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How to Use Dokku Plugins to Add Features to Your VPS

Learn the complete Dokku plugin workflow: safe installation, dependency setup, PostgreSQL service plugins, JSON verification, version pinning, updates, removal and plugin development.
Length9 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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Dokku plugins extend a Dokku server with new commands, managed services and deployment hooks. On the server, install a trusted plugin with sudo dokku plugin:install <source>, install its operating-system dependencies separately with sudo dokku plugin:install-dependencies, then verify the result with sudo dokku plugin:list or its JSON format. Review the plugin repository first: installation and dependency hooks run with root-level privileges.

This guide explains the complete workflow, including adding a service such as PostgreSQL, checking provenance, pinning versions, updating after Dokku upgrades, disabling or removing plugins, and building a plugin of your own.

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What a Dokku plugin does

A Dokku plugin is a server-side extension built around naming conventions rather than a single framework. It can add commands to the dokku command line, provision a service, respond to deployment events or alter other lifecycle behavior.

A typical plugin contains metadata in plugin.toml, a commands directory for additional commands, an install script for setup, and hooks such as post-deploy. The exact files vary by plugin, but Dokku discovers the expected names and invokes them at the appropriate time.

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Plugins are not limited to one programming language. Dokku’s plugin-creation 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, the language matters less than following the command and trigger interfaces that your Dokku release supports.

Before installing: compatibility and safety checks

Installing a plugin changes the control plane of your server. Treat the repository as privileged software, not as an ordinary application dependency. The install and dependency triggers can execute package-manager commands and other shell operations as root.

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Confirm release compatibility

Record the Dokku release running on the VPS and compare it with the plugin’s README, release notes and issue tracker. Dokku’s internal APIs can change, so a plugin that worked on one release may need an update or a different branch on another. Check compatibility before touching a production host, and test the same combination on a disposable app or staging server when possible.

Inspect the source

Read the repository’s install hooks, dependency declarations, commands and configuration instructions. Look for network downloads, package-manager operations, filesystem changes and assumptions about ports, storage or service names. A Git repository can change after you first inspect it, which is why a pinned commit or tag is preferable for a repeatable production installation.

Prepare an operational record

  • Write down the source URL, intended plugin name and Dokku release.
  • Decide whether you need a fixed commit, tag or branch.
  • Check the plugin’s backup, restore and migration guidance before it creates persistent data.
  • Plan how you will test its commands on an application without affecting live traffic.
  • Ensure you have a rollback plan for any service or configuration the plugin changes.

Install a plugin step by step

1. Connect to the Dokku server

Run plugin commands directly on the VPS that hosts Dokku. Administrative plugin operations require sudo; the documented exceptions are plugin:list and plugin:help. Use an account that can obtain root privileges and make sure you are operating on the intended server.

2. Choose a source and install it

Dokku accepts Git, SSH, local-file, HTTPS and compressed tarball sources (.tar.gz or .tgz). For example, the PostgreSQL plugin can be installed from its Git repository with:

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

The source URL is also the beginning of your provenance record. If the repository’s derived name is not the name you want to use locally, provide an explicit name:

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sudo dokku plugin:install <source> --name <local-name>

Use a source you have reviewed and trust. The install hook runs with root privileges, so do not paste an unfamiliar URL into a production shell merely because it appears in a search result.

3. Pin the revision when reproducibility matters

For a repeatable build, pass a commit, tag or branch through --committish. This example requests the 2.0.0 ref:

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

A tag or commit gives you a stable target; a branch follows future changes and therefore requires more monitoring. Record the exact ref you selected in your server runbook.

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4. Install operating-system dependencies

Plugin installation and dependency installation are separate operations. Installing the plugin does not automatically install the system packages it declares. After the plugin is present, run:

sudo dokku plugin:install-dependencies

This trigger may call the host’s package manager. Review the plugin’s dependency behavior before running it and allow for a package-manager lock or a distribution-specific failure.

