Compose stacks

A stack is a group of containers defined by a Docker Compose file: the containers, networks and volumes that run together. Edit the file and redeploy at any time; every deploy is kept as a version you can go back to.

Each stack shows where it came from (Created here, From a template, From git or Imported), how many of its containers are running, and when it was last deployed. Use the sort menu to see Needs attention first, Recently deployed and more.

Note

Compose files can give containers access to the host, so only administrators create stacks and edit their files. Other users with permission can deploy, start and stop them.

Create a stack

1. On Stacks, choose New stack. (Or From a template for apps like WordPress or Pi-hole.)
2. Give it a Name: lowercase letters, digits, - and _. It’s also the Compose project name, so containers are called name-service-1.
3. Paste or write the compose file under docker-compose.yml.
4. Put variables used as ${NAME} in the compose file under .env, for example POSTGRES_PASSWORD=choose-a-strong-one.
5. Choose Check file to validate it, then Create and deploy. Or Save without deploying to deploy later.

Each stack’s compose.yaml and .env are stored in their own folder under the stacks folder (/opt/docker-manager/stacks by default); the Compose file tab shows where. Relative paths in the file, like ./data, are relative to that folder. See Install for why that folder must have the same path on the host.

A stack’s page

The buttons at the top:

• Deploy runs docker compose up with the saved file. (A stack from git has Deploy from git instead, which opens its repository.)
• Start and Stop start or stop its containers.
• The menu has Pull newest images and redeploy, Restart, Take down, Remove stack and Remove stack and its volumes.

Action	What happens
Take down	Stops and deletes the containers and networks. The compose file is kept, so you can deploy again.
Remove stack	Stops and deletes the containers and networks and forgets the stack. Volumes and their data are kept.
Remove stack and its volumes	Also deletes the stack’s volumes with all their data. This can’t be undone.

While an action runs, its output is shown live. If the last action failed, the page shows its error.

The tabs:

• Containers: the stack’s containers and their published ports.
• Compose file: edit the compose file and .env, then Save and deploy, or Save only. With no changes, the first button is Redeploy. Check file validates the file, and Discard changes puts back the saved version. A stack from git shows its file read-only: change it in the repository and deploy the repository.
• Logs: the last 100, 300 or 2,000 lines of each container.
• Versions: every deploy.

Go back to an earlier version

Every deploy saves the compose file and .env as a version. To go back:

1. Open the stack and choose Versions.
2. Find the version you want and choose Roll back.

Its compose file and .env replace the current ones, and the stack is redeployed. The newest 50 versions of each stack are kept.

Stacks started elsewhere

Docker Manager finds Compose projects started outside it (with docker compose up on the server, or by another tool) and lists them as Not managed here. You can see their containers, but to edit and redeploy them, import their compose file:

• On the stack’s page, choose Find the compose file. Docker Manager reads the file from where the project was started, along with its .env file (or one rebuilt from the running containers), and shows what it found before importing.
• On Stacks, Import … unmanaged imports every one whose compose file can be found.

Importing never restarts anything. Imported stacks keep running from their original folder, so relative paths still point at the same data, and an imported stack deploys without removing services it doesn’t know about.

Docker Manager’s own stack

If Docker Manager itself runs from a compose file, its stack is shown with the notice This is Docker Manager itself, and deploying, stopping and restarting it are turned off. Doing those from inside would take it offline halfway through. Update it on the server with docker compose pull && docker compose up -d.