diff --git a/roles/homarr/defaults/main.yml b/roles/homarr/defaults/main.yml
index e981b1f..2ef6df3 100644
--- a/roles/homarr/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/roles/homarr/defaults/main.yml
@@ -54,4 +54,32 @@ homarr_use_ssl: true
 # Local admin
 homarr_admin_username: "admin"
 homarr_admin_email: "admin@digitalboard.ch"
-homarr_admin_password: "ChangeMe123!"
\ No newline at end of file
+homarr_admin_password: "ChangeMe123!"
+
+# Applications shown on the default board.
+# Each app needs id, name, description, icon, href and a width (1-10).
+# Height defaults to 1, can be increased for taller tiles.
+# Apps are automatically packed left-to-right into the desktop grid (10 cols),
+# scaled to tablet (6 cols) and mobile (2 cols).
+homarr_apps:
+  - id: nextcloud
+    name: Nextcloud
+    description: Cloud Storage & Collaboration
+    icon: https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/walkxcode/dashboard-icons/png/nextcloud.png
+    href: https://cloud.digitalboard.ch
+    width: 2
+    height: 1
+  - id: keycloak
+    name: Keycloak
+    description: Identity & Access Management
+    icon: https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/walkxcode/dashboard-icons/png/keycloak.png
+    href: https://auth.digitalboard.ch
+    width: 2
+    height: 1
+  - id: mailman
+    name: Mailman
+    description: Mailing List Manager
+    icon: https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/walkxcode/dashboard-icons/png/mailman.png
+    href: https://lists.digitalboard.ch
+    width: 2
+    height: 1
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/roles/homarr/tasks/main.yml b/roles/homarr/tasks/main.yml
index a3ff991..06488f4 100644
--- a/roles/homarr/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/homarr/tasks/main.yml
@@ -26,6 +26,18 @@
       Set via OpenBao or remove 'oidc' from homarr_auth_providers.
   when: "'oidc' in homarr_auth_providers"
 
+- name: Validate homarr_apps have unique ids
+  ansible.builtin.assert:
+    that:
+      - homarr_apps | map(attribute='id') | list | length ==
+        homarr_apps | map(attribute='id') | unique | list | length
+    fail_msg: >-
+      homarr_apps contains duplicate ids.
+      Each app must have a unique 'id'. Got:
+      {{ homarr_apps | map(attribute='id') | list }}
+    success_msg: All app ids are unique
+  when: homarr_apps | length > 0
+
 # =====================================================================
 # 1. PREPARATION: packages and directories before container start
 # =====================================================================
diff --git a/roles/homarr/templates/homarr_seed.sql.j2 b/roles/homarr/templates/homarr_seed.sql.j2
index 0490c04..fdb1a2f 100644
--- a/roles/homarr/templates/homarr_seed.sql.j2
+++ b/roles/homarr/templates/homarr_seed.sql.j2
@@ -1,3 +1,35 @@
+{#-
+  Auto-layout packing macro.
+
+  Greedy left-to-right packing of apps into a grid with `cols` columns.
+  Returns the list of apps with computed x/y/w/h fields.
+
+  Width is clamped to cols (so an app wider than the grid is downsized
+  rather than overflowing). Height is taken as-is.
+-#}
+{%- macro pack(apps, cols) -%}
+  {%- set ns = namespace(x=0, y=0, row_h=0, out=[]) -%}
+  {%- for app in apps -%}
+    {%- set w = [app.width, cols] | min -%}
+    {%- set h = app.height | default(1) -%}
+    {%- if ns.x + w > cols -%}
+      {%- set ns.x = 0 -%}
+      {%- set ns.y = ns.y + ns.row_h -%}
+      {%- set ns.row_h = 0 -%}
+    {%- endif -%}
+    {%- set _ = ns.out.append({'id': app.id, 'x': ns.x, 'y': ns.y, 'w': w, 'h': h}) -%}
+    {%- set ns.x = ns.x + w -%}
+    {%- if h > ns.row_h -%}
+      {%- set ns.row_h = h -%}
+    {%- endif -%}
+  {%- endfor -%}
+  {{- ns.out | to_json -}}
+{%- endmacro -%}
+
+{%- set desktop_layout = pack(homarr_apps, 10) | from_json -%}
+{%- set tablet_layout  = pack(homarr_apps, 6)  | from_json -%}
+{%- set mobile_layout  = pack(homarr_apps, 2)  | from_json -%}
+
 BEGIN TRANSACTION;
 
 -- =====================================================================
@@ -129,82 +161,51 @@ VALUES
     ('board-default', 'group-credentials-admin', 'full-access');
 
 -- =====================================================================
--- APPS
+-- APPS (auto-generated from homarr_apps variable)
 -- =====================================================================
 
