You should not create a writable /app directory on the ZimaOS host just because a traditional Linux installer expects one. ZimaOS keeps the root filesystem read-only by design; Docker applications should map persistent host storage from /DATA into whatever writable path the container expects.
In this January 2026 thread, the user was trying to install ONLYOFFICE Workspace with a host installer that assumed a mutable Debian/RPM-style system. That installer model did not fit ZimaOS.
Why / Is the Wrong Place for App Data
The community reply correctly separated host and container paths. A Docker image can use /app inside the container without the host having a physical /app directory. A bind mount can map something like /DATA/AppData/onlyoffice on ZimaOS to /app in the container.
The immutable ZimaOS guide explains the same appliance-style boundary from the SSH/package-manager side.
Use Docker Compose When the Project Supports It
The user later found the upstream Docker Compose project, which is the more natural path on ZimaOS. Import a Compose file only after reviewing every host bind mount, port, environment variable and privileged requirement.
The Compose import guide covers current ZimaOS Compose behavior and common bind-mount mistakes.
Do Not Force a Traditional Host Installer Onto ZimaOS
If an installer expects to write packages, services and application data directly under host-root paths, it may simply be incompatible with an immutable NAS OS. Trying to remount the root filesystem writable or manually recreate a traditional Linux layout can break upgrades and system recovery assumptions.
When the upstream project provides a maintained container stack, use that. If it only supports a conventional mutable Linux host, a VM can be the cleaner compatibility boundary.
ONLYOFFICE Workspace and DocumentServer Are Different Deployments
Do not assume that “ONLYOFFICE in Docker” means every ONLYOFFICE product has the same volume layout. Workspace bundles more services and assumptions than a standalone document server. Follow the upstream Compose definition for the exact product you are deploying.
The ONLYOFFICE Docker repository is a better source than a host installation script designed for Debian or RPM systems.
Bottom Line
Leave the ZimaOS root filesystem alone. Put persistent data under /DATA, map it into the container at the path the application expects, and use Compose or a VM when the upstream software assumes a mutable host. The problem is an installation-model mismatch, not a missing writable root feature.
