write a docker-compose.yml or nginx.conf.
  • One command, one address. flisk up starts Postgres, your services and a local gateway, starts services in health-checked dependsOn order, and prints a *.localhost URL for each.
  • Hot reload while you code. Tilt live-updates a container when you save its files; there is no rebuild step.
  • Wired for you. DATABASE_URL, the API URL your frontend calls, and missing secrets such as JWT_SECRET are generated and injected, never copied by hand.
  • Generated files you can check. Flisk records what it wrote, refuses to start when a generated file was edited by hand, and flisk config verify reports drift (generated files and drift checks).
  • Built for AI helpers. flisk mcp gives Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and other agents 21 tools, and flisk project adds the Flisk skills and an AGENTS.md.
  • Runs AI agents too. Agent services get durable checkpoints, sticky x-session-id routing, and /health and /ready checks (below).
  • No Kubernetes; no Docker for small apps. Docker and Tilt run the stack without a local cluster such as kind or minikube, and services that each declare a command run as plain local processes.

Install

Add this to your client's MCP configuration (Claude Desktop: claude_desktop_config.json; Cursor: .cursor/mcp.json; VS Code and others use the same "mcpServers" shape).

NPM package @flisk-sh/flisk
Claude Code
claude mcp add flisk -- npx -y @flisk-sh/flisk@1.4.13 mcp
JSON configuration (Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code)
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "flisk": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "@flisk-sh/flisk@1.4.13",
                "mcp"
            ]
        }
    }
}

Documentation

From the project's README on GitHub, refreshed weekly. Links open on GitHub.

Contents
  1. Flisk: your whole app, running on your computer with one command
  2. What is Flisk?
  3. Key features
  4. Is Flisk right for your team?
  5. Trusted by
  6. Use Flisk with your AI agent
  7. Prerequisites (install once)
  8. Installation
  9. Quick start
  10. Commands
  11. Configuration
  12. How Flisk works
  13. Why Flisk CLI?
  14. Examples
  15. When not to use Flisk
  16. Requirements and support
  17. Roadmap
  18. License matrix
  19. FAQ
  20. Docs
  21. Community
  22. Contributing and license

Flisk: your whole app, running on your computer with one command

What is Flisk? · Key features · Quick start · Commands · Configuration · With your AI agent · FAQ · Docs

👋 Welcome · 欢迎 · 歡迎 · ようこそ · 환영합니다 · Bienvenue · Bienvenido · [Bem-vindos](docs/README-pt-BR.md "Português (Brasil)") · Willkommen · Benvenuti · Bun venit · أهلًا · Hoş geldiniz · Ласкаво просимо · Witamy · خوش آمدید · Selamat datang · Chào mừng · ยินดีต้อนรับ · Καλώς ήρθατε · സ്വാഗതം

What is Flisk?

Flisk is a command-line tool for local development. It runs every part of your app (API, website, workers, AI agents, database) on your computer behind one local address, and reloads a part when you save it. You describe each part in a small service.json; Flisk writes the Dockerfiles, the Compose file and the Tiltfile from it, and keeps them in sync. It does not deploy: production stays with your own tools.

npm install -g @flisk-sh/flisk
mkdir my-shop && cd my-shop
flisk project --yes
flisk resource orders-api --type backend --stack shop --yes
flisk resource shop-web --type frontend --stack shop --yes
flisk up shop

That starts an orders API and a storefront behind one gateway, with Postgres and live reload, and prints their URLs. It needs Docker, Tilt, Node.js 22.12+ and Bun 1.2+; flisk doctor says what is missing. A small app can skip Docker and run as local processes.

One small file per service

flisk resource wrote a service.json for each part. This is the whole file for the orders API, and the only configuration you edit for it:

{
  "$schema": "https://flisk.sh/schema.service.json",
  "schemaVersion": 1,
  "appName": "orders-api",
  "appType": "backend",
  "stack": "shop",
  "port": 4000,
  "healthCheckPath": "/health"
}

From it Flisk writes the Dockerfile, the Compose entry, the gateway route, the health check and the DATABASE_URL, and refuses to start if one of those files was edited by hand. Every field · Everything Flisk writes

Already have a docker-compose.yml?

flisk import . writes one service.json per Compose service and keeps its ports, names and env values:

flisk import .
flisk up

A plain Compose app (a Node API and Postgres) answered through Flisk's router 49 s after flisk import on a clean Ubuntu CI runner, images pulled and built from scratch, install not counted (run, claims). CI repeats it on every pull request.

