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Dozzle

Docker Compose deployment guide for Dozzle on Ubuntu.

Dozzle is a lightweight web-based log viewer for Docker containers. It provides real-time access to container logs through a simple browser interface without requiring SSH access to the host.

I use Dozzle to monitor containers across multiple servers from a single interface.

Official project:

Create the Project

Create a directory for Dozzle:

/opt/docker/dozzle

Move into it:

cd /opt/docker/dozzle

Create the Docker Compose File

Create:

/opt/docker/dozzle/docker-compose.yml

Paste:

services:
  dozzle:
    image: amir20/dozzle:latest
    container_name: dozzle

    ports:
      - "8080:8080"

    volumes:
      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro

    restart: unless-stopped

Start Dozzle

Start the container:

docker compose up -d

Check the logs:

docker logs -f dozzle

Access the Web Interface

Open:

http://SERVER-IP:8080

Example:

http://192.168.1.100:8080

You should see a list of running Docker containers and be able to view logs in real time.

Features

Dozzle provides:

  • Live Docker container logs
  • Search and filtering
  • Multi-container viewing
  • Automatic log streaming
  • Mobile-friendly interface
  • Lightweight resource usage

It is particularly useful when troubleshooting container issues without needing to SSH into the host.

Monitoring Multiple Servers

Dozzle supports remote agents, allowing logs from multiple Docker hosts to be viewed from a single interface.

Example homelab setup:

micropc
micro2pc
minipc

Each remote server runs a Dozzle Agent, while the primary Dozzle instance connects to all agents and displays their logs in one dashboard.

Dozzle Agent

On remote servers, create:

/opt/docker/dozzle-agent/docker-compose.yml

Paste:

services:
  dozzle-agent:
    image: amir20/dozzle:latest
    container_name: dozzle_agent

    command: agent

    network_mode: host

    volumes:
      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro

    restart: unless-stopped

Start the agent:

docker compose up -d

The agent will automatically listen on port 7007.

Reverse Proxy (Optional)

If you already use a reverse proxy such as Caddy, you may prefer to expose Dozzle through a subdomain.

Example:

https://logs.example.com

This avoids exposing the raw port directly.

If you are new to reverse proxies, see:

What is a Reverse Proxy?

Security Considerations

Dozzle requires access to the Docker socket:

/var/run/docker.sock

This effectively grants visibility into Docker containers running on the host.

For internet-facing deployments, it is strongly recommended to:

  • Use authentication
  • Restrict access through a reverse proxy
  • Enable HTTPS
  • Limit access to trusted users

Advanced Example (Reference Only)

This is the configuration I currently use in my own homelab.

services:
  dozzle:
    container_name: dozzle
    stop_grace_period: 30s
    image: amir20/dozzle:latest

    restart: unless-stopped

    ports:
      - 8892:8080

    volumes:
      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro
      - /opt/docker/dozzle/data:/data

    environment:
      DOZZLE_AUTH_PROVIDER: simple
      DOZZLE_REMOTE_AGENT: 192.168.86.15:17007,192.168.86.100:7007,192.168.86.61:7007

    security_opt:
      - no-new-privileges:true

This configuration adds:

  • Authentication
  • Persistent application data
  • Multiple remote Docker hosts
  • Additional container security restrictions

Remote agents are deployed using:

services:
  dozzle-agent:
    container_name: dozzle_agent
    stop_grace_period: 30s
    image: amir20/dozzle:latest

    command: agent

    network_mode: host

    volumes:
      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro

    restart: unless-stopped

Updating Dozzle

Pull the latest image:

docker compose pull

Restart the container:

docker compose up -d

Backups

Back up:

/opt/docker/dozzle/data

if you are using persistent storage.

For simple deployments that only mount the Docker socket, there may be little or nothing to back up.

Final Thoughts

Dozzle is one of the simplest and most useful Docker management tools available. It provides instant access to container logs, makes troubleshooting easier, and scales well from a single server to multiple Docker hosts using remote agents.