Process Compose is a process manager, scheduler and orchestrator for running non-containerized applications.
It provides a straightforward way to define, launch and supervise groups of processes without relying on Docker images, registries, networks or container runtimes.
Workflows are described in a YAML configuration file, with support for process dependencies, startup ordering, health checks, recovery policies and scheduled execution. Process Compose is distributed as a single Go binary and can be controlled through its terminal interface, command-line tools or REST API.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Runs processes in parallel, sequentially or in a defined dependency order.
- Uses YAML files to describe processes and their relationships.
- Supports automatic process recovery policies.
- Provides readiness and liveness health checks.
- Offers interactive terminal and command-line interfaces.
- Supports manual process starting, stopping and restarting.
- Provides per-process and global environment variables.
- Writes process logs to individual files or a shared log file.
- Includes a REST API with optional token authentication.
- Supports namespaces and namespace-wide operations.
- Runs multiple replicas of a process.
- Supports foreground and interactive processes.
- Schedules processes using cron expressions or fixed intervals.
- Visualizes dependency graphs through the CLI, TUI and API.
- Allows configuration files to be merged.
- Supports configurable keyboard shortcuts and interface themes.
- Allows process configurations and projects to be updated while running.
- Includes an MCP server for integration with AI assistants.
- Can send push notifications from its process monitor.
Website: github.com/F1bonacc1/process-compose
Support:
Developer: Berger Eugene
License: Apache License 2.0
Process Compose is written in Go. Learn Go with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Related Software
| Terminal-Based Process Managers | |
|---|---|
| PM2 | Production runtime for keeping Node.js and Bun applications online |
| Pueue | Queue and schedule long-running shell commands in the background |
| Overmind | Run Procfile-based applications through tmux with clean output |
| Process Compose | Schedule and orchestrate non-containerized application stacks |
| prox | Supervise applications with live metrics, logs and a polished TUI |
| Procman | Procfile dashboard with live logs and interactive terminals |
| OxMgr | Lightweight Rust supervisor with health checks and crash recovery |
| Overitall | Control Procfile services and explore logs from one terminal |
| proctmux | Run and control long-lived commands from a searchable TUI |
| gob | Daemon-backed CLI and TUI for developers and coding agents |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
 Explore our comprehensive directory of recommended free and open source software. Our carefully curated collection spans every major software category.This directory is part of our ongoing series of informative articles for Linux enthusiasts. It features hundreds of detailed reviews, along with open source alternatives to proprietary solutions from major corporations such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, IBM, Cisco, Oracle, and Autodesk. You’ll also find interesting projects to try, hardware coverage, free programming books and tutorials, and much more. Discovered a useful open source Linux program that we haven’t covered yet? Let us know by completing this form. |
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