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Manage a Hostinger VPS Docker project from hPanel → VPS → Manage → Docker Manager → Projects. Use Docker Manager for project-level restart, update, stop, log viewing and deletion; use the project Terminal only for commands inside a container; use Web Console or SSH for the VPS host itself. Hostinger’s Docker template supplies Ubuntu 24.04 with Docker Engine (docker-ce) and docker-compose already installed, so you can deploy and operate Compose applications without building the host from scratch.
What you need before opening Docker Manager
Hostinger’s workflow assumes an active VPS running its Docker template and at least one Docker project deployed to that VPS. The template is based on Ubuntu 24.04 and includes docker-ce and docker-compose. If the VPS was created with a different image, the Docker Manager controls described here may not be available or may behave differently.
- Sign in to hPanel and open VPS.
- Select Manage for the target server.
- Open Docker Manager → Projects.
- Select the project you want to inspect or operate.
The Projects page exposes the project status, Web Console, Compose, Open, Terminal, Manage and an options menu. The labels are dashboard actions, not separate Docker installations: they operate on the Compose project already stored on the VPS.
Understand the two terminal environments
The most important safety distinction is scope. A project’s Terminal opens a shell inside the selected container—not a shell on the VPS host. Hostinger explicitly describes it as “the container’s terminal, not the VPS host terminal.” Use it for application-level work such as artisan, wp-cli, database-client commands or an application’s own maintenance scripts.
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Use the Web Console or an SSH session for host-level administration: installing operating-system packages, inspecting all containers, changing firewall settings, editing files outside the container and running Docker or Compose commands for the whole project. Running docker ps in a container Terminal can fail because the Docker socket and client are normally on the host, not in the application image.
Verify Docker on the VPS host
Connect to the server with SSH (replace the address with your VPS address):
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ssh root@vps_ipConfirm the preinstalled tools and their versions:
docker --version
docker-compose --versionRun these checks in Web Console or SSH, not in the project Terminal. A version response confirms that the Docker template is present and that the host can execute Compose commands. If either command is missing, check that the VPS was provisioned with Hostinger’s Docker template before attempting a manual installation.
Deploy a Compose project from the host
A Compose project is a directory containing a docker-compose.yml file. That file declares services, networks and persistent volumes; Docker Compose uses it as the source of truth for the project.
- Create and enter a dedicated directory on the VPS:
mkdir -p /opt/my-project
cd /opt/my-project- Create
docker-compose.ymlwith the services your application requires. Keep configuration, secrets and persistent data choices explicit; a volume is needed when data must survive container replacement. - From that directory, start the project in detached mode:
docker-compose up -dThe -d flag runs services in the background and returns you to the command line instead of streaming their logs. Hostinger documents this detached behavior so you can close the SSH session without stopping the services.
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- Check which containers are running:
docker ps- When you intentionally need to stop and remove the project’s running containers and network, use:
docker-compose downdown removes the containers and Compose-created network while leaving the project files in place. Persistent data remains only if it is stored in a volume or on a bind-mounted host path; do not treat a container filesystem as a backup.
Use each Docker Manager action deliberately
Open the project’s options menu to choose an operation. The actions have different effects on running containers and on the project definition.
| Action | What it does | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Restart | Reboots all containers belonging to the project. | Recover a transient process problem or apply a change that does not require a new container definition. |
| Update | Applies changed Docker Compose configuration and recreates containers with the updated settings. | After editing docker-compose.yml, image references, environment settings, ports, networks or volume declarations. |
| Stop | Halts the project’s containers while preserving the project configuration. | Temporarily take the application offline without deleting its definition. |
| View logs | Shows the project’s real-time container output. | Verify startup, identify crashes and inspect runtime errors. |
| Delete | Permanently removes the project and its containers from the VPS. | Only when the project and its data are no longer needed and a recovery copy is available. |
Use Update, rather than merely restarting, when the Compose definition changed. Updating tells Hostinger to recreate containers so the new settings take effect. A restart alone does not turn an old container into a differently configured one.
Update a running application safely
Separate application-image updates from configuration changes. If you changed the Compose file, save the file on the VPS, review the difference, and then choose Update in Docker Manager. If you are changing an image tag or pulling a newer image, make that change in the Compose definition first so the project remains reproducible.
