<!--
title: "Install Netdata with Docker"
date: 2020-04-23
custom_edit_url: https://github.com/netdata/netdata/edit/master/packaging/docker/README.md
-->

# Install the Netdata Agent with Docker

Running the Netdata Agent in a container works best for an internal network or to quickly analyze a host. Docker helps
you get set up quickly, and doesn't install anything permanent on the system, which makes uninstalling the Agent easy.

See our full list of Docker images at [Docker Hub](https://hub.docker.com/r/netdata/netdata).

Starting with v1.12, Netdata collects anonymous usage information by default and sends it to Google Analytics. Read
about the information collected, and learn how to-opt, on our [anonymous statistics](/docs/anonymous-statistics.md)
page.

The usage statistics are _vital_ for us, as we use them to discover bugs and prioritize new features. We thank you for
_actively_ contributing to Netdata's future.

## Limitations running the Agent in Docker

For monitoring the whole host, running the Agent in a container can limit its capabilities. Some data, like the host OS
performance or status, is not accessible or not as detailed in a container as when running the Agent directly on the
host.

A way around this is to provide special mounts to the Docker container so that the Agent can get visibility on host OS
information like `/sys` and `/proc` folders or even `/etc/group` and shadow files.

Also, we now ship Docker images using an [ENTRYPOINT](https://docs.docker.com/engine/reference/builder/#entrypoint)
directive, not a COMMAND directive. Please adapt your execution scripts accordingly. You can find more information about
ENTRYPOINT vs COMMAND in the [Docker
documentation](https://docs.docker.com/engine/reference/builder/#understand-how-cmd-and-entrypoint-interact).

## Create a new Netdata Agent container

You can create a new Agent container using either `docker run` or Docker Compose. After using either method, you can
visit the Agent dashboard `http://NODE:19999`.

Both methods create a [bind mount](https://docs.docker.com/storage/bind-mounts/) for Netdata's configuration files
_within the container_ at `/etc/netdata`. See the [configuration section](#configure-agent-containers) for details. If
you want to access the configuration files from your _host_ machine, see [host-editable
configuration](#host-editable-configuration).

**`docker run`**: Use the `docker run` command, along with the following options, to start a new container.

```bash
docker run -d --name=netdata \
  -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 /proc:/host/proc:ro \
  -v /sys:/host/sys:ro \
  -v /etc/os-release:/host/etc/os-release:ro \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  --cap-add SYS_PTRACE \
  --security-opt apparmor=unconfined \
  netdata/netdata
```

**Docker Compose**: Copy the following code and paste into a new file called `docker-compose.yml`, then run
`docker-compose up -d` in the same directory as the `docker-compose.yml` file to start the container.

```yaml
version: '3'
services:
  netdata:
    image: netdata/netdata
    container_name: netdata
    hostname: example.com # set to fqdn of host
    ports:
      - 19999:19999
    restart: unless-stopped
    cap_add:
      - SYS_PTRACE
    security_opt:
      - apparmor:unconfined
    volumes:
      - netdataconfig:/etc/netdata
      - netdatalib:/var/lib/netdata
      - netdatacache:/var/cache/netdata
      - /etc/passwd:/host/etc/passwd:ro
      - /etc/group:/host/etc/group:ro
      - /proc:/host/proc:ro
      - /sys:/host/sys:ro
      - /etc/os-release:/host/etc/os-release:ro

volumes:
  netdataconfig:
  netdatalib:
  netdatacache:
```

## Health Checks

Our Docker image provides integrated support for health checks through the standard Docker interfaces.

You can control how the health checks run by using the environment variable `NETDATA_HEALTHCHECK_TARGET` as follows:

-   If left unset, the health check will attempt to access the
    `/api/v1/info` endpoint of the agent.
-   If set to the exact value 'cli', the health check
    script will use `netdatacli ping` to determine if the agent is running
    correctly or not. This is sufficient to ensure that Netdata did not
    hang during startup, but does not provide a rigorous verification
    that the daemon is collecting data or is otherwise usable.
-   If set to anything else, the health check will treat the value as a
    URL to check for a 200 status code on. In most cases, this should
    start with `http://localhost:19999/` to check the agent running in
    the container.

