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Install Netdata with Docker

Limitations running the Agent in Docker​

We don’t officially support using Docker’s --user option or Docker Compose’s user: parameter with our images. While they may work, some features could be unavailable. The Agent drops privileges at startup, so most processes don’t run as UID 0 even without these options.

Create a new Netdata Agent container​

You can create a new Agent container with docker run or docker-compose, then access the dashboard at http://NODE:19999.

The Netdata container requires specific privileges and mounts to provide full monitoring capabilities equivalent to a direct host installation. Below is a list of required components and their purposes.

Privileges
ComponentPrivilegesDescription
cgroups.pluginhost PID mode, SYS_ADMINContainer network interfaces monitoring. Map virtual interfaces in the system namespace to interfaces inside containers.
proc.pluginhost network modeHost system networking stack monitoring.
go.d.pluginhost network modeMonitoring applications running on the host and inside containers.
local-listenershost network mode, SYS_PTRACEDiscovering local services/applications. Map open (listening) ports to running services/applications.
network-viewer.pluginhost network mode, SYS_ADMINDiscovering all current network sockets and building a network-map.
Mounts
ComponentMountsDescription
netdata/etc/os-releaseHost info detection.
diskspace.plugin/Host mount points monitoring.
cgroups.plugin/sys, /var/run/docker.sockDocker containers monitoring and name resolution.
go.d.plugin/var/run/docker.sockDocker Engine and containers monitoring. See docker collector.
go.d.plugin/var/logWeb servers logs tailing. See weblog collector.
apps.plugin/etc/passwd, /etc/groupMonitoring of host system resource usage by each user and user group.
proc.plugin/procHost system monitoring (CPU, memory, network interfaces, disks, etc.).
systemd-journal.plugin/var/logViewing, exploring and analyzing systemd journal logs.
systemd-units.plugin/run/dbusSystemd-list-units function: information about all systemd units, including their active state, description, whether they are enabled, and more.
go.d.plugin/run/dbusgo.d/systemdunits

Both methods create a volume for Netdata's configuration files within the container at /etc/netdata. See the configure section for details. If you want to access the configuration files from your host machine, see host-editable configuration.

If you remove pid: host

If you choose not to use pid: host, you must add --init (or init: true in Compose).

--init installs a minimal init system that reaps processes and ensures stable container operation.

Using the docker run command

Run the following command in your terminal to start a new container.

docker run -d --name=netdata \
  --pid=host \
  --network=host \
  -v netdataconfig:/etc/netdata \
  -v netdatalib:/var/lib/netdata \
  -v netdatacache:/var/cache/netdata \
  -v /:/host/root:ro,rslave \
  -v /etc/passwd:/host/etc/passwd:ro \
  -v /etc/group:/host/etc/group:ro \
  -v /etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro \
  -v /proc:/host/proc:ro \
  -v /sys:/host/sys:ro \
  -v /etc/os-release:/host/etc/os-release:ro \
  -v /var/log:/host/var/log:ro \
  -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro \
  -v /run/dbus:/run/dbus:ro \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  --cap-add SYS_PTRACE \
  --cap-add SYS_ADMIN \
  --security-opt apparmor=unconfined \
  netdata/netdata
tip
  • When using netdata/netdata without a tag, Docker pulls the latest image by default. To run the stable version, replace it with netdata/netdata:stable.
  • If you plan to connect the node to Netdata Cloud, you can find the command with the right parameters by clicking the "Add Nodes" button in your Space's "Nodes" view.

With NVIDIA GPUs monitoring​

Monitoring NVIDIA GPUs requires:

Using the docker run command

Add --gpus 'all,capabilities=utility' to your docker run.

With host-editable configuration​

Use a bind mount for /etc/netdata rather than a volume.

