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Installing Custom Apps

You can host your own applications on your box by installing them as custom apps.

Currently, custom apps are not able to interact with other apps, talk to other boxes, or be accessed from the client via the SamizdApp network. Check back for new updates as we continue to improve this feature.

POST to /app/manifests API​

Custom apps are docker compose manifests that are managed by our REST API.

You can install a new custom app by sending a POST request to http://samizdapp.local/smz/api/app/manifests with the following body:

  • name: Name of your app.
  • manifest: JSON-encoded contents of a docker compose manifest your app will run.

This POST body would create an app named my-jupyter-app that runs an instance of jupyter, using the jupyter/minimal-notebook docker image.

{
  "name": "my-jupyter-app",
  "manifest": "\nservices:\n  jupyter-minimal:\n    image: jupyter/minimal-notebook\n    network_mode: host\n"
}

Wait For Your App to Start​

After the POST request is sent, your box, assuming it is currently running, will being installing your app. Depending on the size of your app and the speed of your box's internet connection, this could take up to several minutes.

You can ssh into your box and run:

balena-engine container ls | grep $YOUR_APP_NAME

to see when your app has started.

Once your app is running, you should be able to access it via samizdapp.local or the IP address of your box via whatever ports it is listening on.