In most cases, the default behavior of checking the `/api/v1/info`
endpoint will be sufficient. If you are using a configuration which
disables the web server or restricts access to certain API's, you will
need to use a non-default configuration for health checks to work.

## Configure Agent containers

If you started an Agent container using one of the [recommended methods](#create-a-new-netdata-agent-container) and you
want to edit Netdata's configuration, you must first use `docker exec` to attach to the container. Replace `netdata`
with the name of your container.

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

You need to restart the Agent to apply changes. Exit the container if you haven't already, then use the `docker` command
to restart the container: `docker restart netdata`.

### Host-editable configuration

If you want to make your container's configuration directory accessible from the host system, you need to use a
[volume](https://docs.docker.com/storage/bind-mounts/) rather than a bind mount. The following commands create a
temporary `netdata_tmp` container, which is used to populate a `netdataconfig` directory, which is then mounted inside
the container at `/etc/netdata`.

```bash
mkdir netdataconfig
docker run -d --name netdata_tmp netdata/netdata
docker cp netdata_tmp:/etc/netdata netdataconfig/
docker rm -f netdata_tmp
```

**`docker run`**: Use the `docker run` command, along with the following options, to start a new container. Note the
changed `-v $(pwd)/netdataconfig/netdata:/etc/netdata:ro \` line from the recommended example above.

```bash
docker run -d --name=netdata \
  -p 19999:19999 \
  -v $(pwd)/netdataconfig/netdata:/etc/netdata:ro \
  -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 /proc:/host/proc:ro \
  -v /sys:/host/sys:ro \
  -v /etc/os-release:/host/etc/os-release:ro \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  --cap-add SYS_PTRACE \
  --security-opt apparmor=unconfined \
  netdata/netdata
```

**Docker Compose**: Copy the following code and paste into a new file called `docker-compose.yml`, then run
`docker-compose up -d` in the same directory as the `docker-compose.yml` file to start the container. Note the changed
`./netdataconfig/netdata:/etc/netdata:ro` line from the recommended example above.

```yaml
version: '3'
services:
  netdata:
    image: netdata/netdata
    container_name: netdata
    hostname: example.com # set to fqdn of host
    ports:
      - 19999:19999
    restart: unless-stopped
    cap_add:
      - SYS_PTRACE
    security_opt:
      - apparmor:unconfined
    volumes:
      - ./netdataconfig/netdata:/etc/netdata:ro
      - netdatalib:/var/lib/netdata
      - netdatacache:/var/cache/netdata
      - /etc/passwd:/host/etc/passwd:ro
      - /etc/group:/host/etc/group:ro
      - /proc:/host/proc:ro
      - /sys:/host/sys:ro
      - /etc/os-release:/host/etc/os-release:ro

volumes:
  netdatalib:
  netdatacache:
```

### Change the default hostname

You can change the hostname of a Docker container, and thus the name that appears in the local dashboard and in Netdata
Cloud, when creating a new container. If you want to change the hostname of a Netdata container _after_ you started it,
you can safely stop and remove it. You configuration and metrics data reside in persistent volumes and are reattached to
the recreated container.

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

```bash
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`.

```yaml
version: '3'
services:
  netdata:
    image: netdata/netdata
    container_name: netdata
    hostname: my_docker_compose_netdata
    ...
```

If you don't want to destroy and recreate your container, you can edit the Agent's `netdata.conf` file directly. See the
above section on [configuring Agent containers](#configure-agent-containers) to find the appropriate method based on
how you created the container.

### Add or remove other volumes

Some of the volumes are optional depending on how you use Netdata:

-   If you don't want to use the apps.plugin functionality, you can remove the mounts of `/etc/passwd` and `/etc/group`
    (they are used to get proper user and group names for the monitored host) to get slightly better security.
-   Most modern linux distros supply `/etc/os-release` although some older distros only supply `/etc/lsb-release`. If
    this is the case you can change the line above that mounts the file inside the container to
    `-v /etc/lsb-release:/host/etc/lsb-release:ro`.
-   If your host is virtualized then Netdata cannot detect it from inside the container and will output the wrong
    metadata (e.g. on `/api/v1/info` queries). You can fix this by setting a variable that overrides the detection
    using, e.g. `--env VIRTUALIZATION=$(systemd-detect-virt -v)`. If you are using a `docker-compose.yml` then add:

```yaml
    environment:
      - VIRTUALIZATION=${VIRTUALIZATION}
```

This allows the information to be passed into `docker-compose` using:

```bash
VIRTUALIZATION=$(systemd-detect-virt -v) docker-compose up
```

#### Files inside systemd volumes

If a volume is used by systemd service, some files can be removed during 
[reinitialization](https://github.com/netdata/netdata/issues/9916). To avoid this, you need to add
`RuntimeDirectoryPreserve=yes` to the service file.

### Docker container names resolution

There are a few options for resolving container names within Netdata. Some methods of doing so will allow root access to
your machine from within the container. Please read the following carefully.

#### Docker socket proxy (safest option)

Deploy a Docker socket proxy that accepts and filters out requests using something like
[HAProxy](/docs/Running-behind-haproxy.md) so that it restricts connections to read-only access to the CONTAINERS
endpoint.

The reason it's safer to expose the socket to the proxy is because Netdata has a TCP port exposed outside the Docker
network. Access to the proxy container is limited to only within the network.

Below is [an example repository (and image)](https://github.com/Tecnativa/docker-socket-proxy) that provides a proxy to
the socket.

You run the Docker 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.

```yaml
version: '3'
services:
  netdata:
    image: netdata/netdata
    # ... rest of your config ...
    ports:
      - 19999:19999
    environment:
      - DOCKER_HOST=proxy:2375
  proxy:
    image: tecnativa/docker-socket-proxy
    volumes:
     - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro
    environment:
      - CONTAINERS=1

```
**Note:** Replace `2375` with the port of your proxy.

#### Giving group access to the Docker socket (less safe)

**Important Note**: You should seriously consider the necessity of activating this option, as it grants to the `netdata`
user access to the privileged socket connection of docker service and therefore your whole machine.

If you want to have your container names resolved by Netdata, make the `netdata` user be part of the group that owns the
socket.

To achieve that just add environment variable `PGID=[GROUP NUMBER]` to the Netdata container, where `[GROUP NUMBER]` is
practically the group id of the group assigned to the docker socket, on your host.

This group number can be found by running the following (if socket group ownership is docker):

```bash
grep docker /etc/group | cut -d ':' -f 3
```

#### Running as root (unsafe)

> You should seriously consider the necessity of activating this option, as it grants to the `netdata` user access to
> the privileged socket connection of docker service, and therefore your whole machine.

```yaml
version: '3'
services:
  netdata:
    image: netdata/netdata
    # ... rest of your config ...
    volumes:
      # ... other volumes ...
      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro
    environment:
      - DOCKER_USR=root
```

### Pass command line options to Netdata

Since we use an [ENTRYPOINT](https://docs.docker.com/engine/reference/builder/#entrypoint) directive, you can provide
[Netdata daemon command line options](https://learn.netdata.cloud/docs/agent/daemon/#command-line-options) such as the
IP address Netdata will be running on, using the [command
instruction](https://docs.docker.com/engine/reference/builder/#cmd). 

## Install the Agent using Docker Compose with SSL/TLS enabled HTTP Proxy

For a permanent installation on a public server, you should [secure the Netdata
instance](/docs/netdata-security.md). This section contains an example of how to install Netdata with an SSL
reverse proxy and basic authentication.

You can use the following `docker-compose.yml` and Caddyfile files to run Netdata with Docker. Replace the domains and
email address for [Let's Encrypt](https://letsencrypt.org/) before starting.

### Caddyfile

This file needs to be placed in `/opt` with name `Caddyfile`. Here you customize your domain and you need to provide
your email address to obtain a Let's Encrypt certificate. Certificate renewal will happen automatically and will be
executed internally by the caddy server.