Rather ask your AI helper? It runs these commands for you: copy a prompt. Never written code? Start here, step by step · Words you'll see

Key features

  • One service.json per service. Flisk generates the Dockerfile, the Compose entry, the Traefik routes, the health check and the Tiltfile from it. You do not hand-write a docker-compose.yml or nginx.conf.
  • One command, one address. flisk up starts Postgres, your services and a local gateway, starts services in health-checked dependsOn order, and prints a *.localhost URL for each.
  • Hot reload while you code. Tilt live-updates a container when you save its files; there is no rebuild step.
  • Wired for you. DATABASE_URL, the API URL your frontend calls, and missing secrets such as JWT_SECRET are generated and injected, never copied by hand.
  • Generated files you can check. Flisk records what it wrote, refuses to start when a generated file was edited by hand, and flisk config verify reports drift (generated files and drift checks).
  • Built for AI helpers. flisk mcp gives Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and other agents 21 tools, and flisk project adds the Flisk skills and an AGENTS.md.
  • Runs AI agents too. Agent services get durable checkpoints, sticky x-session-id routing, and /health and /ready checks (below).
  • No Kubernetes; no Docker for small apps. Docker and Tilt run the stack without a local cluster such as kind or minikube, and services that each declare a command run as plain local processes.
  • Quick to start. With warm image layers, a one-backend stack is healthy in 12.8 to 13.8 seconds (timing notes). An 8-service stack settles in 32 to 42 seconds warm and about 4.5 minutes on its first cold build (benchmark).
  • Free core. The CLI is MIT and needs no key to run flisk up; Premium extras are optional (license matrix).

Is Flisk right for your team?

Three quick questions; click the answer closest to your team. Not technical? Pick "not sure" where you need to. You get a score and a plain-English why.

1. What is the app written in?

2. How do developers start the app on their laptop today?

3. How many parts does the app have? (website, API, background jobs, …)

Great fit. Flisk was made for teams like yours. Why this score → · Full calculator on flisk.sh

Trusted by

Teams that run flisk up on their own code, listed with their consent. See all adopters or add yours.

Use Flisk with your AI agent

AI helpers are good at writing the app and bad at the setup around it: every time one rewrites a Dockerfile, a Tiltfile or an nginx.conf by hand, something breaks, and you pay in time and tokens to fix it. Flisk writes that setup the same way every time, so you and your helper stick to the app.

An illustrative Claude Code session in the Warp terminal. The Flisk commands, their output, and the URLs Flisk prints come from a real run.

Install Flisk, then paste the prompt into Claude Code, Codex, Cursor or any other AI helper that can run commands:

npm install -g @flisk-sh/flisk
Build me a small online shop with a storefront and an orders API, and run it on my laptop with Flisk.

The helper creates the project, adds each part and starts it, then gives you the links to open. If something is missing, flisk doctor says what, in plain words.

More prompts to copy

Add a service to a project you already have

Use Flisk to add a backend service called payments-api to my shop stack, then start the stack and give me the URLs.

Build an AI agent with tools and a database

Use Flisk to scaffold an AI agent, an MCP tools server, and a database in one stack called shop, then start it and tell me how to talk to the agent.

Something is not working

Run flisk doctor, explain every problem in plain words, and fix what you can. Then start my stack with flisk up.

See what is running

Use flisk status to tell me which services are running, which are unhealthy, and what URL each one has.

Stop everything

Stop my Flisk stack with flisk down and confirm nothing is left running.
Pick your agent

Each helper installs a little differently; pick yours for the exact steps. Already have a project? flisk connect claude (or cursor, codex) adds the flisk mcp server (21 tools) and the Flisk skills where that agent reads them; add --dry-run to see the files first. What the agent can then do: Flisk for AI agents.

