Automatically updates lots of Software which has no built-in auto update functionality. Autoupdate is a single binary with a simple config file.
It currently supports Python, Gitea, Zitadel, Drone, Kanboard, Caddy, Podman and System updates.
Autoupdate is a single binary that automatically updates self-hosted software lacking built-in update mechanisms.
- for
- Self-hosted developers and sysadmins who manage services like Gitea, Caddy, Drone, etc.
- pricing
- paid
works withPythonGiteaZitadelDroneKanboardCaddyPodmanWakapiUmamiSystem package manager
Key features
6 features of Autoupdate
- Unified update binary — One executable handles updates for all supported software via a simple TOML config.
- TOML configuration per software — Each block defines source URL, install path, hooks and enable/disable flags.
- Pre/post-update hooks — Run custom commands before or after an update for any managed program.
- Self-update capability — Autoupdate can download and replace its own binary automatically.
- System package manager integration — Can trigger system package manager updates when enabled in the System block.
- Logging control — Configurable log file location, size, rotation and retention.
Use cases
- Keep a self-hosted Gitea instance up-to-date without manual downloads.
- Automatically apply the latest Caddy binary with Cloudflare plugin.
- Update Drone server binaries on a schedule without containerizing.
- Patch Python installations on a server after new releases.
- Refresh Kanboard or other tools that lack package-manager support.
Autoupdate vs alternatives
 Autoupdate |  Podman |  Gitea |  Docker |  Railway | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Automatic updates for self-hosted tools | Daemonless container management | Self-hosted Git hosting | Container building and distribution | App deployment platform |
| Pricing | Paid | Free | Free | Subscription | Subscription |
| DevHunt upvotes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Launched | Jan 2026 | — | — | — | — |
- Autoupdate vs Podman: Podman is a container engine; Autoupdate manages binary updates, not container runtime.
- Autoupdate vs Gitea: Gitea is a self-hosted Git service; Autoupdate updates Gitea binaries, not provides Git hosting.
- Autoupdate vs Docker: Docker builds and runs containers; Autoupdate updates installed binaries directly.
- Autoupdate vs Railway: Railway deploys apps and services; Autoupdate focuses on keeping existing binaries up-to-date.
Autoupdate FAQ
Why not just use a package manager?+
Autoupdate can update the system package manager when enabled, but it also handles software that isn’t available in any package manager or has outdated packages.
Why not just use containers?+
Containers are used for some updates (e.g., Drone), but many tools aren’t containerized and not all users want to containerize everything.
How does Autoupdate know if a new version exists?+
It queries the software’s GitHub API (or specified apiUrl) defined in each config block to check for newer releases.
Can I disable updates for a specific program?+
Yes, set `update = "False"` in that program’s config block, or disable system-wide updates in the System block.
Summarized by DevHunt from chapati.systems · Oct 7, 2026. Details may change; check the official site.
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