- Open Web Console or SSH and go to the project directory.
- Back up or snapshot the VPS before a high-risk change (see the recovery section).
- Edit
docker-compose.ymland check indentation, service names, ports, networks and volume paths. - Return to Docker Manager → Projects, open the project options and select Update.
- Wait for the recreation to finish, then use View logs to confirm that each service starts.
- Check the application from its normal URL or health endpoint and verify that persistent data is present.
Because Update recreates containers, plan for a brief interruption unless the application itself is designed for redundancy. Applications that keep state only inside a container can lose that state during recreation; put databases and uploads in persistent volumes or bind mounts and include them in your backup plan.
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Diagnose startup and runtime failures
Start with the project’s View logs action. It provides real-time output without requiring you to enter a container and is the fastest way to distinguish an image, configuration, dependency or application error.
| Symptom | What to check | Likely corrective action |
|---|---|---|
| Container exits immediately | View logs for a missing environment variable, invalid command or failed dependency connection. | Correct the Compose or application setting, then run Update. |
| New Compose setting has no effect | Confirm that the edited file is the project’s active docker-compose.yml. |
Use Update; Restart does not recreate containers with changed definitions. |
| Application is running but unreachable | Check published ports, the service’s listening address and the VPS firewall rules. | Publish the required port and add an appropriate firewall accept rule. |
| Command works in the wrong place | Determine whether you are in the container Terminal or on the host. | Use container Terminal for app tools; use Web Console or SSH for Docker and OS commands. |
| Data appears missing after an update | Check whether the data was stored in a named volume or bind mount rather than the disposable container layer. | Restore the correct volume or backup and correct the Compose volume mapping. |
For host-level inspection, run docker ps and the relevant Compose commands over SSH or in Web Console. Keep application logs and host administration separate: entering a container to repair a host networking or Docker-daemon problem cannot solve the underlying issue.
Secure services with Hostinger’s managed firewall
Publishing a container port is not a complete security policy. Hostinger’s managed firewall filters packets before they reach the server. Its default behavior is restrictive: traffic is dropped unless you add accept rules, and an empty ruleset applied to the VPS blocks all traffic. Firewall changes take effect in two minutes or less.
- In hPanel, open VPS → Security → Firewall.
- Create a firewall group for the server.
- Add accept, reject or drop rules for the protocols and ports your services require.
- Activate the group and wait for the change to propagate.
Before activating a group, include an accept rule for your administration path and for each deliberately published application port. Restrict source addresses where your access pattern allows it, and avoid exposing databases or internal service ports to the public internet. Keep operating-system controls such as host firewall rules when you need finer source, interface or process-level policies.
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Build a recovery plan before changing containers
Hostinger documents weekly automated VPS backups by default, with optional daily backups. Retention is up to four backups: two daily and two weekly. These scheduled backups are the normal ongoing recovery mechanism.
A manual snapshot is different: it captures the full VPS, only one snapshot can exist at a time, and Hostinger automatically deletes it after one day. It is useful as a short-lived checkpoint immediately before a risky Compose update, not as long-term retention.
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|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled backups | Weekly by default; daily option; up to four retained (two daily and two weekly). | Ongoing recovery from accidental deletion, corruption or a failed deployment. | Recovery point depends on the latest completed backup. |
| Manual snapshot | One snapshot at a time; automatically deleted after one day. | Temporary checkpoint immediately before a major change. | Not a durable archive; replacement of the existing snapshot is limited to one at a time. |
Restoring a backup or snapshot overwrites the current VPS. Hostinger locks the VPS during restoration, and the operation cannot be canceled or reverted. Confirm the checkpoint and the intended restore target before starting.
A practical pre-update sequence
- Confirm that scheduled backups are enabled and that the latest backup completed.
- For a high-risk change, create a manual snapshot immediately before the update.
- Record the current Compose file, image tags and important environment settings outside the container.
- Run the Docker Manager Update action.
- Inspect logs and test the application.
- If the deployment is unrecoverable, stop making changes and restore the selected checkpoint, understanding that the current VPS contents will be overwritten.