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash
npm install -g @flisk-sh/flisk

Then start Claude Code by typing claude in your project folder, and paste the prompt above. For developers: flisk project writes the Flisk skills to .claude/skills/, which Claude Code loads. To let Claude Code drive Flisk through MCP tools, run claude mcp add --scope project flisk -- flisk mcp. Windows install, the .mcp.json file and the AGENTS.md tip: full Claude Code setup.

Any other agent that can run terminal commands works too: point it at AGENTS.md, or connect it to flisk mcp, which runs an MCP server over stdio. flisk project adds the Flisk skills (build a stack, recipes for a shop, a SaaS, an AI agent and a blog, doctor, up, resource, status, troubleshoot; source in .agents/skills) and an AGENTS.md to your project, so the agent checks your setup and explains failures instead of guessing at Docker or Tilt configuration. More prompts by category are in the prompt gallery.

No terminal at hand? Open the Flisk starter in GitHub Codespaces or Gitpod, or pick another one-click option.

Run your AI agents next to your services

Flisk is the local runtime for agent systems: the agent, its MCP tools, its database, its queue, behind one gateway, one command.

# Scaffold an agent, an MCP tools server, and a database in one stack
flisk resource bot --type agent --stack shop --yes
flisk resource tools-mcp --type mcp --stack shop --yes
flisk up shop

Agents get durable checkpoint volumes that survive flisk down, sticky session routing via x-session-id, graceful SIGTERM drain during hot reloads, a Docker health check on /health, and application-level readiness checks on /ready. See the AI agents guide and honest comparison with agent frameworks.

Prerequisites (install once)

ToolVersionInstallNeeded for
Your app's runtimewhatever your app usesNode.js, Python, Go, Bun, ...Every path: it runs your code
Node.js22.12+nodejs.orgnpm install (npm install -g @flisk-sh/flisk)
DockerEngine 25+, Compose 2.20.2+docker.comDocker + Tilt path only
Tilt0.25+`curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/tilt-dev/tilt/master/scripts/install.sh \bash`Docker + Tilt path only
Bun1.2+`curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install \bash`Bun install (bun add -g @flisk-sh/flisk), or generated JavaScript services

Two ways to run. A project whose services each declare a command runs them as local processes: you need only Flisk and your app's runtime (simplest path). A database, one gateway URL for every service, or the same container you deploy need Docker and Tilt. flisk doctor checks only what your project uses.

Set up your machine. Pick your system:

Get your Mac ready once. Paste each grey box into the terminal (press Cmd+Space, type Terminal, press Enter) and press Enter.

1. Node.js 22.12+ from nodejs.org, plus your app's own language if it is not JavaScript. That is all a small app needs: the simplest path.

2. Only for bigger apps (a database, one address in front of every part, or the same container you deploy): start Docker Desktop, OrbStack or Colima, and install Tilt:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/tilt-dev/tilt/master/scripts/install.sh \
  | bash

3. Install Flisk and check your Mac:

npm install -g @flisk-sh/flisk
flisk doctor

flisk doctor checks only what your project uses and prints a fix for anything missing. Full steps: macOS setup.

Installation

Install the CLI with npm, with Bun, or as a prebuilt binary that needs no Node.js or Bun:

npm install -g @flisk-sh/flisk

This downloads Flisk with npm, which comes with Node.js 22.12+. Check it with flisk --version: it prints a version number. Update later with flisk upgrade. Pinning a version and uninstalling: install with npm.

For developers: public npm is the recommended default; to install through GitHub Packages instead, configure registry authentication as described in GitHub Packages installation.

Update later with flisk upgrade (or its alias flisk update), or npm install -g @flisk-sh/flisk@latest. To pin a version or read what changed, see upgrading and version pinning.

[!IMPORTANT] Get Flisk from the flisk-sh/flisk repository, the @flisk-sh/flisk npm package, or the official website. Follow the installation links from these official sources. A similar repository name or copied README does not establish that a download is official.

Quick start

The commands under What is Flisk? are the whole quick start, once the prerequisites are in place. This section is the long version: the other ways to start, what to expect, and what Flisk writes. Never used a terminal? Start here instead.