This example assumes that you’ve created netdataconfig/ in your home directory.

mkdir netdataconfig

Using the docker run command

Run the following command in your terminal to start a new container.

docker run -d --name=netdata \
  --pid=host \
  --network=host \
  -v $(pwd)/netdataconfig/netdata:/etc/netdata \
  -v netdatalib:/var/lib/netdata \
  -v netdatacache:/var/cache/netdata \
  -v /:/host/root:ro,rslave \
  -v /etc/passwd:/host/etc/passwd:ro \
  -v /etc/group:/host/etc/group:ro \
  -v /etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro \
  -v /proc:/host/proc:ro \
  -v /sys:/host/sys:ro \
  -v /etc/os-release:/host/etc/os-release:ro \
  -v /var/log:/host/var/log:ro \
  -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  --cap-add SYS_PTRACE \
  --cap-add SYS_ADMIN \
  --security-opt apparmor=unconfined \
  netdata/netdata
tip
  • When using netdata/netdata without a tag, Docker pulls the latest image by default. To run the stable version, replace it with netdata/netdata:stable.
  • If you plan to connect the node to Netdata Cloud, you can find the command with the right parameters by clicking the "Add Nodes" button in your Space's "Nodes" view.

With SSL/TLS enabled HTTP Proxy​

Below is an example of installing Netdata with an SSL reverse proxy and basic authentication using Docker.

Caddyfile Setup​

Place the following Caddyfile in /opt, customizing the domain and adding your email for Let’s Encrypt. The certificate will renew automatically via the Caddy server.

netdata.example.org {
  reverse_proxy host.docker.internal:19999
  tls [email protected]
}

docker-compose.yml​

After setting Caddyfile run this with docker-compose up -d to have a fully functioning Netdata setup behind an HTTP reverse proxy.

Make sure Netdata bind to docker0 interface if you've custom web.bind to setting in netdata.conf.

version: '3'
services:
  caddy:
    image: caddy:2
    extra_hosts:
      - "host.docker.internal:host-gateway" # To access netdata running with "network_mode: host".
    ports:
      - "80:80"
      - "443:443"
    volumes:
      - /opt/Caddyfile:/etc/caddy/Caddyfile
      - caddy_data:/data
      - caddy_config:/config
  netdata:
    image: netdata/netdata
    container_name: netdata
    pid: host
    network_mode: host
    restart: unless-stopped
    cap_add:
      - SYS_PTRACE
      - SYS_ADMIN
    security_opt:
      - apparmor:unconfined
    volumes:
      - netdataconfig:/etc/netdata
      - netdatalib:/var/lib/netdata
      - netdatacache:/var/cache/netdata
      - /:/host/root:ro,rslave
      - /etc/passwd:/host/etc/passwd:ro
      - /etc/group:/host/etc/group:ro
      - /etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro
      - /proc:/host/proc:ro
      - /sys:/host/sys:ro
      - /etc/os-release:/host/etc/os-release:ro
      - /var/log:/host/var/log:ro
      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro
volumes:
  caddy_data:
  caddy_config:
  netdataconfig:
  netdatalib:
  netdatacache:

Restrict access with basic auth​

You can restrict access by following the official caddy guide and adding lines to Caddyfile.

With Docker socket proxy​

note

Using Netdata with a Docker socket proxy may cause some features to not work as expected. It hasn't been fully tested by the Netdata team.

For better security, deploy a Docker socket proxy with a tool like HAProxy or CetusGuard. This ensures the socket is read-only and restricted to the /containers endpoint.

Exposing the socket to a proxy is safer because Netdata’s TCP port is accessible outside the Docker network, while the proxy container remains isolated within it.

HAProxy​

version: '3'
services:
  netdata:
    image: netdata/netdata
    container_name: netdata
    pid: host
    network_mode: host
    restart: unless-stopped
    cap_add:
      - SYS_PTRACE
      - SYS_ADMIN
    security_opt:
      - apparmor:unconfined
    volumes:
      - netdataconfig:/etc/netdata
      - netdatalib:/var/lib/netdata
      - netdatacache:/var/cache/netdata
      - /:/host/root:ro,rslave
      - /etc/passwd:/host/etc/passwd:ro
      - /etc/group:/host/etc/group:ro
      - /etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro
      - /proc:/host/proc:ro
      - /sys:/host/sys:ro
      - /etc/os-release:/host/etc/os-release:ro
      - /var/log:/host/var/log:ro
    environment:
      - DOCKER_HOST=localhost:2375
  proxy:
    network_mode: host
    image: tecnativa/docker-socket-proxy
    volumes:
      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro
    environment:
      - CONTAINERS=1

volumes:
  netdataconfig:
  netdatalib:
  netdatacache:
tip
  • When using netdata/netdata without a tag, Docker pulls the latest image by default. To run the stable version, replace it with netdata/netdata:stable.
  • Replace 2375 with the port of your proxy.

