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The clean way to uninstall Coolify is to remove its control-plane containers, proxy, named data volumes, network, files, and (optionally) images in that order—after exporting a Coolify backup and copying both /data/coolify/source/.env off the server. Do not confuse those actions with deleting a server record in Coolify, removing the Docker workloads it manages, or destroying the underlying virtual machine; each has a different scope and risk.
Coolify’s own warning for deleting /data/coolify is blunt: “This cannot be undone.” The procedure below separates reversible decisions from destructive ones so you can retire the control plane without accidentally deleting applications, databases, services, or their volumes.
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Before opening an SSH session, decide which layer you intend to change. Coolify’s control plane coordinates Docker workloads, but it is not the same thing as those workloads or the host operating system.
| Action | What it removes | What remains | Main consequence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remove the local CLI | The coolify command and optionally its local context file |
The Coolify instance, Docker, applications, databases, services, and server files | Only that computer’s command-line access changes |
| Remove Coolify control-plane containers | The Coolify application, database, Redis, Sentinel, and any legacy realtime container | Deployed application, database, and service containers | No Coolify dashboard or orchestration remains |
| Remove the Coolify proxy | The proxy that terminates domains and TLS for Coolify-managed routes | Containers and their data | Those public domains stop routing until another proxy is configured |
Delete Coolify volumes and /data/coolify |
Control-plane database/Redis data, configuration, deployment files, local backups, and the encryption-key file | Only data stored elsewhere | Instance restoration becomes impossible without an external backup and its matching .env |
| Delete the Coolify server record | The machine’s record in Coolify’s database | Linux, Docker, files, containers, and volumes on the machine | The host is no longer managed in that Coolify account |
| Delete managed resources or the provider machine | Selected applications/databases/services, or the entire virtual machine | Nothing on a destroyed resource or host | Potential permanent data loss and service outage |
The remainder of this guide covers a full self-hosted control-plane uninstall while preserving workloads unless you explicitly choose otherwise.
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Prepare the server and preserve anything you may need
Quiesce deployments and connect over SSH
Confirm that no deployment, migration, backup, or scheduled job is running. A deployment that starts while containers or networks are being removed can leave a partially updated workload. Connect as an account that can run Docker commands and remove the Coolify files.
ssh your-user@your-serverRecord the applications, databases, services, custom domains, certificates, bind mounts, and Docker networks you intend to keep. If a workload depends on a Coolify-managed route, plan its replacement proxy before taking down the existing one.
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Create an instance backup and copy it away from the host
Create a Coolify instance backup using the instance’s normal backup function, then copy the resulting backup to storage outside this server. An instance backup contains the Coolify database—the control-plane state—but it does not contain deployed application data, database data, service data, or Docker volumes. Back up or migrate those workloads separately.
Also copy /data/coolify/source/.env outside the server. That file contains the encryption key required to restore the instance backup. Keeping the database backup without the matching .env can leave encrypted values unrecoverable.
Verify that the external copies can be read before issuing any destructive command. Preserve deployment manifests, application configuration, local backups, and proxy settings under /data/coolify if you will recreate the workloads manually. An external SSD or other offline storage is optional but useful for retaining the backup when the server itself will be repurposed; it is storage for your copy, not a Coolify requirement.
Decide what must keep running
Removing Coolify’s containers does not automatically stop application, database, or service containers. Decide whether those containers should continue running under direct Docker administration, be migrated to another host, or be removed. If they remain, document their ports, environment variables, mounted paths, restart policies, and dependencies now; the Coolify dashboard will no longer provide that inventory after removal.
Separate control-plane retention from workload retention. The database and Redis volumes hold Coolify’s own state, while application volumes may contain user uploads, database tables, certificates, or generated files. Never infer that deleting a control-plane volume is safe merely because its name includes “database”; identify its mount and container first.
Remove the Coolify control plane
Run these commands on the server over SSH. They target only the standard Coolify control-plane containers.
docker rm -f coolify coolify-db coolify-redis coolify-sentinelInstallations using the older pre-Reverb architecture may also contain a legacy realtime container:
docker rm -f coolify-realtimeThe -f option stops and removes each named container. It does not remove application, database, or service containers unless you explicitly include their names. If Docker reports that a named container does not exist, it has already been removed; check the remaining names before continuing.
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Remove the Coolify proxy in the mode you actually use
The proxy is a separate cleanup target. Removing it is what stops the domain and TLS routing supplied by Coolify, even when the underlying application containers continue to run.
Standalone Docker
For a normal, non-Swarm Docker installation, remove the proxy container:
docker rm -f coolify-proxyDocker Swarm
For a Swarm installation, run the stack command on a manager node instead of treating the proxy as an ordinary container:
docker stack rm coolify-proxyAllow Swarm to remove the stack’s services, then verify that no proxy task remains. Do not run the Swarm command on a worker node that cannot manage the stack.
Plan the replacement route before changing DNS
If applications must stay public, deploy and test another reverse proxy or ingress layer, configure its certificates, and update DNS only after it can reach the surviving containers. Removing the old proxy first is appropriate when you are intentionally taking the sites offline; otherwise it creates an avoidable outage.