Pick how to start

Four ways to get your app running: the simplest one, a one-command demo, a project you set up by hand, and a guided setup that asks you questions. The simplest is below; each tab opens its own page.

Run your app on your own computer with one command, without Docker. This path fits an app made of a few parts that each start with one command, for example a back end (an API), a website and a worker. You need only Flisk and the program that runs your code, such as Node.js.

For developers: each service runs as a local process. You need only Flisk and your app's runtime.

1. Install Flisk. Paste this into your terminal and press Enter:

npm install -g @flisk-sh/flisk

2. Describe each part. Put a small settings file called service.json in each part's folder (next to each service). It tells Flisk the part's name, the command that starts it and the port it listens on. This one is for the back end:

{
  "schemaVersion": 1,
  "appName": "api",
  "appType": "backend",
  "command": "node server.js",
  "port": 4000,
  "healthCheckPath": "/health"
}

This one is for the website. "dependsOn": ["api"] means "start the back end first":

{
  "schemaVersion": 1,
  "appName": "web",
  "appType": "frontend",
  "command": "node server.js",
  "port": 3000,
  "dependsOn": ["api"]
}

3. Start everything. In the terminal, go to your project folder and run:

flisk up

What you will see: Flisk starts the API, waits until it answers, then starts the website. It prints both URLs (the web addresses to open in your browser; they are localhost links, so only you can see them). Each line of output starts with the name of the part that wrote it. If a part crashes, Flisk starts it again.

To stop, press Ctrl+C (hold Control and press C), or run flisk down. No Docker, no Tilt, no generated files. See Run your app without Docker for every field, and for when to switch to the full stack with a database and one gateway URL (one web address for every part).

Verify it works

For the shop at the top of this page, flisk up shop first lists what it starts and where:

Starting 2 services from stack "shop"...
  - orders-api
  - shop-web

🌍 Frontend URLs:
  - shop-web: http://app.my-shop.localhost/shop-web/health

🔧 Backend API URLs:
  - orders-api: http://api.my-shop.localhost/api/orders/health
Host ports: HTTP 80, HTTPS 443, Postgres 15432

Then Tilt builds and starts the containers, and flisk up ends with Flisk is up. and the Tilt dashboard address, http://localhost:10350, where each service turns green when it is healthy. Your host ports can differ: when 80 or 5432 is busy, Flisk picks a free one and the URLs include it. flisk down stops everything. Every command you will use next is under Commands.

Troubleshooting
IssueFix
flisk doctor failsRun the fix commands it prints, then retry
Port 80/5432 in useflisk doctor shows the owner; stop it or set FLISK_HTTP_PORT
Docker not runningStart Docker Desktop / systemctl start docker
Windows nativeUse WSL2 Ubuntu; see Windows guide
flisk up refusesRun flisk doctor first; it explains what's missing

Full troubleshooting: docs/troubleshooting.md

Set FLISK_DEBUG=1 before running flisk up --verbose to include Starlark debug logs in Tilt output.

What Flisk writes for you

You write one service.json per service. For the two-service shop above, Flisk writes the rest at three levels: the project, the stack, and each service.

my-shop/
├── .env                                              # generated DB_PASSWORD and JWT_SECRET
├── .flisk/
│   ├── project.json                                  # project settings (yours to edit)
│   └── .flisk-out/                                   # PROJECT LEVEL
│       ├── Tiltfile                                  # what Tilt runs
│       ├── docker-compose.traefik.yml                # local gateway, bound to 127.0.0.1
│       ├── golden-layers.Dockerfile                  # shared base image layers
│       ├── TILT_TECH_STACK.star                      # tech stack settings
│       ├── TILT_RESOURCE_DEFAULTS.star               # service defaults
│       ├── spec.master                               # project spec by stack
│       └── flisk-cli-ext/                            # pinned copy of the Flisk engine
├── shared-platform-engineering/
│   └── docker-templates/                             # container entrypoint scripts
└── services/
    ├── platform/database-management/
    │   └── docker-compose.yml                        # Postgres 16
    └── shop/
        ├── .autogenerated/                           # STACK LEVEL
        │   └── docker-compose.app.autogenerated.yml  # every service in the stack
        ├── orders-api/
        │   ├── service.json                          # you write this
        │   └── .autogenerated/                       # SERVICE LEVEL: 14 files
        └── shop-web/
            ├── service.json                          # you write this
            └── .autogenerated/                       # SERVICE LEVEL: 18 files

