Server Operations and Docker Services

Walkthrough · All levels

Complete server and Docker workflow covering checks, SSH, services, lifecycle, databases, users, projects, keys, and cleanup.

Introduction

Server operations affect real infrastructure. Confirm the provider, server name, target, workload, and current state before using lifecycle or deletion commands. The Demo Projects HQ server is used here only to reveal current controls; this tour does not execute an operational change.

This opens the live server menu. System Check verifies the machine and Docker prerequisites, Open SSH Terminal starts an authenticated remote terminal, Remove requests removal, and Refresh reloads server state.

Server action reference

Use System Check before deployments or after server changes. SSH Terminal is for direct diagnosis and maintenance. Resize, Reboot, and Delete are exposed in the Properties toolbar when the provider supports them; provider power on/off and action status are also handled through the provider integration.

Action	Effect
System Check	Checks server connectivity and required runtime state.
Open SSH Terminal	Opens a terminal on the selected server.
Resize	Changes the provider server size after review.
Reboot	Restarts the provider server.
Power on / off	Changes provider machine power state.
Delete / Remove	Deletes the provider resource or removes its Wappler entry, depending on the selected type.
Refresh	Reloads provider and server state.

Open the server Services branch

The next step opens Services on demand. This branch owns Docker service creation and the compose editor for the selected server.

Add a supported Docker service

This opens the real Services menu. Add Service is grouped by System and Databases, while Open In Editor opens the server compose definition for direct inspection or advanced editing.

Current built-in service catalog

Adding creates a provisional configured service under this server. Review ports, domains, credentials, storage, network, and environment settings before deploying it.

Group	Service	Primary use
System	Portainer	Docker management UI.
System	Traefik	Reverse proxy, routing, and TLS entry point.
System	Netdata	Server and container monitoring.
Databases	MySQL	MySQL relational database service.
Databases	MariaDB	MariaDB relational database service.
Databases	PostgreSQL	PostgreSQL relational database service.
Databases	CouchDB	Document database service.
Databases	Redis	In-memory data and cache service.

Configure before deployment

Select a service and use Service Configuration to review its current image, ports, environment variables, credentials, volumes, networks, labels, domains, and service-specific options. Traefik-backed services can expose Update Traefik Service when their routing definition needs regeneration. Open In Editor is the advanced handoff to the compose file.

The Properties toolbar exposes the commands valid for the current server or service state. Read the scope carefully: some actions operate on all services on the server, while service context actions operate on one selected service.

Action	Effect
Deploy	Runs the compose up workflow for configured services.
Shutdown and Clear	Runs compose down and clears the active stack.
Start / Stop all services	Starts or stops existing containers without recreating definitions.
Restart	Restarts the selected server stack.
Kill	Force-stops running containers.
Clean Up Unused Docker Images	Reclaims unreferenced image storage after review.
Service Configuration	Opens configuration for the selected service.

Individual service context actions

A service can be renamed, configured, opened in its own terminal, refreshed, or opened in the editor. An existing service exposes Destroy and Remove; this removes its running/container resources and definition after confirmation. A new provisional service instead exposes Remove. Traefik-aware services may expose Update Traefik Service.

Action	Use
Rename	Changes the service name where supported.
Update Traefik Service	Regenerates routing integration when applicable.
Open Service Terminal	Opens a shell inside an existing service container.
Service Configuration	Edits the service definition.
Destroy and Remove	Destroys and removes an existing service after confirmation.
Remove	Discards a new/configured resource entry.
Refresh	Reloads service state.

Create databases and users under database services

Database-engine services can expose Databases and Users branches. Right-click Databases for Add New Database and Refresh; right-click a database for Delete Database. Right-click Users for Add New User and Refresh; right-click a user for Delete User. MariaDB additionally supports retrieving and updating concrete database configuration through its resource actions.

Branch	Actions
Databases	Add New Database, Refresh
Database	Inspect/configure where supported, Delete Database, Refresh
Users	Add New User, Refresh
User	Inspect/configure where supported, Delete User, Refresh

Project services show what is deployed

The Projects branch groups deployed project definitions and their services on the selected server. Expand a project to inspect its service entries and refresh them. This is the operational view of what the project target has placed on the server; Publish Manager remains the delivery workflow.

Authorize server access explicitly

The server SSH Keys branch exposes Authorize SSH Key. A listed server key exposes Revoke SSH Key. Local SSH Agent exposes Add New Key and Start or Stop SSH Agent on Windows; a local key exposes Add To SSH Agent. Prepare both local agent state and server authorization before deployment or maintenance.

Local resources use the same operational model

The Local branch exposes the local Docker environment and Services. Its legacy/local server entries can start, stop, restart, kill, delete, refresh, open in the editor, and create the same service families where supported. This makes local learning transferable to cloud servers while keeping the target scope visible.

Next steps

You now have the sequential operational workflow. Open Actions and Resources Reference when you need a direct provider-by-provider or selection-by-selection lookup.