Check more than an HTTP response: verify HTTPS certificate issuance or renewal, websocket upgrades if an application needs them, upload limits, and forwarding of the original host and protocol headers. A direct container port may prove the process is alive while the public hostname still fails.
Remove only Coolify’s named volumes
The standard control-plane data volumes are named coolify-db and coolify-redis. Remove those exact volumes after confirming the external backup and key file are safe:
docker volume rm coolify-db coolify-redisDo not replace this with docker volume prune. A prune operation can delete any unused volume on the host, including volumes belonging to unrelated applications or databases. If your installation has additional Coolify-specific volumes, inspect them individually and remove only those you have positively identified.
If Docker says a volume is still in use, stop and identify the referencing container rather than forcing deletion. A volume can be attached to a stopped container, and removing that container may destroy data you intended to retain.
Handle the coolify Docker network deliberately
Inspect which remaining containers are attached to the network before deleting it. If an application or service still uses the network, connect that workload to its replacement network first, or leave the existing network in place while you migrate it.
When no retained workload needs the network, remove it:
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docker network rm coolifyDocker will refuse to remove a network that still has endpoints. That refusal is useful: identify the attached container, decide whether it is a workload you are keeping, and migrate or remove it intentionally rather than forcing a broad cleanup.
Changing a network can alter service-name resolution. If one container previously reached another as http://service-name, record that dependency and update the replacement network or configuration before disconnecting it.
Delete /data/coolify last
The data directory is the final destructive step because it contains the instance source files, .env, local instance backups, deployment files, and configuration stored by Coolify. Confirm again that every item you intend to retain is outside the server.
rm -rf /data/coolifyThis command cannot be undone through Docker. It removes the encryption-key file and any local copy of the instance backup, so recovery then depends entirely on the external copies you made earlier. If permissions prevent removal, use an authorized administrative account and recheck the path carefully before retrying; never substitute a broader path.
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Remove Coolify images only when reclaiming disk space
Image tags differ by installation and upgrade history. First list what is actually present:
docker imagesRemove only images associated with the Coolify control plane and the proxy, using the exact repository and tag shown on this host. Depending on the installation, candidates can include Coolify, helper, Sentinel, PostgreSQL, Redis, Traefik, Caddy, and legacy realtime images. Do not assume a latest tag or invent a version that is not listed.
docker rmi IMAGE:TAGImage deletion is optional. Keeping an image costs disk space but can make a rollback or forensic inspection easier. Docker will not remove an image still referenced by a container; resolve the container dependency first and ensure it is not a workload you meant to preserve. Removing images does not remove named volumes, bind-mounted files, or containers.
Verify each cleanup boundary
Use a name-based check for all standard Coolify containers:
docker ps -a --format '{{.Names}}' | grep -E '^(coolify|coolify-db|coolify-redis|coolify-realtime|coolify-sentinel|coolify-proxy)(_|$)' || trueNo matching names should be returned. Then verify that the two named control-plane volumes are absent and that the data directory is gone:
docker volume inspect coolify-db coolify-redistest ! -d /data/coolify && echo "Coolify data directory removed"docker volume inspect should report that coolify-db and coolify-redis do not exist. Separately list surviving containers and test their application endpoints through the replacement proxy or their direct ports. A surviving container proves only that its process is running; it does not prove that DNS, TLS, persistent storage, or backups are correctly configured.
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Also inspect listening ports and restart behavior for retained workloads. A container configured with a restart policy may come back after a host reboot even though no orchestration dashboard remains. Decide whether that is intended and record who will patch, monitor, and back up each service.
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What continues running after Coolify is gone?
Coolify’s architecture separates its control plane from the Docker runtime. Application, database, and service containers can keep running after the control-plane containers are removed. Their files and volumes also remain unless you explicitly delete them or destroy the host.
What disappears is the management layer: dashboard access, Coolify-initiated deployments, scheduled operations, environment management, and the instance’s stored configuration. You must operate retained workloads directly with Docker or migrate them to another orchestrator.
Removing coolify-proxy is the important availability boundary. Containers may be healthy while their Coolify-provided domains and TLS routing fail. Use a replacement proxy, direct ports on a controlled network, or a planned shutdown rather than assuming the old routes will survive.
Deleting a server record is not the same as cleaning the machine
Coolify’s server-removal workflow offers separate scopes. Deleting only the server from Coolify removes its record from the Coolify database; it does not uninstall Docker, delete Linux files, stop containers, remove volumes, or erase /data/coolify. The host remains available for manual cleanup or repurposing.
A broader “delete all resources” choice asks Coolify to remove every managed application, database, and service on that server. Review each resource first, migrate anything valuable, and update DNS before enabling that option.
An additional option can request deletion of the linked provider machine. That is a separate, host-destroying action: it removes the virtual machine and everything still stored on it. Check provider billing, snapshots, DNS, backups, and any other users of the machine before confirming. If you delete only the Coolify record, you must clean or secure the machine yourself.