The stack's Compose file is the part you would otherwise write by hand. For these two services it holds the image builds, environment, 33 Traefik routing labels, four networks, health checks, and CPU and memory limits. An excerpt:

orders-api:
  environment:
    - DATABASE_URL=postgresql://my_shop:${DB_PASSWORD}@my_shop_postgres:5432/my_shop_shop?schema=public
    - JWT_SECRET=${JWT_SECRET:?JWT_SECRET is not set. Run `flisk up` ...}
  labels:
    - "traefik.http.routers.orders-api-project.rule=Host(`api.my-shop.localhost`) && PathPrefix(`/api/orders`)"
    - "traefik.http.middlewares.orders-api-strip-prefix-project.stripprefix.prefixes=/api/orders"
    - "traefik.http.services.orders-api.loadbalancer.healthcheck.path=/health"
  healthcheck:
    test: ["CMD", "curl", "-f", "--max-time", "5", "http://localhost:4000/health"]

Secrets come from the project .env by default: flisk project generates a random database password and JWT secret, and .env is added to .gitignore. Set FLISK_SECRET_PROVIDER=infisical to read secrets from Infisical instead (environment).

Every file in each service's .autogenerated/ folder

shop-web/.autogenerated/
├── Dockerfile.app.autogenerated               # app image
├── Dockerfile.app.autogenerated.dockerignore  # build context
├── nginx.autogenerated.conf                   # serves the build, routes API requests
├── vite.config.frontend.autogenerated.ts      # dev server
├── vite.config.build.autogenerated.ts         # production build
├── tsconfig.autogenerated.json                # TypeScript, host
├── tsconfig.docker.autogenerated.json         # TypeScript, container
├── .npmrc.autogenerated                       # package registry, host
├── .npmrc.docker.autogenerated                # package registry, container
├── bunfig.autogenerated.toml                  # Bun settings, host
├── bunfig.docker.autogenerated.toml           # Bun settings, container
├── .env.frontend.autogenerated                # frontend environment
├── env.ts                                     # API URL for your imports
├── api-client.ts                              # client for the frontend's API route
├── api-index.ts                               # re-exports the client and URL
├── service.yaml                               # Tilt's projection of service.json
├── validation-report.autogenerated.json       # preflight validation result
├── AGENTS.md                                  # tells coding agents not to edit here
└── .flisk-contract/                           # snapshots for drift checks
orders-api/.autogenerated/
├── Dockerfile.app.autogenerated               # app image
├── Dockerfile.app.autogenerated.dockerignore  # build context
├── vite.config.backend.autogenerated.ts       # server build
├── prisma.config.autogenerated.ts             # database client
├── tsconfig.autogenerated.json                # TypeScript, host
├── tsconfig.docker.autogenerated.json         # TypeScript, container
├── .npmrc.autogenerated                       # package registry, host
├── .npmrc.docker.autogenerated                # package registry, container
├── bunfig.autogenerated.toml                  # Bun settings, host
├── bunfig.docker.autogenerated.toml           # Bun settings, container
├── .env.backend.autogenerated                 # backend environment
├── service.yaml                               # Tilt's projection of service.json
├── validation-report.autogenerated.json       # preflight validation result
├── AGENTS.md                                  # tells coding agents not to edit here
└── .flisk-contract/                           # snapshots for drift checks

A stack with a database migrator also gets docker-compose.migrator.autogenerated.yml in the stack folder, and the migrator gets its own Dockerfile.migrator.autogenerated.

You never write an nginx config, a Dockerfile, a Compose file, or Traefik labels for this stack. flisk up regenerates these files when service.json changes and refuses to start if one was edited by hand. Python, Go, and Rust services, and optional features such as Playwright, get their own sets; the generated-files guide lists them and explains the drift checks.

