What is Sandstorm and what can you do with it?
Sandstorm is an open source platform for self-hosting web apps. Instead of signing up for a separate hosted account for each tool, you install Sandstorm on a server you control — your own machine or a cloud host — and then add apps like document editors, file storage, task managers, and chat from an app market. It is for people and organizations who want to run open source web applications easily while keeping control over where their data lives.
What you can actually run on it
Sandstorm is a platform, not a single app. The site lists examples across common categories:
| Category | Example app | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Document editing | Etherpad | Create, edit, and collaborate on documents |
| File storage | Davros | Store files and share them with others |
| Task & project management | Wekan | Organize tasks and ideas |
| Chat | Rocket.Chat | Sync up with colleagues securely |
Because it is a general platform, you can mix apps from multiple developers rather than committing to one vendor's suite.
How it differs from ordinary cloud services
Usability: install apps like phone apps
Sandstorm's stated goal is to make running open source web apps genuinely easy. You find an app in the App Market and start using it in a few clicks. Apps come with automatic updates, and everything you create is collected in one list so you can find it again. Access control is unified across apps instead of being re-learned per tool.
Security: "secure by default"
Every document, chat room, mailbox, notebook, or blog you create is a grain. Sandstorm containerizes each grain in its own sandbox, and a grain cannot communicate with the outside world without explicit permission. Grains stay private until you share them. Sandstorm claims this design automatically mitigates 95% of security vulnerabilities, and it manages access control per document so you can see who has access and revoke it at any time. The project also points to its security model and "security non-events" write-ups if you want to evaluate that claim yourself.
Freedom: you choose where data lives
You can run Sandstorm on a variety of cloud hosting services or install it on your own machines, and move between those options at any time. The apps stay the same regardless of where Sandstorm runs. This is the main practical difference from a typical SaaS suite: self-hosting Sandstorm gives an organization complete control over where its data is stored, which matters if you have security, regulatory, or data privacy requirements to meet.
Who it is for
- Individuals who want a personal cloud server and prefer not to scatter their data across many vendor accounts.
- Organizations that need to control data location and demonstrate who can access what.
- Anyone avoiding lock-in who wants to combine apps from different developers, including their own.
How to get started
- Try the Online Demo linked from the Sandstorm site to see the interface and app market before committing.
- Choose where to run it — a supported cloud host or your own machine.
- Install Sandstorm, then add apps from the App Market and start creating grains.
One thing to plan for: self-hosting means you are responsible for the server itself. Sandstorm handles app packaging, sandboxing, updates, and access control, but the underlying machine and its availability are yours to manage.