CetusGuard​

note

This deployment method is supported by the community

version: '3'
services:
  netdata:
    image: netdata/netdata
    container_name: netdata
    pid: host
    network_mode: host
    restart: unless-stopped
    cap_add:
      - SYS_PTRACE
      - SYS_ADMIN
    security_opt:
      - apparmor:unconfined
    volumes:
      - netdataconfig:/etc/netdata
      - netdatalib:/var/lib/netdata
      - netdatacache:/var/cache/netdata
      - /:/host/root:ro,rslave
      - /etc/passwd:/host/etc/passwd:ro
      - /etc/group:/host/etc/group:ro
      - /etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro
      - /proc:/host/proc:ro
      - /sys:/host/sys:ro
      - /etc/os-release:/host/etc/os-release:ro
      - /var/log:/host/var/log:ro
    environment:
      - DOCKER_HOST=localhost:2375
  cetusguard:
    image: hectorm/cetusguard:v1
    network_mode: host
    read_only: true
    volumes:
      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro
    environment:
      CETUSGUARD_BACKEND_ADDR: unix:///var/run/docker.sock
      CETUSGUARD_FRONTEND_ADDR: tcp://:2375
      CETUSGUARD_RULES: |
        ! Inspect a container
        GET %API_PREFIX_CONTAINERS%/%CONTAINER_ID_OR_NAME%/json

volumes:
  netdataconfig:
  netdatalib:
  netdatacache:
tip

You can run the socket proxy in its own Docker Compose file and leave it on a private network that you can add to other services that require access.

Rootless mode​

Netdata can be run successfully in a non-root environment, such as rootless Docker.

Netdata can run in a rootless Docker environment, but its data collection is limited due to restricted access to resources requiring elevated privileges. The following components won't work:

  • container network interfaces monitoring (cgroup-network helper)
  • disk I/O and file descriptors of applications and processes (apps.plugin)
  • debugfs.plugin
  • freeipmi.plugin
  • perf.plugin
  • slabinfo.plugin
  • systemd-journal.plugin

This method creates a volume for Netdata's configuration files within the container at /etc/netdata. See the configure section for details. If you want to access the configuration files from your host machine, see host-editable configuration.

Using the docker run command

Run the following command in your terminal to start a new container.

docker run -d --name=netdata \
  --hostname=$(hostname) \
  -p 19999:19999 \
  -v netdataconfig:/etc/netdata \
  -v netdatalib:/var/lib/netdata \
  -v netdatacache:/var/cache/netdata \
  -v /etc/passwd:/host/etc/passwd:ro \
  -v /etc/group:/host/etc/group:ro \
  -v /etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro \
  -v /proc:/host/proc:ro \
  -v /sys:/host/sys:ro \
  -v /etc/os-release:/host/etc/os-release:ro \
  -v /run/user/$UID/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  --security-opt apparmor=unconfined \
  netdata/netdata
tip
  • When using netdata/netdata without a tag, Docker pulls the latest image by default. To run the stable version, replace it with netdata/netdata:stable.
  • If you plan to connect the node to Netdata Cloud, you can find the command with the right parameters by clicking the "Add Nodes" button in your Space's "Nodes" view.

Docker tags​

See our full list of Docker images at Docker Hub.

The official netdata/netdata Docker image provides the following named tags:

TagDescription
stablethe most recently published stable build.
edgethe most recently published nightly build. In most cases, this is updated daily at around 01:00 UTC.
latestthe most recently published build, whether it’s a stable build or a nightly build. This is what Docker will use by default if you do not specify a tag.
vX.Y.Zthe full version of the release (for example, v1.40.0).
vX.Ythe major and minor version (for example, v1.40).
vXjust the major version (for example, v1).

Minor and major version tags update with each matching release. For example, if v1.40.1 is published, the v1.40 tag moves from v1.40.0 to v1.40.1.