See how Flisk compares to alternative dev tools, how Flisk CLI works alongside Helm, the service schema, and the project configuration schema.

Commands

The commands you will use every day:

You want toFlisk doesCommand
Start a new projectCreates the project and first servicesflisk project --yes
Add a serviceWrites its service.json and generated filesflisk resource <name> --type backend --stack <stack> --yes
Start a whole stackStarts Postgres, your services, and the routing, and prints the URLsflisk up <stack>
Preview before startingShows which services and URLs would start, without containersflisk up <stack> --dry-run
Inspect running servicesOpens an interactive terminal dashboardflisk ui
Check your machineReports Docker, Tilt, and port readinessflisk doctor
Catch config driftCompares generated files with what Flisk last wroteflisk config verify
Read one service's logsPrints its recent log linesflisk logs --service <name>
Restart one serviceRestarts it in the running stackflisk restart <name>
Stop everythingStops every service in the stackflisk down
Keep Flisk currentUpgrades the CLI in placeflisk upgrade

Commands take --help, and --json prints one JSON object for scripts and agents (machine-readable output). The same actions are MCP tools through flisk mcp. Every command and flag: cheat sheet.

Flisk works with:

  • Runtimes & Frameworks: Bun, Node, Python, Go, Rust, React, Vue, Svelte, Elysia, Fastify, NestJS
  • Databases & Tooling: Prisma, Drizzle, Atlas, Dbmate
  • Messaging & Gateway: NATS, Traefik

Configuration

You edit three kinds of files; Flisk writes everything else and checks it for hand edits.

FileWhat it holdsReference
service.json, one per serviceName, type, stack, port, health check, dependsOn, a command to run it as a local process, and optional featuresEvery field
.flisk/project.jsonThe project name and which stacks each phase enables; flisk project creates itProject settings
.envSecrets such as DB_PASSWORD and JWT_SECRET; flisk project generates them and adds .env to .gitignoreEnvironment

Flisk selects host ports from bounded fallback ranges for HTTP, HTTPS, and Postgres, and dev ports listen on 127.0.0.1 only, so other machines on your network cannot reach them. These environment variables change that and more:

VariableWhat it does
FLISK_HTTP_PORT, FLISK_HTTPS_PORT, FLISK_POSTGRES_PORTPin the host port for the gateway (HTTP, HTTPS) or Postgres
FLISK_BIND_ADDRESSThe address dev ports listen on, 127.0.0.1 by default. 0.0.0.0 lets you test from a phone; flisk doctor warns when it is a wildcard address
FLISK_SECRET_PROVIDERinfisical reads secrets from Infisical instead of .env
TILT_PORTThe Tilt UI port, 10350 by default
FLISK_DEBUG1, with flisk up --verbose, adds Starlark debug logs to the Tilt output

Editor autocomplete and validation for both JSON files: configuration and editor schemas.

How Flisk works

  1. Describe each service in a service.json next to its code.
  2. Run flisk up <stack>. Flisk generates the local runtime files from those manifests: Dockerfiles, Traefik routing, and the Tiltfile.
  3. Docker runs the containers and Tilt watches them. Edit code and the containers live-update. Use flisk ui to inspect running services, and flisk doctor or flisk config verify to check the environment and generated files.
Everything is wired together, and stays in sync

You do not connect services by hand. Flisk derives each connection from the same service.json files and regenerates it when they change.

When you...Flisk updates
Add a service with flisk resourceIt is discovered automatically and its stack is enabled on the next flisk up. It gets an image build, a Compose entry, gateway routes, a health check, and its own .autogenerated/ files.
Edit a service.json (port, dependsOn, features)The Dockerfile, Compose entry, Traefik labels, and nginx config are regenerated on the next flisk up. A hand edit to a generated file is caught as drift before anything starts.
Edit your codeTilt live-updates the running container. No rebuild step.
Add a backend routeFrontends already point at the API through generated VITE_API_URL, env.ts, and api-client.ts, built from the same hostnames the gateway routes.
Add a database or a second backendDATABASE_URL and the other connection settings are injected into each service's environment. No copying of passwords or hostnames.
Run on a project with an older or missing .envMissing secrets such as JWT_SECRET are generated without overwriting your values.
Declare dependsOnServices start in health-checked order.