Think of these choices as a scope ladder: CLI, control plane, proxy, managed resources, then host. Move down the ladder only after confirming the data and availability consequences of the previous step. A record deletion is comparatively reversible; deleting resources, volumes, /data/coolify, or the machine is not.
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The command-line client is independent of the server instance. Removing it has no effect on Coolify, Docker, or managed resources.
Global installation on Linux or macOS
sudo rm /usr/local/bin/coolifyUser installation
rm ~/.local/bin/coolifyOpen a new terminal and test:
coolify versionThe shell should report that the command is not recognized. If it still runs, locate the executable through the shell’s search path:
command -v coolifyOn PowerShell, use:
Get-Command coolifyRemove the binary through whichever package or installation method owns that path. You may also delete ~/.config/coolify/config.json after preserving contexts you still need. Removing that file does not revoke API tokens; revoke unused tokens in Coolify’s Keys & Tokens area. Removing the CLI is therefore a local housekeeping task, not a server teardown.
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Troubleshoot common cleanup problems
A container says it is missing
Docker may return a “No such container” message when an earlier attempt already removed it or when the installation used a different architecture. List all names with docker ps -a, remove only confirmed Coolify names, and continue.
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Find the container holding the volume before stopping anything:
docker ps -a --filter volume=coolify-db --format '{{.ID}} {{.Names}}'Repeat for coolify-redis. If a retained workload is using one of these names unexpectedly, do not force removal; migrate its data or choose a different volume before retrying.
The network cannot be removed
Inspect its endpoints:
docker network inspect coolifyMove retained containers to their replacement network. A refusal means Docker found an attached endpoint, not that the network is damaged.
Websites fail after uninstall
First determine whether the proxy was removed. If it was, the failure is expected until another proxy handles the domains and certificates. Check DNS records, certificate configuration, listening ports, and connectivity from the replacement proxy to each application container.
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An image remains referenced while any container—running or stopped—uses it. Confirm the container is a Coolify component rather than an application you are retaining, remove the appropriate container, and then retry the exact image tag.
Final decision checklist
- An external Coolify instance backup exists and has been tested or at least verified readable.
/data/coolify/source/.envis stored outside the server with the backup.- Application, database, and service data, volumes, manifests, and local backups have separate retention or migration plans.
- A replacement proxy and TLS plan exists for every domain that must remain online.
- Only the intended control-plane containers, named volumes, network, files, and image tags are selected for removal.
- Any server-record deletion, managed-resource deletion, or provider-machine deletion has been reviewed as a separate decision.
- Surviving workloads are documented for direct Docker administration after Coolify is gone.
- API tokens and local CLI contexts have been reviewed, with unused tokens revoked rather than merely deleting a local config file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my deployed apps keep running if I uninstall Coolify?
Usually, yes. Removing the Coolify control-plane containers does not automatically stop application, database, or service containers, and their volumes remain. However, removing coolify-proxy removes Coolify’s domain and TLS routing, so public sites can fail until another proxy is configured. You must also manage restarts, updates, monitoring, and backups directly after the dashboard is gone.
How do I remove Coolify without deleting my applications and databases?
Back up the Coolify instance and copy /data/coolify/source/.env off the host, then remove only the named control-plane containers, the Coolify proxy if appropriate, the coolify-db and coolify-redis volumes, and the coolify network only after migrating attached workloads. Do not delete application containers, application volumes, or the provider machine. Treat rm -rf /data/coolify as a separate final decision because it removes Coolify deployment files and local backups.
Does a Coolify instance backup include my deployed databases and volumes?
No. The instance backup contains the Coolify database and control-plane state. It does not back up deployed applications, database contents, services, or Docker volumes. Export or migrate those workloads separately, and retain the matching .env file because its encryption key is needed to restore the instance backup.
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What is the difference between deleting a Coolify server and deleting the VPS?
Deleting only the server record removes that machine from Coolify’s database; Linux, Docker, containers, files, and volumes remain. A “delete all resources” option removes managed applications, databases, and services. Deleting the linked provider machine destroys the virtual machine and anything still stored on it. Review DNS, snapshots, backups, billing, and every resource before choosing the host-destruction option.
Can I remove only the Coolify CLI from my laptop?
Yes. Delete the global binary with sudo rm /usr/local/bin/coolify or a user binary with rm ~/.local/bin/coolify, then open a new terminal and run coolify version. If it still works, locate another installation with command -v coolify or Get-Command coolify. Removing ~/.config/coolify/config.json does not revoke API tokens; revoke unused tokens in Coolify’s Keys & Tokens area.
Why should I avoid docker volume prune during uninstall?
It removes every unused Docker volume on the host, not just Coolify’s control-plane data. On a shared server that can include unrelated application or database volumes. Remove the positively identified coolify-db and coolify-redis volumes individually, and inspect any additional Coolify-specific volume before deleting it.
The Bottom Line
Back up the Coolify instance and copy its matching /data/coolify/source/.env outside the server first. Then remove only the control-plane components you have chosen, replace proxy routing before taking public sites offline, and delete /data/coolify, volumes, resources, or the machine only after confirming the consequences. Removing a record or CLI is not the same as cleaning or destroying the host.
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