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Dokku plugins extend a Dokku server with new commands, managed services, and deployment lifecycle behavior. To add one safely, inspect its repository, install it from a trusted Git, HTTPS, SSH, local-file, or tarball source with sudo dokku plugin:install, install operating-system dependencies separately, then verify the plugin and exercise its documented commands on a test app. Keep the source and a pinned commit or tag in your change record so the VPS can be rebuilt consistently.

What a Dokku plugin is and what it can add

A Dokku plugin is a server-side extension made from convention-based scripts and metadata. Dokku discovers the files and names that implement its plugin API, then exposes the resulting commands and lifecycle hooks through the Dokku command line. A plugin can add a service such as PostgreSQL, create commands for managing that service, or run actions during events such as deployment.

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The extension runs on the VPS, not in an application container. That distinction matters: installation, dependency setup, and some hooks can execute operating-system commands with root privileges. Treat an unfamiliar plugin like software you are installing into the control plane of the server, not like an application dependency.

The conventional pieces

Part Purpose What to inspect
plugin.toml Plugin metadata used by Dokku and its plugin tooling. Name, description, and any declared metadata or compatibility information.
commands Additional Dokku commands supplied by the plugin. Command names, required arguments, and whether commands alter apps, data, or the host.
install Installation behavior that prepares the plugin. Shell commands, files changed, package-manager operations, and assumptions about the host.
post-deploy Deployment-time hook behavior. Whether it changes configuration, runs migrations, or requires a service to be available.

These names are examples of Dokku’s convention-based structure; an individual plugin may include additional commands and triggers. Dokku’s development documentation states: “Dokku has no restrictions on the language in which a plugin is implemented; it only cares that the plugin implements the appropriate commands or triggers for the API.” In practice, read the plugin’s own documentation for the complete command and configuration surface.

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Prepare the VPS before installing

Run the operation on the Dokku server

Plugin administration is a server-side operation. Run the commands from an SSH session on the VPS where Dokku is installed. All plugin commands except plugin:list and plugin:help require sudo access. Using sudo consistently in runbooks avoids an accidental partial procedure when a later command needs elevated privileges.

Confirm release compatibility

Check the plugin repository’s README, supported Dokku releases, open issues, and recent maintenance before changing a production host. Dokku’s internal APIs can change between releases, which is why the documentation recommends updating third-party Git-backed plugins after a Dokku upgrade. A plugin that worked on one Dokku release is not automatically compatible with the next one.

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Review privileged code

Read the install script, dependency declarations, command scripts, and hooks before executing them. Installation and dependency triggers may invoke the operating system’s package manager or modify system files. Verify that the source belongs to the expected project, that the transport is trusted, and that the requested privileges match the feature you intend to add. If you cannot explain what a hook does, test it on a disposable VPS first.

Record the baseline

Capture the current plugin inventory and Dokku version before making the change. The inventory gives you a before state for troubleshooting and helps identify whether a later failure is caused by the new plugin or by an existing extension.

Install a plugin step by step

1. Inspect the source and choose a reference

Decide whether you need the project’s default branch, a release tag, or an exact commit. A branch is convenient for ongoing development but can change without changing the command you keep in your notes. A tag or commit provides a reproducible target; confirm that the referenced revision supports your Dokku release and includes the documentation you plan to follow.

2. Install from a trusted source

The documented installer accepts Git, SSH, local-file, HTTPS, and .tar.gz/.tgz sources. A typical service-plugin installation is:

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sudo dokku plugin:install https://github.com/dokku/dokku-postgres.git

To pin the checkout to a specific commit-ish, pass --committish:

sudo dokku plugin:install https://github.com/dokku/dokku-postgres.git --committish 2.0.0

Here, 2.0.0 is the selected reference; use the tag, branch, or commit that the plugin project documents for your environment. If the name inferred from the repository is not the name you want to use in Dokku commands, provide --name with the desired plugin name. Keep the exact source URL, selected reference, and chosen name in your infrastructure record.

3. Install operating-system dependencies separately

Installing the plugin does not automatically install its system packages. After the plugin files are present, run:

sudo dokku plugin:install-dependencies

The dependency trigger is intentionally separate. Review what it is going to install, make sure the VPS has the expected package repositories and network access, and watch for package-manager errors. If the plugin README specifies an additional prerequisite or a version constraint, satisfy that requirement using the plugin’s instructions rather than assuming the generic trigger covers it.

