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View code and admin dashboard on request.
Overview
Hostbox is a full-stack booking engine designed to provide short-term rental operators with a self-hosted alternative to marketplaces such as Airbnb and Booking.com.
This system follows a single-tenant container model, where each client runs in an isolated Docker container. Each instance includes a Next.js application and a file-based SQLite database. Low complexity, simple backups, easy horizontal scaling.
Features
Direct payments allow guided onboarding through Stripe Connect. Funds are transferred directly to the host’s account.
Reservation management provides a unified interface for creating, updating, and cancelling reservations.
Dynamic views allow the frontend to automatically adapt between single or multi-property modes based on the number of properties.
Automated emails are sent automatically when a transaction occurs (e.g. booking confirmations, cancellations, notifications).
Calendar integration periodically pulls remote calendars and exposes its own feeds in iCal format.
Architecture
Frontend
The application comprises a monolithic public booking interface and a password-protected admin dashboard. The frontend uses server actions to handle read / write operations.
The website will dynamically switch between single and multi-property views, based on the number of properties added by the user.
Backend
Server-side logic and API routes are used to handle:
- Booking lifecycle management
- Payment orchestration (via Stripe)
- Calendar synchronisation jobs
- Property setup (image uploads, pricing, taxes, rules, etc.)
- Automated emails to both guests and hosts
Security
Authentication is handled via HTTP-only cookies for admin sessions, with token generation and validation. Payment operations are delegated to Stripe to minimise PCI scope.
Storage
Each tenant uses a dedicated SQLite database stored as a file on disk.
File storage (e.g. images) is handled in a tenant-specific directory, attached to the container’s persistent volume.
Images are automatically compressed before being stored.
Containers & Deployment
Each client is deployed as an isolated Docker container containing the full application stack.
An Nginx service fronts all containers, terminates SSL and distributes traffic based on host header.
SSL certificates are generated with Let’s Encrypt.
Summary
Hostbox is not a marketplace replacement, but a complementary system that provides a direct booking channel.