Update your Netdata Docker container​

Docker containers do not auto-update. To update, you pull a new image and recreate the container.

important

Persistent volumes (netdataconfig, netdatalib, netdatacache) preserve your configuration and metrics across container recreation. If you followed the recommended installation, these volumes are already set up.

  1. Pull the latest image:

    docker pull netdata/netdata:stable

  2. Stop and remove the existing container:

    docker stop netdata && docker rm netdata

  3. Recreate the container using the same docker run command you originally used (see Create a new Netdata Agent container above).

Check the running Agent version:

docker exec netdata netdata -W buildinfo
tip

Use the stable tag to pull only stable releases. The latest tag (the default) may include nightly builds. See Docker tags for all available tags.

note

If Netdata Cloud shows a Critical update notification, your Agent version is below the minimum required version for optimal Cloud functionality. Nightly builds may trigger this notification even when up to date. Switching to the stable tag resolves this.

note

If you manage containers through a third-party platform (such as CasaOS, Portainer, or ZimaBoard), use that platform's update interface. The Netdata image must use our official image tags to receive updates.

Configure Agent Containers​

If you started an Agent container using one of the recommended methods and need to edit its configuration, first attach to the container with docker exec, replacing netdata with your container’s name.

docker exec -it netdata bash
cd /etc/netdata
./edit-config netdata.conf

Restart the Agent to apply changes: exit the container if necessary, then run docker restart netdata.

Change the default hostname​

A container’s hostname appears in both the local dashboard and Netdata Cloud.

To change it after creation, stop and remove the container—it’s safe! Your configuration and metrics stay intact in persistent volumes and will reattach when you recreate the container.

If you use docker-run, use the --hostname option with docker run.

docker run -d --name=netdata \
  --hostname=my_docker_netdata

If you use docker-compose, add a hostname: key/value pair into your docker-compose.yml file, then create the container again using docker-compose up -d.

version: '3'
services:
  netdata:
    image: netdata/netdata
    container_name: netdata
    hostname: my_docker_compose_netdata

If you prefer not to recreate the container, edit the Agent’s netdata.conf file. See configuring Agent containers for the right method based on how you created it.

Alternatively, use the host’s hostname by mounting /etc/hostname in the container:

  • With docker run, add:

    --volume /etc/hostname:/host/etc/hostname:ro

  • With Docker Compose, add this to the volumes section:

    - /etc/hostname:/host/etc/hostname:ro

Environment Variables​

The container's entrypoint reads these environment variables at startup. Set them with docker run -e or the environment: block in Docker Compose, the same way you set any container environment variable.

VariableDefaultWhat it controls
NETDATA_LISTENER_PORT19999TCP port the Agent's web server and API listen on.
NETDATA_HEALTHCHECK_TARGEThttp://localhost:19999/api/v1/infoWhat the Docker health check polls.
DOCKER_USRnetdataSystem user the Agent runs as.
DOCKER_HOSTAuto-detectedLocation of the Docker daemon socket.
PGIDAuto-detectedGID of the host Docker group.
NETDATA_EXTRA_DEB_PACKAGES(empty)Extra Debian packages installed at container start.
NETDATA_EXTRA_APK_PACKAGES(unset)Deprecated. No longer installs anything.
DISABLE_TELEMETRY0Opts out of anonymous telemetry when set to a non-zero value.
DO_NOT_TRACK0Same as DISABLE_TELEMETRY.

NETDATA_LISTENER_PORT​

The TCP port the Agent's web server and API listen on. The default is 19999.

When you change it, remember to publish the same port from the container. For example, to use port 30000:

docker run -d --name=netdata \
  -e NETDATA_LISTENER_PORT=30000 \
  -p 30000:30000 \
  netdata/netdata

This variable also feeds the default health check target, so the check follows the port automatically unless you override it.

NETDATA_HEALTHCHECK_TARGET​

Controls what the container's Docker HEALTHCHECK polls. By default the check requests the Agent's /api/v1/info endpoint over the listener port: http://localhost:19999/api/v1/info.

Two modes:

  • A URL (the default, or any value other than cli): the health check runs curl against that URL. The container is healthy if the request succeeds.
  • cli: the health check runs netdatacli ping. This confirms the daemon process is alive, but does not verify the web server or that data collection is working.