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4. Verify the installation and provenance

List the installed plugins:

sudo dokku plugin:list

For scripts and configuration management, request JSON:

sudo dokku plugin:list --format json

The JSON inventory can expose the source URL, checked-out commit, branch, core-versus-third-party status, and enabled state for Git-backed plugins. Save this output with the server’s change record. It provides the provenance needed to determine exactly what was installed and to reconstruct the plugin set after a rebuild.

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To check one name directly, use:

sudo dokku plugin:installed <name>

Use the name shown by plugin:list, not necessarily the repository’s display name.

5. Exercise the plugin on a test app

Installation proves that Dokku registered the plugin; it does not prove that the service or lifecycle behavior is correct for your applications. Follow the plugin’s documentation to create or attach the relevant resource, run its documented commands against a non-production app, deploy a representative build, and verify connection settings, logs, backups, and restart behavior. There is no universal test command because each plugin defines its own commands and hooks.

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Understand the installed-plugin inventory

The inventory is more useful than a simple yes-or-no check. Use the human-readable list while working interactively and the JSON form when a script, audit, or rebuild process needs stable fields.

Need Command What it tells you
See all plugins sudo dokku plugin:list Names and the current installed/active view presented by Dokku.
Capture machine-readable details sudo dokku plugin:list --format json For Git-backed plugins, source URL, checked-out commit, branch, core status, and enabled state can be recorded.
Check one plugin sudo dokku plugin:installed <name> Whether Dokku recognizes the named plugin as installed.
Get command help sudo dokku plugin:help Help for the plugin-management command group without changing the server.

Keep an inventory snapshot after every install, update, enable, disable, or uninstall. When an application later behaves differently, the snapshot lets you compare the plugin source, revision, and state with the last known-good configuration.

Manage a plugin’s lifecycle

Update a Git-backed plugin

Update a third-party Git-backed plugin with:

sudo dokku plugin:update <name>

Plan this after a Dokku upgrade, because a new Dokku release may change internal APIs used by the plugin. Read the plugin’s release notes, take the inventory snapshot, update in a maintenance window, and repeat the test-app procedure. If reproducibility is more important than receiving the newest revision, reinstall or otherwise select a known commit or tag instead of following an unpinned moving branch.

Disable and re-enable a plugin

Temporarily deactivate a third-party plugin without removing its files with:

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sudo dokku plugin:disable <name>

Reactivate it with:

sudo dokku plugin:enable <name>

Disabling can help isolate a command or hook that is interfering with troubleshooting, but it may also make the plugin’s commands or service unavailable. Check application impact before using it on a production host and record the state change.

Uninstall a third-party plugin

Remove a plugin with:

sudo dokku plugin:uninstall <name>

Before uninstalling a service plugin, follow its documentation for data export, application detachment, and cleanup. Removing the plugin software is not the same as proving that every service data directory, external volume, or application configuration has been safely migrated. Preserve backups and the final inventory before proceeding.

Trigger a hook only when documented

Dokku exposes an explicit trigger command:

sudo dokku plugin:trigger <args...>

Use it only when the plugin documentation calls for that trigger and specifies the arguments. A trigger can perform state-changing work; inventing arguments or running a hook as a diagnostic shortcut can leave an application or service in an unexpected state.

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Choose between plugins that provide similar features

When more than one plugin can solve the same problem, evaluate the operational properties rather than choosing only by the feature headline.

Comparison axis Questions to answer before installation Why it matters on a VPS
Dokku compatibility Which Dokku releases and operating-system versions are supported? Are current issues reporting breakage? Internal API changes can stop commands or hooks after a Dokku upgrade.
Source trust and maintenance Who maintains the repository? Are releases, commits, and issue responses visible? Plugins run with elevated privileges and need timely fixes.
Installation and OS dependencies What does install do, and what packages does plugin:install-dependencies request? Unexpected packages or repository changes increase the host’s maintenance and security surface.
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How Dokku plugins work internally

Dokku’s plugin model is convention-driven. The plugin manager and Dokku look for recognized files and naming patterns, then invoke those scripts for commands and lifecycle events. The plugn project provides operations including install, list, enable, disable, trigger, uninstall, update, and version management. Dokku itself supplies the surrounding API and event flow; the plugin supplies the implementation.

This design explains both the flexibility and the risk. A plugin can be written in any language as long as it implements the appropriate commands or triggers, but its scripts still run in the context and permissions granted by the server. A small metadata file can therefore expose a substantial amount of host-level behavior. Read the code and test the hooks, not just the README summary.

