bolt.diy
Open-source prompt-to-web-app builder that writes, runs and previews full-stack apps in the browser.
Quick answer
bolt.diy is an open-source prompt-to-web-app builder that writes, runs and previews full-stack apps in the browser, listed under Coding assistants. A typical small-business use: prototype an internal tool, landing page or dashboard from a written description. The project publishes no official RAM figure, so we do not estimate a monthly server cost. License: MIT (uses the WebContainers API, which has separate commercial terms), which allows internal business use.
Last updated · facts verified against official docs on · sources
Activity data comes from GitHub and was last refreshed Nov 3, 2026.
What is bolt.diy?
bolt.diy is the open-source version of Bolt.new. You describe an app in chat and it writes the code, installs packages and runs a live preview inside a WebContainer sandbox in the browser, with an integrated terminal and editor. It works with many model providers (OpenAI, Anthropic, Groq, Ollama and others, chosen per prompt), offers framework starters, Supabase integration, and deployment to Netlify, Vercel or GitHub Pages. It runs with Node.js, Docker or as an Electron desktop app.
Where it fits in a 10–200 person business
- Prototype an internal tool, landing page or dashboard from a written description
- Let non-developers build and iterate on small web apps with your own model keys
- Generate a starter project and push it to GitHub for developers to continue
These use cases are our editorial suggestions, not claims made by the project.
Can a business use bolt.diy? (license)
| License | MIT (uses the WebContainers API, which has separate commercial terms) |
|---|---|
| Type | Permissive: MIT / Apache-2.0: use, modify and sell with few obligations. |
| Internal business use | Allowed under the license text |
| What to watch | bolt.diy itself is MIT: internal and commercial use, modification and redistribution allowed; keep the license notice. It uses the StackBlitz WebContainers API, which has specific commercial licensing terms for enterprise deployment. |
This is a plain-English summary of the license text, not legal advice. Third-party models you run with it have their own licenses.
Data & compliance: does bolt.diy phone home?
| Telemetry (usage data sent to the vendor) | Not documented |
|---|---|
| Other calls home by default (updates, marketplaces, default cloud services) | Not documented |
| Single sign-on (OIDC / SAML / LDAP) | Not documented |
| Audit log | Not documented |
| Role-based access control (RBAC) | Not documented |
| Data residency / GDPR notes from the project | Not documented |
Checked against the project's own docs and repository on . "Not documented" means we could not find the answer in official sources; it does not mean the feature is missing or that no data is sent. Third-party services you connect (model APIs, vector databases, search engines) have their own data policies. Compare all apps.
What hardware does bolt.diy need?
The project does not publish a minimum CPU/RAM figure, so we leave the official value blank rather than guess.
GPU: No. It calls the model providers you configure; no GPU requirement is documented.
No CPU, RAM or disk figures are published. Running from source needs Node.js 22.12.0+ and pnpm 9.15.9+.
How much does it cost to host bolt.diy per month?
The project publishes no RAM figure we could verify, so we do not estimate a cost.
How to deploy bolt.diy
Method: Docker Compose (image built from source)
git clone https://github.com/stackblitz-labs/bolt.diy.git && cd bolt.diy
cp .env.example .env.local
pnpm run dockerbuild:prod
docker compose --profile production upFrom the official instructions: github.com/stackblitz-labs/bolt.diy#running-with-docker. Always check the source for the current version before you run it.
Known gotchas when self-hosting bolt.diy
- The WebContainers API it relies on has specific commercial licensing terms for enterprise deployment; check them before rolling it out company-wide. source
- Docker Compose needs a .env file for variable substitution; copy .env.local to .env (or use .env.production) before starting. source
- API keys entered in the settings UI are stored in browser cookies, so each user's browser holds its own keys. source
- Running from source in Chrome needs Google Chrome Canary, per the docs; after updating a Docker install, rebuild the image (--build) to avoid running a cached version. source
Alternatives in Coding assistants
- OpenHands Self-hosted control center for AI coding agents that write code, review PRs and run automations. Compare bolt.diy vs OpenHands
- Tabby Self-hosted AI coding assistant (Copilot alternative) for your team. Compare bolt.diy vs Tabby
- Chat2DB AI-assisted SQL client for 40+ databases, as a desktop app or a single-user Docker web app, with your own model. Compare bolt.diy vs Chat2DB
- PR-Agent Open-source AI pull-request reviewer that comments and answers questions on PRs. Compare bolt.diy vs PR-Agent
bolt.diy FAQ
How much RAM does bolt.diy need?
bolt.diy does not publish an official RAM figure, so we do not state one. No CPU, RAM or disk figures are published. Running from source needs Node.js 22.12.0+ and pnpm 9.15.9+.
Does bolt.diy need a GPU?
No. It calls the model providers you configure; no GPU requirement is documented.
How much does it cost to self-host bolt.diy?
The software is free to download. The project publishes no official RAM figure, so we do not estimate a monthly server cost.
Is bolt.diy free for commercial use?
bolt.diy is licensed under MIT (uses the WebContainers API, which has separate commercial terms) (Permissive). Internal business use is allowed under the license text. bolt.diy itself is MIT: internal and commercial use, modification and redistribution allowed; keep the license notice. It uses the StackBlitz WebContainers API, which has specific commercial licensing terms for enterprise deployment. This is a summary, not legal advice.
What are common problems when self-hosting bolt.diy?
The WebContainers API it relies on has specific commercial licensing terms for enterprise deployment; check them before rolling it out company-wide. Docker Compose needs a .env file for variable substitution; copy .env.local to .env (or use .env.production) before starting. API keys entered in the settings UI are stored in browser cookies, so each user's browser holds its own keys. Running from source in Chrome needs Google Chrome Canary, per the docs; after updating a Docker install, rebuild the image (--build) to avoid running a cached version.
Is bolt.diy still maintained?
Yes, it is actively developed. Last commit: Oct 14, 2026. Latest release: v1.0.1 (Oct 12, 2026). Checked Nov 3, 2026.
How do I install bolt.diy?
The official method is Docker Compose (image built from source). The exact commands are in the "How to deploy" section above and in the official instructions: https://github.com/stackblitz-labs/bolt.diy#running-with-docker
What are self-hosted alternatives to bolt.diy?
Other apps in Coding assistants: OpenHands, Tabby, Chat2DB, PR-Agent.
Sources
- GitHub repository: github.com/stackblitz-labs/bolt.diy
- Official documentation: stackblitz-labs.github.io/bolt.diy/
- License text: github.com/stackblitz-labs/bolt.diy/blob/main/LICENSE
- Hardware requirements: github.com/stackblitz-labs/bolt.diy#prerequisites
- Deploy instructions: github.com/stackblitz-labs/bolt.diy#running-with-docker
- Gotcha 1: github.com/stackblitz-labs/bolt.diy#licensing
- Gotcha 2, Gotcha 3, Gotcha 4: github.com/stackblitz-labs/bolt.diy/blob/main/docs/docs/index.md
- Hetzner Cloud pricing (cost estimate): www.hetzner.com/cloud/regular-performance
- GitHub stars, commits and releases: GitHub REST API, fetched
Facts on this page were checked against the project's own repository and docs on 2026-11-03. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.