Best local dev server managers for devtools authors in 2026

Q: Does Overmind match a workflow that uses tmux?

Overmind requires tmux to be installed first .

Q: Is there a cost to use DevWebUI?

DevWebUI is free and its core features need no account .

Compare DevWebUI, Docker Compose, Overmind, hotel, and PM2 for running local development servers. Find matching features and key questions for devtools authors.

By SayDeploy · 2026-10-15

SayDeploy is published by LunarWerx, which makes some of the tools compared here.

Choose based on the platform support, process control, Docker integration and monitoring features you need.

Option	What its source says it does	Where it runs or what it needs
DevWebUI	Start, stop and restart your local dev servers from one dashboard, and see each one's status, CPU, memory and logs ^[1]	Prebuilt Windows x64 app; on other systems you run it from source with Bun, and the tray app is Windows‑only for now ^[1]
Docker Compose	Tool for defining and running multi‑container applications ^[2]; manages services, networks and volumes in a single YAML file ^[2]; creates and starts all services with one command ^[2]	Works in production, staging, development, testing and CI workflows ^[2]
Overmind	Process manager for Procfile‑based applications and tmux ^[3]; can restart a single process on the fly ^[3]; can let a specified process die without interrupting others ^[3]; can automatically restart processes when they die ^[3]	Supports Linux, *BSD and macOS only ^[3]; requires tmux installed first ^[3]
hotel	Starts apps from the browser and provides local domains ^[4]; provides HTTPS via local self‑signed SSL certificate ^[4]; supports wildcard subdomains ^[4]; does not require messing with port 80, /etc/hosts, sudo or additional software ^[4]	Works on macOS, Linux and Windows ^[4]; requires Node installed ^[4]; installed with npm and started with hotel start ^[4]
PM2	Daemon process manager that helps manage applications and keep them online 24/7 ^[5]; web‑based monitoring dashboard started with pm2 monitor ^[5]; PM2 Plus has no free plan but PM2 Runtime is free and open source ^[6]	Can be installed globally with npm ^[5]

What devtools authors need from local dev server managers

Devtools authors often run a front-end preview server, a backend API server, and supporting services such as mock APIs or asset pipelines at the same time. They need to start or stop each component without stopping the whole stack, and they need to see logs for each process in a single view. Port conflicts are common, so a tool that can detect a taken port and show which process holds it is valuable. Environment variables must be passed consistently to all processes, especially when a Docker stack is involved. Authors work on macOS, Windows or Linux, so cross‑platform support matters. Minimal external dependencies keep the setup fast for new contributors. Finally, the ability to integrate with editors or CI pipelines helps keep the development flow smooth.

DevWebUI for devtools authors

DevWebUI is made by the team that publishes this site. It lets you start, stop and restart your local dev servers from one dashboard, and see each one's status, CPU, memory and logs ^[1]. One small file per repo lists the servers to run, and DevWebUI writes processes changed in the GUI back to that file ^[1]. When a port is already taken, it shows which process holds it and can free the port if you ask ^[1]. A compose block starts the repo's Docker stack first, waits for its ports and sets DATABASE_URL‑style env vars ^[1]. DevWebUI is free, and its core features need no account ^[1]. It is open source under the MIT License ^[1]. There is a prebuilt Windows x64 app; on other systems you run it from source with Bun, and the tray app is Windows‑only for now ^[1].

Docker Compose for devtools authors

Docker Compose is a tool for defining and running multi‑container applications ^[2]. Docker Personal includes 100 Docker Hub pulls per hour and 1 private Docker Hub repo, among its included usage ^[7].

Overmind for devtools authors

Overmind is a process manager for Procfile‑based applications and tmux ^[3]. Overmind starts processes in a tmux session so users can connect to any process and gain control over it ^[3]. Overmind currently supports only Linux, *BSD, and macOS ^[3]. Overmind requires tmux to be installed first ^[3].

hotel for devtools authors

Hotel details to check include how it starts apps, supported systems and required software.

PM2 for devtools authors

PM2 details to check include installation and which parts of the tool you need.

Matching the tool to the job

If you need a single dashboard that shows CPU, memory and logs for each process, DevWebUI provides that view ^[1]. For Docker-based workflows, check whether Docker Compose matches the way you define and run services. For projects that use Procfile conventions and tmux, check whether Overmind matches the process workflow you already use. If you prefer starting apps from a browser, check whether hotel supplies the features you need.

Questions to ask before you choose

Does the tool run on the operating system you use for development? Does it require additional software such as Node, tmux or Docker? Can it detect and resolve port conflicts without manual intervention? Does it support the process definition format you already use, like Procfile or Docker Compose YAML? What licensing or cost model applies to the core features you need?

Frequently asked questions

Which local dev server manager works on Windows, macOS and Linux?

Check the operating system you use before choosing.

Is Docker Compose free to use?

Docker Compose is a tool for defining and running multi‑container applications ^[2]. Docker Personal, which includes Docker Compose, provides 100 Docker Hub pulls per hour and 1 private Docker Hub repo as part of its plan ^[7].

Can a tool automatically resolve port conflicts?

DevWebUI detects when a port is already taken and can free the port if you ask ^[1]. Check each tool's documentation for the port handling behavior you need.

Does Overmind match a workflow that uses tmux?

Overmind requires tmux to be installed first ^[3].

Is there a cost to use DevWebUI?

DevWebUI is free and its core features need no account ^[1].

DevWebUI is free, and its core features need no account. ^[1]

Try DevWebUI