Use cli when you have disabled the web server or restricted API access, so the default HTTP check would always report unhealthy:

docker run -d --name=netdata -e NETDATA_HEALTHCHECK_TARGET=cli netdata/netdata

You can also point it at a different endpoint or host when your setup requires it.

DOCKER_USR​

The system user the Agent runs as. The default is netdata.

The entrypoint uses this user when assigning supplemental group memberships (the Docker group, the Proxmox configuration group, and the NVIDIA device group), so collectors that need those groups keep working. In normal operation you do not need to change this value.

DOCKER_HOST and PGID​

DOCKER_HOST tells Netdata where to find the Docker daemon, and PGID is the group ID the Agent needs to read that socket. Both are auto-detected at container start.

Auto-detection​

When the container starts as root, the entrypoint probes for a container runtime socket in this order:

  1. balenaEngine — detected via /var/run/balena.sock. When found, the collector is pointed at unix:///var/run/balena-engine.sock, and PGID is set to that socket's group owner.
  2. Docker — detected via /var/run/docker.sock. When found, the collector is pointed at unix:///var/run/docker.sock, and PGID is set to that socket's group owner.

The entrypoint then adds the DOCKER_USR user to a group with the detected PGID so the Agent can read the socket.

Overriding with a custom value​

If neither socket is present, the entrypoint leaves DOCKER_HOST and PGID untouched, so any value you set is preserved. This is how Docker socket proxy setups work (see With Docker socket proxy above): you do not mount /var/run/docker.sock into the container, and instead point Netdata at the proxy:

environment:
  - DOCKER_HOST=localhost:2375
Detected sockets override your value

If /var/run/docker.sock (or /var/run/balena.sock) is mounted into the container, the entrypoint detects it and overrides any DOCKER_HOST and PGID you set. To use a custom DOCKER_HOST (for example, a socket proxy), do not mount the host socket into the container.

NETDATA_EXTRA_DEB_PACKAGES​

A space-separated list of Debian packages installed with apt-get at container start, before the Agent starts. The default is empty (nothing is installed).

By default, Netdata's official container images exclude some optional runtime dependencies. This variable installs them at runtime. Commonly installed packages:

  • apcupsd — monitors APC UPS devices.
  • lm-sensors — monitors hardware sensors.
  • netcat-openbsd — enables IRC alerts.
docker run -e NETDATA_EXTRA_DEB_PACKAGES="lm-sensors netcat-openbsd" netdata/netdata

Installation runs every time the container starts, so adding many packages increases startup time.

NETDATA_EXTRA_APK_PACKAGES (deprecated)​

Deprecated. The Netdata Docker image moved from Alpine to Debian as its base. This variable previously installed Alpine (apk) packages; it now installs nothing.

If it is set to a non-empty value, the container prints a warning at startup reminding you to use NETDATA_EXTRA_DEB_PACKAGES instead, then continues normally.

To silence the warning, unset the variable or set it to an empty string, and migrate your package list to NETDATA_EXTRA_DEB_PACKAGES using Debian package names.

DISABLE_TELEMETRY and DO_NOT_TRACK​

Set either variable to a non-zero value to opt the Agent out of anonymous telemetry. At container start the entrypoint creates the opt-out marker file, and no anonymous usage statistics are sent.

docker run -e DISABLE_TELEMETRY=1 netdata/netdata
# or
docker run -e DO_NOT_TRACK=1 netdata/netdata

DO_NOT_TRACK is an alias for DISABLE_TELEMETRY; setting either one is sufficient. See Anonymous telemetry events for full details on what is collected and all the ways to opt out.

Build-time variables​

A few environment variables are baked into the image at build time and are not meant to be set with docker run -e:

  • NETDATA_OFFICIAL_IMAGE — marks whether the image is an official Netdata build. It is set during the image build and feeds the anonymous telemetry beacon. You do not need to set it.
  • DOCKER_GRP — the group name created in the image at build time.

These are documented here for completeness. Changing them at runtime has no supported effect on the entrypoint behavior.

Publish a test image to your own repository​

At Netdata, we provide multiple ways of testing your Docker images using your own repositories.

tip

You may either use the command line tools available or take advantage of our GitHub Actions infrastructure.

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