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Watchtower: Auto Container Updates

Name: Watchtower: Auto Container Updates
Author: containrrr

Automate Docker base image updates with Watchtower. For founders, by developers with 25k+ GitHub stars.

24,698 stars1,146 forksGoHealth Score 9/10Updated 12/17/2025100% free · open source

What it does

Watchtower automates the process of updating Docker container base images to ensure they are running with the latest security patches and features.

Install / run

docker run -d --name watchtower -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock containrrr/watchtower

When to use it

•Your Dockerized application requires frequent updates to ensure security and compatibility
•You have a large number of Docker containers to manage and update manually
•You need to automate the process of rebuilding and redeploying Docker images after a base image update

Quick start

1Pull the Watchtower Docker image using the command: docker pull containrrr/watchtower
2Run Watchtower as a Docker container with the command: docker run -d --name watchtower -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock containrrr/watchtower
3Configure Watchtower to scan for updates at regular intervals by using the --interval flag, for example: docker run -d --name watchtower -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock containrrr/watchtower --interval 30m
4Specify which containers to update using the --label-enable flag, for example: docker run -d --name watchtower -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock containrrr/watchtower --label-enable
5Verify Watchtower is running and updating containers as expected by checking the Docker logs: docker logs -f watchtower

Ready-to-paste prompt

docker run -d --name watchtower -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock containrrr/watchtower --interval 1h --label-enable --repo user/app

Heads up: Watchtower requires access to the Docker socket (/var/run/docker.sock) to function, so ensure the container has the necessary permissions and volumes mounted

Saves to your device

Topics

automation

continuous-delivery

devops

docker

hacktoberfest

notifications

receive-notifications

registry

update-checker

watchtower

How Watchtower: Auto Container Updates works

Codeflow

Free to inspect

Watchtower: Auto Container Updates is a medium Go project (~8.3k lines across 96 code files). Setup is light: installs like a normal app. Reading the code is optional. Last commit 8 months ago, Apache-2.0 license, has a test suite.

Size

Medium codebase

~8.3k lines · 96 code files · ~1 h to skim

Setup

One-command install

Installs like a normal app. Reading the code is optional.

Runs on

Go · Docker

No API keys detected

Go 95%Shell 5%

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