Docker Monitor Wiki

Getting Started

What is Docker Monitor?

Docker Monitor is a mobile companion app for monitoring your Docker containers. It's not meant to replace desktop tools like Portainer or Docker Desktop, but rather complement them by letting you check on your containers when you're away from your computer.

This guide will help you get started with setting up your first Docker server connection for mobile monitoring.

System Requirements

  • iOS 12.0+ or Android 6.0+
  • Docker Engine 20.10+ on your server
  • Network connectivity to your Docker server
  • SSH access (for remote servers)

Quick Setup

  1. Download Docker Monitor from the App Store or Google Play
  2. Open the app and tap "Add Server"
  3. Enter your server details (hostname, port, credentials)
  4. Test the connection and save
  5. Start managing your containers!

Server Setup

Security Notice

Never expose your Docker daemon directly to the internet. Always use SSH tunneling for remote connections.

Local Docker Setup

# Enable Docker API (Unix socket)
sudo systemctl enable docker
sudo systemctl start docker

# Add your user to docker group
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

Remote Docker Setup

For remote servers, we recommend using SSH tunneling for security:

# SSH tunnel example
ssh -L 2376:localhost:2376 [email protected]

# Then connect to localhost:2376 in Docker Monitor

SSH Tunneling

Docker Monitor includes built-in SSH tunneling support for secure remote connections. This eliminates the need to expose your Docker daemon to the internet.

Setting up SSH Keys

  1. Generate an SSH key pair on your mobile device (done in-app)
  2. Copy the public key to your server's ~/.ssh/authorized_keys
  3. Configure the SSH connection in Docker Monitor
  4. Test the connection

SSH Configuration

Connection Settings

  • • Host: Your server's IP or hostname
  • • Port: SSH port (usually 22)
  • • Username: Your SSH username
  • • Authentication: SSH key or password
  • • Local Port: Docker daemon port (usually 2376)

Container Management

Docker Operations

  • • Start/Stop containers
  • • Restart containers
  • • Remove containers
  • • View container details

Advanced Features

  • • Environment variables
  • • Port mappings
  • • Volume mounts
  • • Network settings

Container States

StateDescriptionActions
RunningContainer is active and runningStop, Restart, View Logs
StoppedContainer is stoppedStart, Remove
ErrorContainer failed to startView Logs, Remove

Monitoring & Logs

Resource Monitoring

Docker Monitor provides real-time monitoring of container resources:

  • CPU usage with historical graphs
  • Memory consumption and limits
  • Network I/O statistics
  • Disk usage and I/O metrics

Log Viewing

Log Features

  • • Real-time log streaming
  • • ANSI color support
  • • Search and filtering
  • • Export log files
  • • Configurable log levels

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Connection Failed

If you can't connect to your Docker server:

  • Check if Docker daemon is running
  • Verify network connectivity
  • Ensure correct port configuration
  • Check firewall settings

SSH Tunnel Issues

SSH connection problems:

  • Verify SSH key is properly configured
  • Check SSH server is running on target port
  • Ensure user has Docker permissions
  • Test SSH connection manually first

Performance Issues

If the app is slow or unresponsive:

  • Check network latency to server
  • Reduce log refresh frequency
  • Close unused connections
  • Restart the app if needed

Advanced Features

Environment Variables

Edit container environment variables in real-time without recreating containers.

Image Management

Pull, push, and manage Docker images with support for private registries.

Bulk Operations

Perform operations on multiple containers simultaneously for efficient management.

Data Export

Export container logs, configurations, and monitoring data for analysis.

Need Help?

If you can't find what you're looking for in this documentation, we're here to help.

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