Stop Using Docker Logs + Grep, Here’s a Better Way: LogForge (Free & Open-source)
LogForge: A self-hosted Docker monitoring dashboard for developers. Real-time logs, alerts, and service status — all in one lightweight UI. Free & open-source under AGPL-3.0.
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As developers, we’ve all been there: You're running multiple Docker containers locally or on a dev server. One service crashes. Another starts throwing errors. But you don’t notice until something breaks, and then it’s time for the dreaded docker logs + grep ritual.
Welcome to the world of: LogForge, a self-hosted, lightweight monitoring dashboard built for developers, by developers.
Let’s break down why LogForge is a must-have tool for modern devs.
What Is LogForge?
LogForge is a real-time service monitoring dashboard designed specifically for Docker environments . It gives you instant visibility into:
- Which containers are running (or crashed)
- Live log streaming per container
- Custom error alerts via keywords
- Auto-detection of Docker services
And the best part? You can have it up and running in under a minute, no heavy monitoring stacks required.
Unlike Dozzle, which only works while you're watching, or Papertrail, which charges for search and lacks real-time alerts, LogForge is always-on, self-hosted, and built with real-time notifications at its core.
Hazem Abbas
Compared to heavy, expensive options like Datadog, complex stacks like Grafana + Loki, or maintenance-heavy setups like ELK, LogForge offers a streamlined, developer-first experience, no cloud dependency, no complicated setup, and no unnecessary noise.
It’s monitoring made simple, smart, and built for modern dev workflows.
Hazem Abbas
Who Should Use LogForge?
- Developers working with Docker-based setups
- Teams looking for lightweight monitoring (no Kubernetes-level complexity)
- Anyone tired of SSH-ing into containers just to check logs
- Devs who want real-time insight without setting up a dozen tools
Why We Love It
1- Instant Setup with Docker Compose
One command gets you started:
git clone https://github.com/log-forge/logforge.git
cd logforge
docker compose up -d --buildThen open your browser to http://localhost:3000 and you’re good to go.
No Prometheus. No Grafana. No configuration hell.
2- Real-Time Logs & Service Status
See what’s happening in your environment at a glance:
- Live log streaming with filtering by container
- Clear indicators of service status: Running / Crashed / Stopped
- Built-in keyword alerts, get notified when "error" or "warning" appears in your logs
Hazem Abbas
3- Smart Notifications
Set up custom alert rules based on log content. For example, if a specific service throws a database connection error, LogForge will let you know immediately — so you can fix it fast.
Perfect for catching issues before they snowball into bigger problems.
4- Built for Devs, Not Just Ops
LogForge isn’t trying to be a full-blown enterprise observability stack. It’s lean, focused, and perfect for local development, staging, or small-scale deployments.
Think of it as “monitoring without the madness.”
Our Experience Using LogForge
While building our VR-based ADHD therapy app for Teknofest, we were managing over 10 micro-services inside Docker. Keeping track of their health manually was a pain.
After deploying LogForge , we gained:
- Instant visibility into service uptime
- Faster debugging thanks to filtered log streams
- Peace of mind from real-time error alerts
It helped us cut down debugging time by more than 50% , and honestly, we haven’t looked back since.
Hazem AbbasLicense
The project is released as a free open-source app under the AGPL-3.0 License.
AGPL keeps software open by requiring public availability of modified source code, especially for online services. Promotes openness, sharing, and transparency.
Is it Good for commercial use?
Yes, you can use LogForge commercially, but if you modify the code and run it as a service, you must share those changes publicly.
Why it matters for LogForge:
If you're fine with sharing your modifications, AGPL is great. Not ideal if you want to keep custom features private in a SaaS product.
The Premium Edition, is it worth it?
Yes, for teams.
LocalForge Premium, is an all-in-one solution built for developers and teams who demand more than just the basics.
While the free version already brings real-time logs, instant alerts, and seamless integrations with Slack, Discord, Telegram, and Email , the Premium tier steps it up with advanced features designed for professional workflows and enterprise-grade control .
With the premium edition, you can stay in sync anywhere, anytime with cloud sync and multi-device access, perfect for distributed teams that need consistent visibility across devices.
Keep your project secure and organized with Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) , giving you full power over user permissions and team collaboration.
Fine-tune your alert system with per-container keyword monitoring , so you only hear about what matters, no more noise, no more missed red flags.
And here’s the standout feature: Scoped AI agents per container . Get intelligent summaries, context-aware insights, and actionable fix suggestions straight from your logs, turning hours of debugging into minutes.
From solo devs to microservices architects, LocalForge Premium gives you the tools to monitor smarter, scale faster, and ship better, every single time.
Ready to Try It?
Check out the project on GitHub and give it a spin:
log-forge
