David Heinemeier Hansson and Kevin McConnell dive into the thinking behind the ONCE open source app server and what it takes to turn self-hosted software into something anyone can run.

37Signals, now known as Basecamp, shares  insights and practical advice on project management, remote work, collaboration, and productivity. Through blog posts, podcasts, and webinars, 37Signals offers strategies for effective communication, team coordination, and task management in distributed work environments. Readers can learn about project planning techniques, time management strategies, and leadership principles to foster a culture of collaboration and accountability within their teams. Additionally, 37Signals provides case studies, success stories, and real-world examples to inspire organizations to adopt a more flexible and efficient approach to work, driving productivity and innovation.

37signals Dev

37signals has open-sourced ONCE, a new app server platform designed to make self-hosted web applications as simple as plugging in a game cartridge. Built on Docker and Kamal Proxy, ONCE lets users run multiple applications (Campfire, Writebook, Fizzy, or custom Docker containers) on a single machine with a single command. The platform features a retro-styled TUI dashboard, automatic updates with zero-downtime deploys, daily backups, traffic monitoring via Prometheus and HyperLogLog-based visitor counting, and requires only a hostname to install an app. The philosophy prioritizes convention over configuration, data ownership, and making self-hosting accessible to non-programmers — especially as AI coding tools lower the barrier to building apps that need somewhere to run.

The ONCE app server