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Watchtower

Watchtower is a Docker container updater that automatically applies new images to running applications.

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Watchtower is a Docker container updater that automatically applies new images to running applications. It watches a configured image registry, pulls newer versions, stops the old container, and restarts it with the original Docker options. It suits self-hosted users who want scheduled or registry-triggered container updates without manually pulling images and restarting containers.

Platform availability

Available on 1 of 6 install platforms

  • Unraid
  • TrueNAS (not listed)
  • Umbrel (not listed)
  • ZimaOS (not listed)
  • Proxmox (not listed)
  • Helm (not listed)

Also on Docker Hub and GitHub

Health score

77/100 Good

Maintained
100last commit 3 days ago
Popular
734,534 GitHub stars
Easy to install
351 install platform, install notes, Docker image
Light to run
No data

Based on 3 of 4 factors.

How is this calculated?

A 0-100 score computed nightly from four factors: maintained (40%: recent commits and steady activity), popular (25%: GitHub stars, log scale), easy to install (20%: platforms, install notes, setup guides, Docker image) and light to run (15%: minimum RAM, ARM support). Factors without data are left out and the rest are rescaled.

Availability: platform listings confirmed today, links checked 7 days ago

GitHub stars
4,534
Open issues
9
Last commit
2026-10-03
Latest release
v1.22.3
License
Apache-2.0
Activity
steady

Checked 2 days ago - source: GitHub (nicholas-fedor/watchtower)

Resources & Compatibility

ARM (e.g. Raspberry Pi) is supported.

Checked 7 days ago - source: Docker Hub image tags and published docs

First-install notes

  • Download, check, and run the Compose file Download the example Docker Compose file (Docker Compose is a helper that starts a set of containers), `docker-compose.yaml`, make sure it mounts `/var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock`, and run `docker compose up -d`. That socket mount lets Watchtower talk to Docker; without it, it cannot update your containers. source
  • Make Watchtower restart automatically Keep `restart: unless-stopped` in the Compose file, or use `--restart unless-stopped` with `docker run`. This brings Watchtower back after a reboot or Docker restart, so your containers keep getting updated without manual fixes. source
  • If enabling the HTTP API, secure it If you add the HTTP API options `--http-api-host` and `--http-api-port`, point them to `127.0.0.1` or a trusted home-network IP and open that port only where needed. Leaving it open on a public network could let outsiders reach Watchtower controls. source
  • Place arguments in Unraid Post Arguments In Unraid, enter Watchtower arguments in the Post Arguments field, such as --schedule "0 0 4 * * *" for a daily 4:00 update or --cleanup to remove old images after updates. source

Fetched 2 days ago - each note links to its source

Alternatives (5)

  • diun - Diun is a CLI application to receive notifications when a Docker image is updated on a Docker registry.
  • docker webui - Docker WebUI is a simple dashboard that organises your self-hosted applications.
  • tugtainer - Automate updates of your Docker containers
  • tugtainer-agent - Automate updates of your Docker containers.
  • whats-up-docker - What's up Docker?

Checked 4 days ago - source: AlternativeTo

Common questions

What container configuration is needed for Watchtower to update containers and stay available after reboots?

Mount /var/run/docker.sock into the Watchtower container so it can talk to Docker. Also keep restart: unless-stopped so Watchtower comes back after a reboot or Docker restart.

How should I secure the Watchtower HTTP API if I enable it?

Bind the HTTP API to 127.0.0.1 or a trusted home-network IP. Open the API port only where needed, because leaving it reachable publicly can expose Watchtower controls.

Is Watchtower suitable for a production environment?

The project says it is intended for homelabs, media centers, and local dev environments. It does not recommend using it in commercial or production environments.

What kind of breakage can automatic updates cause?

One user reported that enabling Watchtower for a week broke a Frigate install. This shows that automated container updates can disrupt a running service.

Answers sourced from github.com, watchtower.nickfedor.com, watchtower.nickfedor.com, www.reddit.com

Community

Collected 7 days ago - public community threads