Docker UI
If you manage Docker through a web interface, you can deploy Tracearr by creating a stack — no terminal required. The steps below apply to any tool that supports deploying Docker Compose files, including:
The exact UI labels vary between tools, but the workflow is the same.
Deploy a Stack
Create a new stack
Look for a Stacks, Projects, or Compose section in your tool’s sidebar. Click the button to create a new one (usually Add stack or Create).
Give it a name like tracearr — lowercase, no spaces.
Paste the compose file
Open the docker-compose.pg18.yml file on GitHub, copy its contents, and paste them into your tool’s compose editor.
Add your environment variables
Most tools have an environment variables section below the compose editor — or a separate .env editor. Add the following:
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
JWT_SECRET | A 64-character hex string |
COOKIE_SECRET | A different 64-character hex string |
You’ll need to generate these values first. See Generating Secrets for how — the online generator is the easiest option if you don’t have a terminal.
You can also add optional variables like TZ (e.g. America/New_York), PORT, LOG_LEVEL, or DB_PASSWORD.
Deploy
Click Deploy, Start, or the equivalent button. Your tool will pull the images and start all three services (Tracearr, TimescaleDB, and Redis).
Access Tracearr
Once the stack is running, open http://your-server-ip:3000 in your browser to reach the setup wizard.
Updating Tracearr
To pull a newer version, go to your stack’s editor and look for an option to re-pull images or redeploy. In Portainer this is the Re-pull image toggle on the Editor tab. In Dockge, click Update. The exact label varies, but the concept is the same — pull the latest image and recreate the containers. Your volumes and configuration are preserved.
Things to Know
Most Docker UIs do not auto-load .env files the way the docker compose CLI does. If your compose file references ${VARIABLE} placeholders, you need to define those variables in your tool’s UI — either through the env vars editor or by uploading a .env file. If the variables aren’t defined, they’ll be empty and Tracearr won’t start properly.
Some tools prefix container names with the stack name (e.g. tracearr-redis-1). The compose file includes explicit container_name values to override this, so the names should match what you see in the rest of this documentation.
Next Steps
Once Tracearr is running, connect your first media server.