--- Nextcloud
+{% if homarr_apps | length > 0 %}
+{% for app in homarr_apps %}
 INSERT OR IGNORE INTO app (id, name, description, icon_url, href)
 VALUES (
-    'app-nextcloud',
-    'Nextcloud',
-    'Cloud Storage & Collaboration',
-    'https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/walkxcode/dashboard-icons/png/nextcloud.png',
-    'https://cloud.digitalboard.ch'
+    'app-{{ app.id }}',
+    '{{ app.name }}',
+    '{{ app.description | default("") }}',
+    '{{ app.icon }}',
+    '{{ app.href }}'
 );
 
 INSERT OR IGNORE INTO item (id, board_id, kind, options, advanced_options)
 VALUES (
-    'item-nextcloud',
+    'item-{{ app.id }}',
     'board-default',
     'app',
-    '{"json": {"appId": "app-nextcloud"}}',
+    '{"json": {"appId": "app-{{ app.id }}"}}',
     '{"json": {}}'
 );
 
-INSERT OR REPLACE INTO item_layout (item_id, section_id, layout_id, x_offset, y_offset, width, height)
-VALUES
-    ('item-nextcloud', 'section-apps', 'layout-desktop', 0, 0, 2, 1),
-    ('item-nextcloud', 'section-apps', 'layout-tablet', 0, 0, 2, 1),
-    ('item-nextcloud', 'section-apps', 'layout-mobile', 0, 0, 1, 1);
-
--- Keycloak
-INSERT OR IGNORE INTO app (id, name, description, icon_url, href)
-VALUES (
-    'app-keycloak',
-    'Keycloak',
-    'Identity & Access Management',
-    'https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/walkxcode/dashboard-icons/png/keycloak.png',
-    'https://auth.digitalboard.ch'
-);
-
-INSERT OR IGNORE INTO item (id, board_id, kind, options, advanced_options)
-VALUES (
-    'item-keycloak',
-    'board-default',
-    'app',
-    '{"json": {"appId": "app-keycloak"}}',
-    '{"json": {}}'
-);
+{% endfor %}
 
 INSERT OR REPLACE INTO item_layout (item_id, section_id, layout_id, x_offset, y_offset, width, height)
 VALUES
-    ('item-keycloak', 'section-apps', 'layout-desktop', 2, 0, 2, 1),
-    ('item-keycloak', 'section-apps', 'layout-tablet', 2, 0, 2, 1),
-    ('item-keycloak', 'section-apps', 'layout-mobile', 1, 0, 1, 1);
-
--- Mailman
-INSERT OR IGNORE INTO app (id, name, description, icon_url, href)
-VALUES (
-    'app-mailman',
-    'Mailman',
-    'Mailing List Manager',
-    'https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/walkxcode/dashboard-icons/png/mailman.png',
-    'https://lists.digitalboard.ch'
-);
-
-INSERT OR IGNORE INTO item (id, board_id, kind, options, advanced_options)
-VALUES (
-    'item-mailman',
-    'board-default',
-    'app',
-    '{"json": {"appId": "app-mailman"}}',
-    '{"json": {}}'
-);
+{% for entry in desktop_layout %}
+    ('item-{{ entry.id }}', 'section-apps', 'layout-desktop', {{ entry.x }}, {{ entry.y }}, {{ entry.w }}, {{ entry.h }}){% if not loop.last %},{% endif %}
+{% endfor %}
+;
 
 INSERT OR REPLACE INTO item_layout (item_id, section_id, layout_id, x_offset, y_offset, width, height)
 VALUES
-    ('item-mailman', 'section-apps', 'layout-desktop', 4, 0, 2, 1),
-    ('item-mailman', 'section-apps', 'layout-tablet', 4, 0, 2, 1),
-    ('item-mailman', 'section-apps', 'layout-mobile', 0, 1, 1, 1);
+{% for entry in tablet_layout %}
+    ('item-{{ entry.id }}', 'section-apps', 'layout-tablet', {{ entry.x }}, {{ entry.y }}, {{ entry.w }}, {{ entry.h }}){% if not loop.last %},{% endif %}
+{% endfor %}
+;
 
-COMMIT;
+INSERT OR REPLACE INTO item_layout (item_id, section_id, layout_id, x_offset, y_offset, width, height)
+VALUES
+{% for entry in mobile_layout %}
+    ('item-{{ entry.id }}', 'section-apps', 'layout-mobile', {{ entry.x }}, {{ entry.y }}, {{ entry.w }}, {{ entry.h }}){% if not loop.last %},{% endif %}
+{% endfor %}
+;
+{% endif %}
+
+COMMIT;
\ No newline at end of file