Getting Started with Dockge: Install and Manage Docker Stacks with Ease

Dockge makes Docker Compose stack management visual, real-time, and a joy to use. In this tutorial, we will walk through installing Dockge on any Linux server with Docker, creating your first stack, and exploring the key features that make Dockge indispensable for self-hosters.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, you will need:

A Linux server (or any system) with Docker installed
Docker Compose (V2, built into modern Docker)
Port 8080 available on your host (or change the port mapping)
Basic familiarity with the command line

Step 1: Create a Directory

mkdir -p /opt/dockge
cd /opt/dockge

Step 2: Create the Compose File

Create a file called compose.yaml with the following content:

services:
  dockge:
    image: louislam/dockge:latest
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - 8080:8080
    volumes:
      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
      - ./data:/app/data
      - /opt/stacks:/opt/stacks
    environment:
      - DOCKGE_STACKS_DIR=/opt/stacks

Step 3: Start Dockge

docker compose up -d

Wait a few seconds for the container to start. You can watch the logs with docker compose logs -f to confirm everything is running smoothly.

Step 4: Access the Web UI

Open your browser and navigate to http://YOUR_SERVER_IP:8080. You will see the Dockge dashboard — a clean, card-based interface showing your stacks.

Step 5: Create Your First Stack

Click the "Create Stack" button. Give your stack a name (e.g., nginx-test) and paste in a compose configuration:

services:
  nginx:
    image: nginx:latest
    ports:
      - 8081:80

Click "Deploy". Watch as Dockge pulls the image and starts the container — all in real-time inside the browser terminal. You will see the logs streaming live, from "Pulling nginx:latest" to "Container started".

Step 6: Manage Your Stack

Once deployed, you can:

Start / Stop / Restart with single clicks
Update the Docker image when new versions are released
Edit the compose file directly in the browser
Delete the stack entirely
Open Terminal for interactive shell access to any container in the stack

Advanced: Managing Multiple Hosts

Dockge 1.4.0+ supports agents — lightweight companion containers that you install on other Docker hosts. Dockge connects to them via a single token, giving you a unified dashboard for all your servers. This is perfect for homelabs with a Raspberry Pi cluster or multiple VPS instances.

Tips for Self-Hosters

Set DOCKGE_STACKS_DIR to /opt/stacks or any path you prefer — Dockge will use that directory to store compose files.
Mount your stacks directory as a bind mount so you can edit files directly when needed.
Back up the ./data directory regularly — it contains Dockge's internal database.

Conclusion

Dockge is one of those rare tools that immediately feels like it should have existed all along. Simple to deploy, beautiful to use, and deeply practical — if you self-host anything with Docker Compose, give it a try. You will wonder how you managed without it.