Backups cover the VPS, but they do not remove the need to design persistence correctly. Verify that databases, uploads and configuration files are in backed-up volumes or host paths and that you can identify the corresponding Compose project after a restore.
Choose dashboard, CLI or API management
There is no single best interface. Docker Manager is convenient for a human operator and makes project status and logs visible. CLI administration is more precise for host work and repeatable shell procedures. API automation is appropriate when deployments must be driven by another system, but it adds authentication, endpoint-version and rate-limit concerns.
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| Axis | Docker Manager dashboard | Host CLI (Web Console or SSH) | Hostinger API |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope | Project lifecycle actions; Terminal is container-scoped. | Full VPS, Docker daemon and operating-system scope. | Remote control of documented Hostinger resources, including Docker project operations where supported. |
| Repeatability | Good for occasional manual actions. | High when commands and Compose files are versioned. | High for centrally orchestrated workflows. |
| Logs and status | Built-in project status and View logs. | Direct Docker and system inspection. | Depends on the current endpoint response and your logging. |
| Rollback safety | Requires a backup or snapshot plan. | Requires your own preflight and recovery procedure. | Requires idempotent jobs and explicit recovery handling. |
| Access control | hPanel permissions and project access. | SSH credentials and host privileges. | API credentials and least-privilege service design. |
| Automation limit | Manual interaction. | Limited by your shell runner. | Documented limit is 90 requests per minute; exceeding it returns HTTP 429. |
Hostinger’s API uses JSON and versioned endpoint paths. Check the current API reference for the Docker project endpoints before writing a deployment script; endpoint names and request details can change. Implement backoff for HTTP 429 responses, keep credentials out of Compose files and logs, and make retries safe so a repeated request does not unintentionally delete or recreate the wrong project.
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Common mistakes and their fixes
Running host commands in the project Terminal
Symptom: Docker commands, package installation or host file paths are unavailable. Fix: leave the container Terminal and use Web Console or SSH. Reserve the container shell for application maintenance.
Using Restart after editing Compose
Symptom: the old port, image or environment value remains. Fix: choose Update so Hostinger recreates the containers from the changed Compose configuration.
Activating an empty firewall group
Symptom: SSH and application traffic stop. Fix: add and verify the required accept rules before activation; remember that an applied empty ruleset blocks traffic.
Treating a snapshot as a permanent backup
Symptom: the expected checkpoint is gone the next day. Fix: use scheduled backups for retention; a manual snapshot lasts one day and only one can exist at a time.
Deleting a project to “start over”
Symptom: containers and project definitions are permanently removed. Fix: use Stop or Update for reversible operations, and verify a recovery copy before Delete.
Ignoring API throttling
Symptom: automation receives HTTP 429. Fix: keep requests below 90 per minute, queue work, and retry with backoff after consulting the current endpoint documentation.
A repeatable operating checklist
- Use the Docker template’s Ubuntu 24.04 host and verify
dockeranddocker-composefrom Web Console or SSH. - Keep each application in its own directory with a versioned
docker-compose.yml. - Use container Terminal only for application commands; perform Docker and OS administration on the host.
- Use Restart for a simple reboot, Update for Compose changes, Stop for a temporary shutdown, View logs for diagnosis and Delete only for permanent removal.
- Store state in named volumes or bind mounts and include those paths in the VPS backup plan.
- Configure and activate firewall accept rules before exposing a service; do not assume the managed firewall provides DDoS mitigation.
- Use scheduled backups for ongoing retention and a one-day snapshot as a pre-change checkpoint.
- Test a recovery procedure on a non-critical project so a restore is not an untested emergency operation.
- For API jobs, verify current versioned endpoints, protect credentials, limit concurrency and handle HTTP 429 responses.
Bottom line
Hostinger Docker Manager is the quickest way to operate a deployed Compose project, but it is only one layer of VPS administration. Use the dashboard for lifecycle actions and logs, the container Terminal for application work, and Web Console or SSH for host-level Docker, networking and security. Treat firewall rules, persistent volumes and backups as part of every production deployment, and take a temporary snapshot before a change that could require a full VPS restore.
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