Tangled in a Box

Tangled in a Box is a proof of concept for running the Tangled code-forge stack locally or inside a private network, without connecting it to the public internet. It grew from a question about making a Tailscale-only Tangled instance and adapts the kind of custom identity infrastructure used for atproto development. Users can start the prebuilt services with Docker Compose, run a bootstrap script, then log in, add an SSH key, create a repository, and push code. The setup demonstrates that a private instance can work, though its landing page is sparse and it is explicitly an experimental, lightly assembled project rather than a polished, production-ready product.

The stack combines Tranquil PDS for accounts, authentication, identities, and record storage; a private PLC directory for resolving identities; Knot as the git server, where each repository has its own identity; Hydrant to relay updates; and Bobbin to index records and provide data to the frontend. The author presents this modularity as the main appeal: components can be configured, replaced, or remixed, making the forge hackable even when it does not federate with the public network. The repository is offered as a starting point for customization, but anyone deploying it seriously should replace the hardcoded plaintext secrets and review the configuration. The author welcomes contributions and forks.