A control plane for localhost
A control plane for localhost is one place that knows your local projects and can operate them — without becoming the editor, the runtime, or the database GUI.
“Control plane” usually shows up in Kubernetes blogs. On a single developer Mac, the idea is simpler: one surface that knows what is local, what is running, and how to start or stop it — without replacing the tools that actually edit code, run containers, or query databases.
Zashiki Warashi is that surface for macOS localhost.
The jobs a control plane should own
| Job | What Zashiki does |
|---|---|
| Remember projects | Machine-local catalog: add folder, scan roots, search, remove |
| Operate processes | Start / stop / restart via login shell; process groups; PID rehydrate |
| Peek stacks | Compose DB services, host/port/user/db, copy URI |
| Hand off | Open in Finder, Cursor, Compass for mongo |
| Reduce collisions | Port occupant detection — catalog, docker, or native |
| Run on a schedule | Scheduled jobs on launchd — network wait, keep-awake, logs, history |
It deliberately does not own: editing code, full Docker Engine UI, query GUIs, cloud sync, or required per-repo config.
Why not “just a folder bookmark”?
Bookmarks answer where. They do not answer is it running, what start command, which compose file is nested two levels down, or who owns port 5432.
Raycast, Alfred, and Spotlight are excellent launchers. They are not process-group-aware stop buttons with Compose peek and Compass deep-links. Zashiki is the house that keeps those operations together.
Why not a Docker GUI?
Docker Desktop, OrbStack, Dockev, Portainer, and Compose Launcher solve container-centric problems. Many local projects are mostly npm run dev with an optional compose file for Postgres. Treating every repo as a Docker project forces the wrong abstraction.
Zashiki sits beside the engine: use Docker Desktop or OrbStack for containers; use Zashiki for the project catalog and lifecycle. Honest comparisons: vs Docker Desktop, vs OrbStack, vs Portainer.
Category language we use on purpose
- Localhost control plane — operate local projects as a fleet of one machine.
- House spirit — named after 座敷童子; look after the place without owning every room. See The name.
- Observe, don’t tax — no mandatory
zashiki.tomlin every repo.
If you searched for “manage multiple local projects macOS,” “localhost project manager,” or “start stop all my apps,” this is the category we mean — especially when those apps came from AI-assisted coding.
What success looks like on Monday
Open the app. Find the project. Start it. See Compose services and a DB connection string. Copy the URI or open Compass. Stop when you are done. No spelunking Docker Engine by hand for the common path.
Download: GitHub Releases. MIT.
FAQ
How is this different from Raycast or Spotlight?
Launchers open things. A control plane remembers project state, starts and stops processes, and peeks stack endpoints. Zashiki keeps a catalog and lifecycle, not only shortcuts.
Do I need cloud accounts?
No. Catalog and overrides stay on your Mac. No sync, no login.
Does it replace Docker Desktop?
No. Docker Desktop or OrbStack remain the engine for containers. Zashiki peeks and drives compose for DB-like services as glue.