NexoVirt Box: a free web desktop for your own server
Apps in one click, files, backups and a firewall you cannot lock yourself out of, in your browser. Open source under the AGPL.
Early test version (0.x), in development.
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NexoVirt/nexovirt-box/main/deploy/get.sh | sudo sh
- checks the system
- verifies the release signature and checksums
- installs and starts Box
- open https://<server-ip>:8443 and enter the setup code
Debian 12, 13 or Ubuntu 22.04, 24.04 · amd64 or arm64 · Docker optional
What is NexoVirt Box?
A web desktop that installs on top of the server you already have, not a new operating system.
Box installs on a normal Debian or Ubuntu server with one command. It is a single program with the web interface built in, plus a small root helper. Open https://<server-ip>:8443, create your admin account and the desktop is there: app tiles, live widgets and floating windows.
Your server stays yours. SSH, your own services and your own configuration keep working, and Box only changes what it manages itself. It is made for one machine: a home server, a small VPS or a mini PC in the cupboard.
- 600+ Docker apps in the catalog, from the Runtipi, CasaOS and BigBear app stores.
- €0 Open source under the GNU AGPL 3.0. No paid edition, no license key, no account.
- 60 s until an unconfirmed firewall change rolls itself back.
Everything a small server needs, in one desktop
The things you would otherwise do over SSH, with a few clicks and a clear way back.
- App store with 600+ apps
Docker apps in one click, with generated passwords, update notices and logs. Bring your own compose file for anything that is missing.
- Files in the browser
A Finder-style explorer with upload, preview, drag and drop and share links.
- Backups built in
Encrypted backups of your apps to a local folder, S3 or a Proxmox Backup Server, on a schedule, with one-click restore.
- HTTPS for every app
Give an app its own domain: a built-in reverse proxy (Caddy) fetches the Let's Encrypt certificate.
- A firewall you cannot lock yourself out of
Every change rolls back after 60 seconds unless you confirm it. Box only touches its own rules and shows the rest read only.
Also included
- System updates (apt) from the desktop
- Disk health with SMART
- Samba and NFS shares
- Notifications by email, Discord, ntfy or webhook
- Live widgets for CPU, memory, storage and network
- Floating windows, light and dark mode, your own theme
See NexoVirt Box
Real screenshots of the current test version, not mockups.
Built so a web desktop does not become a way in
A web UI with root access is a big target. Box keeps the parts that need root small and checks them twice.
- The web UI never runs as rootIt runs as its own unprivileged user. Root work goes through a small helper that only knows a fixed list of actions.
- The root console needs a fresh passwordThe helper checks your password (and 2FA code) itself before it opens a shell, so even a compromised web process cannot start one.
- Two-step sign-inTOTP codes with recovery codes, and passkeys. Failed sign-ins are rate limited.
- Signed updates with a way backBox only installs releases signed with the NexoVirt key, on your click. If the new version does not answer, the old one comes back.
Install NexoVirt Box
Run the command at the top of this page as root on your server. It checks the system, verifies the release signature and checksums, then installs.
Then open https://<server-ip>:8443, enter the setup code the installer printed and create your admin account. Run the same command again to upgrade.
- Debian 12, 13 or Ubuntu 22.04, 24.04
- amd64, arm64 a mini PC, an arm64 board or a VPS
- Docker optional Box offers to install it the first time you open the App Store
An open-source alternative to CasaOS
CasaOS showed how friendly a home server can be, and part of the Box catalog comes from its app store. Box takes the same idea in its own direction.
Like CasaOS
- Installs on your existing Linux server, no reinstall
- A web desktop with app tiles and a Docker app store
- Free and open source
What Box adds
- Encrypted backups to a folder, S3 or Proxmox Backup Server
- HTTPS with your own domain for every app
- A firewall that rolls back changes you do not confirm
- A web UI without root, a root console behind a fresh password, 2FA and passkeys
- Signed updates that roll back on their own if the new version fails
Box is new and under active development. The latest CasaOS release on GitHub (v0.4.15) dates from December 2024. Both projects change over time, so check each one's current state for your setup.
NexoVirt Box FAQ
Is NexoVirt Box free?
Yes. Box is open source under the GNU AGPL 3.0. There is no paid edition, no license key and no account: you install it on your own server and it is yours.
Is NexoVirt Box ready for production?
Not yet. Box is an early test version (0.x) in active development, and things will change before 1.0. Try it on a test server or a machine whose data you have backed up elsewhere.
How is Box related to the NexoVirt panel for Proxmox?
They are separate products from the same team. The NexoVirt panel manages Proxmox VE hosts and clusters for homelabs and hosting providers. Box is a free web desktop for one Debian or Ubuntu server and does not need Proxmox. It can send backups to a Proxmox Backup Server if you have one.
Which systems does NexoVirt Box run on?
Debian 12 and 13, Ubuntu 22.04 and 24.04, on amd64 or arm64. Box installs on top of the system you already have. Docker is optional: Box offers to install it the first time you open the App Store.
Is NexoVirt Box an alternative to CasaOS?
Yes. Like CasaOS, Box installs on an existing Linux server and gives it a web desktop with an app store. Box adds encrypted backups, HTTPS for apps, a firewall that rolls back unconfirmed changes and signed updates. Part of its app catalog comes from the CasaOS App Store (Apache-2.0).
How do updates work?
Box only installs releases signed with the NexoVirt release key, and only when you click Install. If the new version does not answer, the old one comes back. Running the install command again also upgrades.
Follow NexoVirt Box on GitHub
Box is built in the open. Star or watch the repository to follow the road to 1.0, report a bug or send a pull request.