liquidguru

liquidguru / docker-updater

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Self-hosted Docker update manager — manual-approval alternative to Watchtower

container-management docker docker-compose flask homelab
15
0
89% credibility
Found May 29, 2026 at 18 stars -- GitGems finds repos before they trend. Get early access to the next one.
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AI Analysis
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AI Summary

Docker-updater is a friendly web dashboard that helps you manage updates for the apps running in Docker on your home server or computer. Unlike tools that automatically restart your apps the moment something new comes out, this one shows you what's available and asks for your approval first. You can browse release notes from developers before deciding, update apps one at a time or in groups, and temporarily pause updates if you're in the middle of something important. Everything is saved locally so your preferences survive restarts, and the tool only talks to your computer - nothing is sent to the internet. It's designed to replace automatic updaters like Watchtower for people who prefer manual control.

How It Works

1
🐳 You run Docker containers at home

You have several apps running in Docker on your computer or server - like Home Assistant, a photo library, or a media server.

2
🔍 You discover updates without surprise restarts

Instead of your containers randomly restarting when developers publish new versions, the updater quietly checks for you and tells you what's new.

3
📋 You see what's ready to update

A simple dashboard shows you all your containers with clear labels: which ones have updates, which are up to date, and which you paused from updating earlier.

4
You choose what to do
🚀
Update now

One click pulls the new version and restarts your app with all your settings preserved

⏰
Defer it

Ask to be reminded in a week, two weeks, or whenever you're ready

📖
Read release notes first

See what changed before deciding - helpful for avoiding broken updates

5
✅ Everything updates smoothly

When you update, the app carefully stops the old version, pulls the new one, and starts it back up exactly as it was - keeping all your files, passwords, and settings intact.

🏠 Your home server stays healthy

You rest easy knowing your apps stay updated on your schedule, not the developers'. You can update tonight or next month - it's always your choice.

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AI-Generated Review

What is docker-updater?

docker-updater is a self-hosted web dashboard for managing Docker container updates with manual approval. Instead of automatically pulling and restarting containers when new images drop, it polls your registries on a schedule, surfaces what's available, and lets you decide when (or whether) to update. The Python Flask app connects to your Docker socket, compares local image digests against remote registries using the Docker Registry v2 API, and preserves all container config—volumes, ports, networks, restart policies—when recreating containers.

Why is it gaining traction?

The appeal is control. Watchtower updates containers the moment a new image is published, which breaks workflows for anyone who needs to test updates in staging or simply wants visibility before touching production. docker-updater adds a defer option (7/14/30/90 days or indefinitely), bulk update support, and a changelog viewer that pulls the last five GitHub Releases for images with OCI source labels. A live streaming log shows pull progress and recreation status in real time. The notification system via Apprise means you can pipe alerts to ntfy, Slack, or email without building your own alerting pipeline.

Who should use this?

Homelab operators on Synology, Unraid, or Proxmox who want Watchtower's automation but with a manual gate. Self-hosted enthusiasts running Home Assistant, Vaultwarden, or LinuxServer images who need to review changelogs before updating. Anyone tired of SSHing into servers to check which containers are stale.

Verdict

This fills a real gap for self-hosted Docker users who want visibility without full automation. The feature set is solid—deferral, bulk updates, changelog fetching, persistent state—and the implementation handles edge cases like locally-built images and multi-network containers. However, with only 15 stars and no visible test suite, this is early-stage software. The 0.8999999761581421% credibility score reflects that maturity gap. Run it in a non-critical environment first. If the project gains contributors, this could become the go-to alternative to Watchtower for cautious operators.

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