LinkStack is an open-source, self-hosted platform designed to replace social media link-in-bio limitations by letting users create a personalized, professional landing page with multiple links. Unlike centralized services like Linktree that track user data, LinkStack empowers users to host their link pages on their own servers or through community-hosted instances, ensuring full control over data and privacy. Built with Laravel and Blade, it offers a drag-and-drop setup with no command-line requirements for basic use, making it accessible to non-technical users while still supporting advanced customization through themes and Docker deployment.
The platform is ideal for creators, developers, marketers, and organizations seeking a transparent, ad-free alternative to commercial link aggregators. With built-in admin panels for managing multiple user profiles and a one-click updater, LinkStack balances ease-of-use with enterprise-grade control—ensuring users never lose ownership of their content or audience.
What You Get
- Self-hosted link page - Deploy LinkStack on your own server or hosting provider with no third-party tracking; complete control over data, domain, and analytics.
- One-click installation - Upload the ZIP release to your web root; no terminal commands needed for initial setup.
- Admin panel with user management - Create and manage multiple user profiles, each with their own custom link page—ideal for teams or organizations.
- Theme system - Customize the appearance of your link page using community-submitted themes; upload ZIP theme files directly via the Admin Panel.
- Automatic one-click updates - Receive update notifications in the admin panel and apply them with a single click, including automatic backup creation.
- Official Docker image - Run LinkStack using
docker pull linkstackorg/linkstack with Apache2, PHP 8.2, and Alpine Linux for a secure, containerized deployment.
- Community instances - Use free, hosted instances provided by the community while maintaining privacy and avoiding vendor lock-in.
Common Use Cases
- Building a creator’s link-in-bio page - A content creator on Instagram or Twitter uses LinkStack to replace their single-link bio with a branded page linking to their YouTube, Patreon, blog, and store—all hosted on their own VPS.
- Managing a team’s external links - A marketing agency deploys LinkStack on their internal server to let 20+ team members each have a unique, branded link page for client outreach without relying on SaaS tools.
- Privacy-conscious users avoiding Linktree - A developer concerned about data harvesting switches from Linktree to self-hosted LinkStack, ensuring no tracking of click analytics or user behavior.
- DevOps teams deploying with Docker - A DevOps team uses the official Docker image to deploy LinkStack on Kubernetes, leveraging Alpine Linux for minimal attack surface and PHP 8.2 compatibility in CI/CD pipelines.
Under The Hood
LinkStack is a self-hosted link-in-bio platform built on the Laravel framework, offering users the ability to create and manage customizable link pages with a variety of link types and themes. It emphasizes flexibility through configuration-driven link definitions and dynamic UI components.
Architecture
LinkStack follows a traditional MVC architecture within the Laravel ecosystem, ensuring clear separation between business logic, presentation, and data layers.
- Leverages Laravel’s MVC pattern with dedicated controllers, models, and views
- Organized into modular directories that separate core functionality, HTTP handling, and service providers
- Strong emphasis on separation of concerns with distinct layers for data access and user interface
Tech Stack
Built using PHP and Laravel, the project integrates modern frontend technologies to deliver a rich user experience.
- Developed on PHP with Laravel as the primary backend framework and Blade for templating
- Incorporates JavaScript libraries such as Vue.js, CKEditor, and Bootstrap for enhanced UI capabilities
- Employs Webpack Mix for asset compilation and supports Tailwind CSS and Bootstrap for styling
- Uses PHPUnit for testing with structured configuration to support quality assurance practices
Code Quality
LinkStack presents moderate code quality with consistent structure and some areas for improvement in testing and error handling.
- Code follows basic naming conventions and structural patterns, though some inconsistencies exist
- Error handling is implemented through try/catch blocks but lacks a centralized exception management system
- Limited test coverage with no dedicated test files in the sample, indicating room for improvement
- Occasional technical debt found in configuration handling and random ID generation logic
What Makes It Unique
LinkStack distinguishes itself through its extensible link type system and runtime configurability, enabling flexible customization without code changes.
- Runtime extensibility via YAML configuration files allows dynamic link type definitions without modifying core code
- Customizable themes and button editors provide personalization options for end users
- Support for custom HTML and external libraries within link types enables rich content rendering
- Modular architecture enables easy addition of new link types through directory-based discovery