Rackula is a free, open-source web application that serves as a drag-and-drop rack visualizer for planning and designing server rack layouts. It’s particularly popular among homelab enthusiasts, self-hosters, and data center planners. The app runs entirely in the browser, allowing users to drag real device images (compatible with NetBox’s devicetype-library) from a library into virtual racks, rearrange equipment easily, and visualize accurate rack elevations with proper scaling. It supports exporting layouts to PNG, PDF, or SVG formats and sharing designs via QR codes and shareable URLs. Built with TypeScript and Svelte, Rackula is lightweight, requires no server-side persistence. In this step by step guide I will show you how to install Rackula on your UGREEN NAS using Docker & Portainer.

💡Note: This guide works perfectly with the latest Rackula v0.7.7 release.

💡Note: Check out my guide on how to Install Rackula on Your Synology NAS.

• STEP 1

Please Support My work by Making a Donation.

• STEP 2

Install Portainer using my step by step guide. If you already have Portainer installed on your UGREEN NAS, skip this STEP. Attention: Make sure you have installed the latest Portainer version.

• STEP 3

Go to Files and open the docker folder. Inside the docker folder, create one new folder and name it rackula. Follow the instructions in the image below.
Note: Be careful to enter only lowercase, not uppercase letters.

• STEP 4

Log into Portainer using your username and password. On the left sidebar in Portainer, click on Home then Live connect. Follow the instructions in the image below.

On the left sidebar in Portainer, click on Stacks then + Add stack. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 5

In the Name field type in rackula. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Note: Copy Paste the code below in the Portainer Stacks Web editor.

services:
  Rackula:
    image: ghcr.io/rackulalives/rackula:latest
    container_name: Rackula
    healthcheck:
      test: ["CMD-SHELL", "nc -z 127.0.0.1 8080 || exit 1"]
      interval: 10s
      timeout: 5s
      retries: 3
      start_period: 90s
    environment:
       API_HOST: rackula-api
       API_PORT: 3001
       RACKULA_LISTEN_PORT: 8080
    ports:
      - 3891:8080
    depends_on:
      - rackula-api
    restart: on-failure:5

  rackula-api:
    image: ghcr.io/rackulalives/rackula-api:latest
    container_name: Rackula-API
    user: 999:10
    volumes:
      - /volume1/docker/rackula:/data:rw
    environment:
       DATA_DIR: /data
       PORT: 3001
    restart: on-failure:5

Note: Before you paste the code above in the Web editor area below, change the value numbers for user with your own UID and GID values. (Follow my step by step guide on how to do this.) 999 is my personal UID value and 10 is my personal GID value. You have to type in your own values.

• STEP 6

Scroll down on the page until you see a button named Deploy the stack. Click on it. Follow the instructions in the image below. The installation process can take up to a few minutes. It will depend on your Internet speed connection.

• STEP 7

If everything goes right, you will see the following message at the top right of your screen: “Success Stack successfully deployed“.

• STEP 8

🟢Please Support My work by Making a Donation. Almost 99,9% of the people that install something using my guides forget to support my work, or just ignore STEP 1. I’ve been very honest about this aspect of my work since the beginning: I don’t run any ADS, I don’t require subscriptions, paid or otherwise, I don’t collect IPs, emails, and I don’t have any referral links from Amazon or other merchants. I also don’t have any POP-UPs or COOKIES. I have repeatedly been told over the years how much I have contributed to the community. It’s something I love doing and have been honest about my passion since the beginning. But I also Need The Community to Support me Back to be able to continue doing this work.

• STEP 9

The installation process can take up to a few minutes or less, seconds. It will depend on your Internet speed connection. Now open your browser and type in http://ugreen-ip-address:3891 If everything goes right, you will see the Rackula first page. Add your rack information, then click Next. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 10

Add your Rack Information. Click Create Rack. Follow the instructions in the image below.

• STEP 11

From the left sidebar, Drag and drop devices into your virtual rack. Follow the instructions in the image below.

Enjoy Rackula on Your UGREEN NAS!

🆘TROUBLESHOOTING

Note: If you want to run the Rackula container over HTTPS, check out How to Run Docker Containers Over HTTPS on Your UGREEN NAS.

🆙Note/Update/Container: How to Update Your Docker Containers on UGREEN NAS Using Portainer.
🐳Note: How to Create Docker Shortcuts on Desktop.
🆕Note: How to Update Portainer to the latest version.
🆕Note: How to Clean Docker.