Set a restart policy on the playlist-streaming service in your compose.yaml, then make sure Docker starts when the server boots. For most setups, restart: unless-stopped is the right choice: Docker can bring the container back after a reboot, while a deliberate stop remains in effect. This restores the container—not necessarily the same YouTube event or the playlist’s previous position—so check YouTube’s stream status separately.
1. Add a restart policy to the streaming service
In the Compose project directory, edit compose.yaml and add a restart policy to the service that runs your playlist encoder. Keep your existing image, command, environment, and media mounts; the snippet below shows where the policy belongs, not a complete encoder configuration:
services:
streamer:
image: your-streamer-image
restart: unless-stopped
# Keep the existing command, stream configuration, and media mounts here.Docker restart policies control whether containers start automatically when they exit or when Docker restarts. Docker’s restart-policy documentation describes the available behaviors.
Choose the policy that matches how you stop streams
| Policy | After Docker or host restart | After an operator manually stops the container | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
unless-stopped |
Returns | Remains stopped across a daemon restart | Use when an intentional stop should persist. |
always |
Returns | Returns after a daemon restart | Use when the container should come back even if it was manually stopped before the reboot. |
on-failure |
Does not restart solely because the daemon restarted | Does not restart after a clean exit | Use for failures, not for reboot recovery. |
Docker notes that policy monitoring begins only after a container has run successfully for at least 10 seconds. A manual stop suppresses restart until the daemon restarts or the container is manually started again. These details matter when testing a newly configured service or deciding whether a manual stop should survive a reboot.
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2. Ensure Docker starts with the server
A container policy cannot help if Docker Engine itself does not start after the host boots. Enable Docker’s startup behavior for your operating system and confirm the Docker daemon is running after a reboot. The exact service-management command depends on the server’s OS and installation; use the Docker Engine instructions for that environment rather than assuming every host uses the same command.
3. Apply the Compose configuration
From the directory containing the project’s Compose file, run:
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docker compose up -dThis starts the project and applies the current service definition, including a changed restart policy. If you only run docker compose restart, Compose restarts existing containers but does not apply edits to the Compose configuration, such as changed environment values. docker compose start starts previously created, stopped containers; it is not the command to apply a modified service definition. See the Compose up reference and Compose FAQ.
4. Verify recovery after a reboot
- Check the Compose service. In the project directory, run
docker compose ps. Confirm the streamer container exists and is running. - Read the encoder logs. Run
docker compose logs --tail=100 streamer. Look for errors loading the playlist, connecting to YouTube, or starting the encoder. - Confirm files and settings are available. Check that the playlist and configuration are mounted at the paths expected inside the container. A restart policy cannot repair a missing file, invalid command, expired credential, or host path that has changed.
- Check YouTube separately. A running container only tells you about the local process. YouTube’s API distinguishes the incoming
liveStream(the encoder feed) from the viewer-facingliveBroadcast(the event). Anactivestream status indicates YouTube is receiving encoder data. Check the stream and broadcast state in YouTube’s live controls or through the relevant API resources; Google documents the distinction in its Live Streaming API documentation and API overview.
5. Know what a restart policy does—and does not—restore
The policy restores the container according to Docker’s lifecycle rules. It does not guarantee that a particular encoder reconnects successfully, that YouTube keeps the same viewer-facing event available, or that playback resumes from the exact point reached before the reboot. Those outcomes depend on the encoder, playlist implementation, credentials, and YouTube’s event state. Check the documentation for your encoder and test the complete reboot path before relying on it for an unattended stream.
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6. Troubleshoot a stream that does not return
- The container is stopped after boot: Verify Docker Engine started, confirm the Compose file has the intended policy, and run
docker compose ps. If you changed the file, apply it withdocker compose up -d. - The container runs but the encoder exits or retries: Inspect
docker compose logs --tail=100 streamer. Check the command, playlist path, mounted files, configuration, and credentials against the encoder’s requirements. - The encoder appears to run, but YouTube is not receiving video: Check YouTube’s incoming stream status and the encoder’s connection output. A running container does not establish that the feed is active.
- A manual stop was not preserved: Check whether the service uses
always. Chooseunless-stoppedif intentional stops should remain in effect after a daemon restart. - A Compose edit seems to have had no effect: Apply the updated definition with
docker compose up -d.docker compose restartdoes not apply configuration changes.
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