5. Verify the inventory

List the installed plugins:

sudo dokku plugin:list

For scripts, audits and configuration management, request JSON:

sudo dokku plugin:list --format json

The JSON inventory can expose the source URL, checked-out commit, branch, whether an entry is core, and whether it is enabled. Save this output after a change so you can reconstruct what was installed later.

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6. Exercise the plugin safely

Use the plugin’s own documentation to run its commands against a test application. There is no universal application-level test because each plugin defines different commands, configuration and data behavior. Confirm both the happy path and the expected failure behavior before using it for a production deployment.

Adding PostgreSQL or another managed service

A service plugin follows the same installation process as any other plugin. Install the repository, install dependencies, inspect the resulting command list and then follow that plugin’s documentation for creating service instances, connecting an application and handling credentials.

The important distinction is that installing a service plugin adds the capability; it does not by itself create a database or attach one to an app. Service creation, naming, storage, backups, upgrades and migrations are plugin-specific. Read those instructions before creating persistent data, and test a restore path rather than assuming that a running container is a backup.

Questions to answer before creating a service

  • Which command creates an instance and where does it store data?
  • How does an app receive connection credentials?
  • What are the supported backup, restore and migration procedures?
  • Can the service be upgraded in place, or must data be moved?
  • Which ports, volumes or host packages does the plugin require?

If the plugin exposes a service command but the command is missing after installation, stop and inspect the plugin’s enabled state, dependencies and compatibility before attempting to create data.

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Check whether a plugin is installed and enabled

Presence check

To test one name directly, use:

dokku plugin:installed <name>

This answers whether Dokku recognizes the plugin. It does not replace a review of its enabled state or provenance.

Inventory and provenance check

plugin:list provides the human-readable inventory. The JSON form is more useful for automation because it records Git-backed details such as the source URL, checked-out commit and branch, along with core and enabled status. Compare that record with your runbook after upgrades or configuration changes.

Command availability check

Use the plugin’s documented help output to identify its commands. If a command is absent, check the local name you installed, whether the plugin is disabled, and whether its dependencies completed successfully. Avoid invoking undocumented triggers simply to see what happens.

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Plugin lifecycle management

Operation Command When to use it
Check presence dokku plugin:installed <name> Confirm that Dokku recognizes a plugin name.
List inventory sudo dokku plugin:list Review installed plugins interactively.
List as JSON sudo dokku plugin:list --format json Capture provenance and feed an audit or automation process.
Update sudo dokku plugin:update <name> Update a Git-backed third-party plugin, especially after a Dokku upgrade.
Disable sudo dokku plugin:disable <name> Stop a third-party plugin from being active without removing its files.
Enable sudo dokku plugin:enable <name> Reactivate a previously disabled third-party plugin.
Uninstall sudo dokku plugin:uninstall <name> Remove a third-party plugin after checking its data and dependency impact.
Trigger a hook sudo dokku plugin:trigger <args...> Invoke a hook explicitly only when the plugin documentation requires it.

Updating safely

Dokku recommends updating Git-backed third-party plugins after Dokku upgrades because internal APIs may change. Review the plugin’s change history, confirm a compatible ref, take the backups required by the plugin and test its commands before updating a production host. An update may change both scripts and dependencies, so rerun the plugin’s documented validation steps afterward.

Disabling versus uninstalling

Disabling is the reversible first response when a plugin causes a conflict or you need to isolate a failure. Uninstalling removes the third-party plugin, but it does not automatically mean that service data, external packages or application configuration are safe to delete. Follow the plugin’s removal instructions and preserve data until you have verified that no app depends on it.

Explicit triggers

plugin:trigger is an escape hatch for a documented hook, not a general troubleshooting command. A trigger can perform migrations or other privileged actions. Run it only with the exact arguments specified by the plugin documentation and record the result.

