docker-operations

name	Docker Operations
description	Guide for managing and debugging Docklift containers and deployments.

Docker Operations Guide

Docklift is a container management platform, so understanding the underlying Docker operations is crucial.

Core Containers

The Docklift platform consists of exactly 5 containers (defined in docker-compose.yml):

Container	Host port	Purpose
docklift-backend	— (8000 internal)	Express API server
docklift-frontend	— (3000 internal)	Vite SPA (static nginx)
docklift-nginx	${DASHBOARD_BIND:-0.0.0.0}:8080:80	Dashboard gateway
docklift-nginx-proxy	80:80, 443:443	Public domains for user apps + panel domain
docklift-certbot	—	Let's Encrypt issuance + 12-hourly renewal loop

Note: There is NO docklift-db container. SQLite is a file (/app/data/docklift.db) inside the backend container.

When you add or rename a core container, update the CORE_CONTAINERS and LOG_SERVICE_CONTAINERS lists in backend/src/routes/system.ts, the Logs page service list in frontend/src/pages/Logs.tsx, and uninstall.sh.

Viewing Logs

CLI

docker logs docklift-backend -f --tail 100
docker logs docklift-frontend -f --tail 100
docker logs docklift-nginx -f --tail 100          # dashboard gateway (:8080)
docker logs docklift-nginx-proxy -f --tail 100    # public proxy (:80/:443)
docker logs docklift-certbot -f --tail 100        # certificate issuance/renewal

UI

Navigate to /logs in the dashboard for real-time SSE-streamed logs with timestamps, ANSI/level colouring, search, follow-mode and download. See the logging_monitoring skill.

Inspecting Deployed User Projects

User containers are named dl_<slug>_<shortId>_<service> (see backend/src/lib/naming.ts).

# List all user containers
docker ps --filter "name=dl_"
# Or by ownership label
docker ps --filter "label=com.docklift.managed=true"

# View logs for a specific user container
docker logs dl_python-smoke_53b01966_app -f

# Everything Compose knows about one project
docker compose -p dl-python-smoke-53b01966 ps

# Project network
docker network inspect dl-net-53b01966

Debugging Deployments

1. Check build logs: in the UI, under the project's Deployments tab.
2. Inspect container: docker inspect <container>
3. View logs: docker logs <container>
4. Enter shell: docker exec -it <container> /bin/sh
5. Read generated runtime state: deployments/.docklift/<projectId>/compose.yml — this, not any repository compose file, is what actually ran.
6. Confirm proxy attachment: docklift-nginx-proxy should appear on dl-net-<shortId> after deploy.

Networks

Network	Who	Purpose
docklift_network	Core DockLift services only	Control plane
dl-net-<shortId>	One project's containers + edge proxy	App isolation

docker network inspect docklift_network
docker network ls --filter label=com.docklift.managed=true

Do not put user apps back on docklift_network by default. Do not bind apps to 127.0.0.1 as a substitute for isolation without redesigning proxy routing.

Volume Management

Bind mounts used by the backend:

Host Path	Container Path	Purpose
./data	/app/data	SQLite DB + uploads
./deployments	/deployments	Project source + generated runtime state
./nginx-proxy/conf.d	/nginx-conf	Generated vhosts
./nginx-proxy/certbot/conf	/etc/letsencrypt	Certificates
./backups	/data/backups	Backups

Named volumes for project data are created per configured mount as dl-<shortId>-<slug> and labelled com.docklift.project=<projectId>:

docker volume ls --filter label=com.docklift.project
docker volume ls --filter label=com.docklift.project=<projectId>

These are external volumes from Compose's point of view, so docker compose down will not delete them. They are removed when the project is deleted.

Pruning

# Host-wide and indiscriminate — NEVER from DockLift product paths
docker system prune -a

Product paths must not auto-prune Docker images (shared-host safe). POST /api/system/purge and post-deploy cleanup are no-ops for image deletion.

For full removal use uninstall.sh, which targets DockLift-owned resources (com.docklift.* labels / dl-net-* / core names). Prefer labeled cleanup over host-wide system prune / builder prune.