See how flisk up works for the full startup sequence.

Why Flisk CLI?

How Flisk compares, in 10 categories with two tools each. Pick a tab:

Docker Compose and Tilt are tools developers use to start the parts of an app on their computer. Compose runs containers from a YAML settings file you write. Tilt watches your files and live-updates the running app as you save them, from a Tiltfile you write. Flisk writes both files for you from one small service.json per service (per part of your app), then runs Tilt.

Docker ComposeTiltFlisk
Scaffold a new service in one commandPartial (docker init writes a Dockerfile and compose file)NoYes (flisk resource)
Hot reload on file changePartial (compose watch)Yes (live_update)Yes (generated Tilt live_update)
Health-checked startup orderYes (depends_on: condition: service_healthy)Yes (resource_deps, written by hand)Yes (from dependsOn)
Gateway URL per service and Postgres includedNo (you add them)No (you add them)Yes (Traefik *.localhost and Postgres)
Start one stack of a large systemPartial (profiles)Yes (tilt up <resource>)Yes (flisk up <stack>)
Config you write by handcompose.yamlTiltfile (Starlark)service.json only; the rest is generated and drift-checked

Where they are stronger

  • Compose is the simpler choice for two or three services you already containerized, and it needs no Tilt.
  • Tilt gives full control when you are happy to write and maintain a Tiltfile, and it also targets Kubernetes.

Use them together. Flisk generates a Compose file and a Tiltfile and runs them with Docker and Tilt, so the generated files stay readable with flisk config explain.

See the detailed tool comparison for architectural tradeoffs, when each tool is the better choice, and migration workflows.

Examples

Runnable examples show Flisk on real stacks. Start with the smallest one:

ExampleWhat it shows
one-backendOne Bun/TypeScript backend with Postgres
one-backend-pythonA Python backend in the same local stack
one-backend-helmWorking alongside Helm
byoBringing your own existing resources
byo-jobsBring-your-own jobs
flisk-exampleA full multi-service stack

When not to use Flisk

  • Your existing Compose or Tilt workflow already gives you a working local environment.
  • Helm is your whole development workflow and you do not want local services on Docker.
  • You do not want service.json manifests and generated local configuration.

Requirements and support

For the Docker + Tilt path, install Docker (Desktop, OrbStack, or Colima; Engine 25+, Compose 2.20.2+) and Tilt. Bun 1.2+ is used by the default generated services. Ports and other settings: Configuration.

Flisk supports macOS, Linux, and Windows through WSL2 Ubuntu. Native Windows is inspect-only: flisk --version, flisk doctor, and flisk up --dry-run work, and flisk up exits 1 with “Landscape startup needs Ubuntu on WSL2. Native Windows is inspect-only.” See the Windows & WSL2 guide for the recommended setup, prerequisites, verification steps, and troubleshooting.

Roadmap

For the next 12 months Flisk plans to keep 1.x stable (flisk up, scaffolding, generated files and flisk config verify stay backward compatible), keep the core free, keep Windows and WSL2 working, keep hardening the supply chain, keep the docs current, and add maintainers. It does not plan to deploy to production or to target Kubernetes. The full plan, and how to propose a change: ROADMAP.md.

License matrix

CapabilityFreePremium
flisk up, scaffold, Traefik, Postgres, Tilt live update, golden layersyesyes
Verdaccio, DDD scaffold, Sablier idle stopnokey
Playwright, C4, AGENTS.mdfree if generated in-repoonly if the implementation is downloaded with a key

Core stays free. Premium is a separate key for the extras above; no key required to run flisk up.

Stability: 1.x.

FAQ

I have never written code. Is Flisk for me?

Yes, if you build with an AI helper like Claude Code, Codex or Cursor. You describe the app; the helper writes it and uses Flisk to run it on your computer. Start here walks you through it step by step, and Words you'll see explains the terms. You will paste a few commands into a terminal, but you do not need to write any code.