How to choose between plugins with similar features

When several plugins claim to provide the same capability, compare the operational details rather than the feature name alone.

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Decision area What to examine
Dokku compatibility Supported Dokku releases, open compatibility issues and the date of the latest compatible change.
Source trust Maintainer identity, reviewable scripts, release history and issue responses.
Dependencies Host packages, distribution assumptions, network downloads and required privileges.
Reproducibility Whether you can install a commit or tag and record the resulting revision.
Data operations Backup, restore, migration, upgrade and uninstall behavior for persistent services.
Command surface Clear names, help output, configuration files and documented failure modes.
Core status Whether the inventory identifies it as a core plugin or a third-party extension.

Use the JSON inventory to verify the final source and revision on the server, not merely the repository you intended to install.

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Writing your own Dokku plugin

You can create a plugin when the needed behavior does not exist or when an internal workflow must become a repeatable Dokku command. Start with the documented plugin conventions rather than inventing a separate command dispatcher.

Define the interface first

  • Choose the user-facing commands and their arguments.
  • Identify lifecycle events that should invoke hooks, such as deployment completion.
  • Decide which metadata belongs in plugin.toml.
  • Separate one-time installation work from repeatable application or deployment hooks.
  • Document required operating-system packages and any persistent data.

Use a small, inspectable layout

Put command implementations in commands, installation behavior in install, and deployment behavior in a hook such as post-deploy. Keep privileged operations explicit and fail with useful messages. The plugin should make its assumptions visible in its README, including supported Dokku releases and rollback steps.

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Test like an operator

Install from a clean server or disposable environment, run the dependency trigger, list the plugin, exercise every command on a test app and inspect the JSON inventory. Test enable, disable, update and uninstall paths as well as the normal deployment path. A plugin that works once but cannot be upgraded or removed safely is not production-ready.

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Troubleshooting common failures

The install command cannot fetch the source

Check the URL scheme, repository access and server network connectivity. For a local file or archive, confirm that the path exists on the Dokku host, not on your workstation. If you need private Git access, verify the server’s SSH credentials and use a source format supported by Dokku.

The plugin appears installed but its command is missing

Run plugin:list and inspect the enabled field in JSON. Confirm that you used the intended local name and that the plugin’s installation completed without an error. Review the repository’s command naming and compatibility notes before manually triggering anything.

Dependency installation fails

Run sudo dokku plugin:install-dependencies again only after reading the dependency declarations and the package-manager error. Resolve distribution, repository or lock conflicts on the host, then rerun the documented setup. Do not assume that a partially installed package set is equivalent to a successful plugin installation.

A Dokku upgrade breaks the plugin

Check the plugin’s supported release range and issue tracker, capture the current JSON inventory, and look for a compatible update. If the plugin is Git-backed, use plugin:update only after selecting a known-compatible revision. Disable the plugin while investigating if its behavior is actively disrupting deployments, and preserve any service data before changing or uninstalling it.

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You need to undo the change

For a temporary isolation, use plugin:disable. For permanent removal, follow the plugin’s uninstall and data-retention instructions, then verify the inventory and test affected applications. Keep the source URL and previous commit in your records so the same version can be restored if necessary.

Production maintenance checklist

  • Review plugin compatibility whenever Dokku is upgraded.
  • Keep third-party plugins pinned to a recorded commit or tag when reproducibility is important.
  • Store the JSON inventory with your infrastructure records.
  • Review install and dependency hooks before every new source is trusted.
  • Test plugin commands and service recovery on a non-production app.
  • Document credentials, storage paths, backup jobs and migration procedures for service plugins.
  • Use disable before uninstall when you need to separate a plugin failure from data removal.
  • Run explicit triggers only from the plugin’s documented procedure.

With those controls in place, a Dokku plugin becomes a versioned part of your server configuration rather than an opaque shell script. Install only reviewed code, verify what actually landed on the host, and treat updates and removals as operational changes that require testing.

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