```caddyfile
netdata.example.org {
  proxy / netdata:19999
  tls admin@example.org
}
```

### docker-compose.yml

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

```yaml
version: '3'
volumes:
  caddy:

services:
  caddy:
    image: abiosoft/caddy
    ports:
      - 80:80
      - 443:443
    volumes:
      - /opt/Caddyfile:/etc/Caddyfile
      - $HOME/.caddy:/root/.caddy
    environment:
      ACME_AGREE: 'true'
  netdata:
    restart: always
    hostname: netdata.example.org
    image: netdata/netdata
    cap_add:
      - SYS_PTRACE
    security_opt:
      - apparmor:unconfined
    volumes:
      - netdatalib:/var/lib/netdata
      - netdatacache:/var/cache/netdata
      - /etc/passwd:/host/etc/passwd:ro
      - /etc/group:/host/etc/group:ro
      - /proc:/host/proc:ro
      - /sys:/host/sys:ro
      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro

volumes:
  netdatalib:
  netdatacache:
```

### Restrict access with basic auth

You can restrict access by following [official caddy guide](https://caddyserver.com/docs/caddyfile/directives/basicauth#basicauth) and adding lines to
Caddyfile.

## Publish a test image to your own repository

At Netdata, we provide multiple ways of testing your Docker images using your own repositories.
You may either use the command line tools available or take advantage of our Travis CI infrastructure.

### Inside Netdata organization, using Travis CI

To enable Travis CI integration on your own repositories (Docker and Github), you need to be part of the Netdata
organization.

Once you have contacted the Netdata owners to setup you up on Github and Travis, execute the following steps

-   Preparation
    -   Have Netdata forked on your personal GitHub account
    -   Get a GitHub token: Go to **GitHub settings** -> **Developer Settings** -> **Personal access tokens**, and
        generate a new token with full access to `repo_hook`, read-only access to `admin:org`, `public_repo`,
        `repo_deployment`, `repo:status`, and `user:email` settings enabled. This will be your `GITHUB_TOKEN` that is
        described later in the instructions, so keep it somewhere safe.
    -   Contact the Netdata team and seek for permissions on `https://scan.coverity.com` should you require Travis to be
        able to push your forked code to coverity for analysis and report. Once you are setup, you should have your
        email you used in coverity and a token from them. These will be your `COVERITY_SCAN_SUBMIT_EMAIL` and
        `COVERITY_SCAN_TOKEN` that we will refer to later.
    -   Have a valid Docker hub account, the credentials from this account will be your `DOCKER_USERNAME` and
        `DOCKER_PWD` mentioned later.

-   Setting up Travis CI for your own fork (Detailed instructions provided by Travis team [here](https://docs.travis-ci.com/user/tutorial/))
    -   Login to travis with your own GITHUB credentials (There is Open Auth access)
    -   Go to your profile settings, under [repositories](https://travis-ci.com/account/repositories) section and setup
        your Netdata fork to be built by Travis CI.
    -   Once the repository has been setup, go to repository settings within Travis CI (usually under
        `https://travis-ci.com/NETDATA_DEVELOPER/netdata/settings`, where `NETDATA_DEVELOPER` is your GitHub handle),
        and select your desired settings.

-   While in Travis settings, under Netdata repository settings in the Environment Variables section, you need to add
    the following:
    -   `DOCKER_USERNAME` and `DOCKER_PWD` variables so that Travis can login to your Docker Hub account and publish
        Docker images there. 
    -   `REPOSITORY` variable to `NETDATA_DEVELOPER/netdata`, where `NETDATA_DEVELOPER` is your GitHub handle again.
    -   `GITHUB_TOKEN` variable with the token generated on the preparation step, for Travis workflows to function
        properly.
    -   `COVERITY_SCAN_SUBMIT_EMAIL` and `COVERITY_SCAN_TOKEN` variables to enable Travis to submit your code for
        analysis to Coverity.

Having followed these instructions, your forked repository should be all set up for integration with Travis CI. Happy
testing!

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