Does it cost anything?

The Flisk command-line tool is free and open source (MIT); optional Premium extras need a key (see the license matrix). Your AI helper has its own plans and prices. Bigger apps also use Docker Desktop, which is free for personal use and small companies.

Do I need Kubernetes?

No. Flisk runs your services with Docker and Tilt on your machine. It does not need a local cluster such as kind or minikube, and it does not replace Helm, Compose, or your production deployment tools.

Do I need a license key?

No. Core CLI is MIT and needs no key to run flisk up. Premium extras are optional and use a separate key (see the license matrix).

Which platforms are supported?

macOS and Linux are supported directly. Windows is supported through WSL2 Ubuntu; native Windows supports CLI inspection only (flisk --version, flisk doctor, flisk up --dry-run). See Requirements and support and the Windows & WSL2 guide for the recommended setup, prerequisites, verification steps, and troubleshooting.

Does Flisk send my code anywhere?

Flisk runs the local stack on your machine. For network calls, secrets, and supply-chain details, see security: network calls, secrets and supply chain.

Can I keep using Compose, Helm, or my own Tilt setup?

Yes. If your existing setup already gives you a working local environment, keep using it. See working alongside Helm and gradual adoption for adding Flisk to an existing repository.

What should I do if I hit a bug?

Update first; a recent release may already fix it. Run flisk upgrade (also available as flisk update), or:

npm install -g @flisk-sh/flisk@latest

Then run flisk doctor and retry the same task. If the problem persists, open an issue with your Flisk version, operating system, steps to reproduce, and the error output. See upgrading and version pinning and troubleshooting.

Docs

Community

Ecosystem map: examples, articles, related tools, and notes live in awesome-flisk-framework. Star this repo (flisk) if the CLI is what you run; use the awesome list to browse the rest. If Flisk saves you time, a ⭐ on this repo helps other developers find it.

Share: X · Bluesky · Threads · Mastodon · Reddit · Hacker News · Facebook · LinkedIn · Telegram · WhatsApp · Email

Contributing and license

Contributions are welcome. First step: say hello on Discord, tell us what you want to work on, and we will point you to a good first task. Then start with CONTRIBUTING.md and the contributor guide. For the project structure, see the architecture and repository map. To review pull requests, see Review a pull request. Report security issues using SECURITY.md.

Test, scale, and security status


ERP fixture scale run on a clean GitHub-hosted runner (4 vCPU, 15 GB RAM), snapshot from run 39160719471. The live status is in the ERP fixture scale E2E badge above.

Contributors

Thank you to everyone who has shipped code, docs, and fixes to Flisk since July 2026. Every merged change makes the local stack better for the next developer.

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Delfi2007 Ghifariezra Huang-404-Q dbdefault Rohith-Saran aazminu

xiehuanyi NimoCao rahul05ranjan krishna2707 arxh80 tnalbant

sunny-kavixo sohammkk sinhaananya812-star jay23606 floatyserve eddyflores100-lang

denisvmedia amritkang165 airdropia adity982 YuuGR1337 WilsonSoetomo

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Flisk is MIT-licensed; see LICENSE. The license boundary says which code is MIT and which is downloaded with a key.

Project governance: GOVERNANCE.md, MAINTAINERS.md, ADOPTERS.md.

Using Flisk in Slack or Discord? Get the Flisk green thunder emoji (SVG and PNG, MIT).

Frequently asked questions

What is Flisk?

Run your whole app on your computer with one command: build, start, check and fix a local stack.

How do I install Flisk?

It runs on your machine. In Claude Code: claude mcp add flisk -- npx -y @flisk-sh/flisk@1.4.13 mcp. For other clients, paste the JSON configuration from this page into their MCP settings.

Does Flisk need an API key?

Its registry entry lists no required key or secret. Some features may still need an account with the service it connects to.

Is Flisk open source?

Yes. Its code is on GitHub under the MIT license.

Who maintains Flisk?

It is published by flisk-sh. AI.tn lists it but does not maintain or endorse it.

From the official MCP Registry. Listing is not an endorsement: review a server's code and permissions before giving it access to your data.