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Can you write your own Dokku plugin?

Yes. Dokku does not require a particular implementation language. Your plugin must implement the commands or triggers expected by the Dokku plugin API and follow the convention-based layout that Dokku and plugn recognize.

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Start with a narrow command or hook

Define one operational problem first: for example, a command that validates an application setting or a deployment hook that performs a documented, repeatable action. Write down its inputs, output, exit-code behavior, permissions, and failure recovery before adding more features. A narrow surface is easier to test against multiple Dokku releases.

Provide the expected metadata and scripts

Include plugin.toml for metadata and place command and lifecycle implementations in the convention-based locations such as commands, install, and post-deploy when those behaviors are needed. Keep installation idempotent: running it twice should not corrupt configuration or duplicate resources. Make dependencies explicit so an operator can review them before running plugin:install-dependencies.

Test like an operator

  • Install the plugin on a disposable Dokku host and verify a clean install from the same source an operator will use.
  • Run every documented command with valid input, invalid input, and missing prerequisites.
  • Test enable, disable, update, and uninstall paths, including what happens to existing apps and data.
  • Deploy a test app to exercise hooks, then inspect logs and the resulting application configuration.
  • Repeat the test with the Dokku releases you claim to support.

Publish clear compatibility notes, dependency requirements, backup guidance, and rollback instructions. Operators should not have to infer whether uninstalling your code removes data or merely unregisters commands.

Troubleshoot common plugin problems

The plugin does not appear in the list

  • Run sudo dokku plugin:list and confirm the name; the command name may differ from the repository’s display title.
  • Check the install output for a Git, HTTPS, SSH, local-file, or archive fetch error.
  • Verify that the command was run on the Dokku VPS and that the invoking account had sudo access.
  • Inspect the repository’s compatibility notes and retry on a supported Dokku release.

A command exists but fails because a binary or package is missing

Run sudo dokku plugin:install-dependencies and review package-manager output. If the plugin documents an additional prerequisite, install or configure that prerequisite according to its instructions. Do not silently substitute a different package version; record the exact host dependency so another VPS can be built the same way.

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The plugin is installed but inactive

Use the JSON inventory to inspect its enabled state. If it is disabled and the plugin’s documentation permits reactivation, run sudo dokku plugin:enable <name>, then repeat the plugin’s test procedure. If enabling causes a failure, disable it again and preserve the command output for the plugin maintainer.

Behavior changed after a Dokku upgrade

Compare the pre-upgrade and post-upgrade inventories, review the plugin’s compatibility notes, and run sudo dokku plugin:update <name> for a Git-backed third-party plugin when the maintainer provides a compatible revision. Test before production traffic is switched. If no compatible revision exists, keep the plugin disabled or restore the previously known-good Dokku/plugin combination according to your VPS rollback plan.

You are unsure whether to run a trigger

Do not guess. plugin:trigger is an explicit invocation mechanism, not a generic repair command. Find the exact trigger name and arguments in the plugin documentation; otherwise leave the trigger alone and collect logs for diagnosis.

Build a reproducible plugin change record

For each plugin, keep a short record containing:

  • The source URL and transport used.
  • The Dokku release and VPS operating-system release at installation time.
  • The plugin name used in Dokku commands.
  • The selected branch, tag, or exact commit, with a preference for a pinned reference in production.
  • The output of sudo dokku plugin:list --format json.
  • System packages installed by the dependency trigger and any extra prerequisites.
  • Applications or services tested, test results, backup status, and a rollback or uninstall procedure.

When rebuilding a host, install from the recorded source and reference, run the dependency step explicitly, compare the resulting JSON inventory with the saved copy, and only then attach production applications. This sequence turns plugin management from an ad-hoc SSH task into a repeatable server change.

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A practical decision sequence

  1. Define the feature you need and whether it changes application behavior, adds a service, or introduces a deployment hook.
  2. Shortlist plugins that support your Dokku release and inspect their install scripts, dependencies, commands, hooks, issue trackers, and backup guidance.
  3. Select a trusted source and pin a tag or commit when repeatability matters.
  4. Install with sudo dokku plugin:install, explicitly run sudo dokku plugin:install-dependencies, and save the inventory.
  5. Exercise the documented feature on a test app, including failure and recovery paths.
  6. Promote the change only after confirming data protection, monitoring, and an exit plan.

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