Self-hosting Dozzle the easy way
Yulei ChenDozzle is a lightweight, real-time log viewer for Docker containers. Unlike running docker logs in the terminal, Dozzle gives you a clean web interface to browse, search, and filter logs across all your containers. It's completely free, open-source, and needs no database - it just taps into your Docker daemon and streams logs in real time.
Sliplane is a managed container platform that makes self-hosting painless. With one-click deployment, you can get Dozzle up and running in minutes - no server setup, no reverse proxy config, no infrastructure to maintain.
Prerequisites
Before deploying, ensure you have a Sliplane account (free trial available).
Quick start
Sliplane provides one-click deployment with presets.
Deploy Dozzle >- Click the deploy button above
- Select a project
- Select a server (If you just signed up you get a 48-hour free trial server)
- Click Deploy!
About the preset
The one-click deploy above uses Sliplane's Dozzle preset. Here's what's included:
- Official
amir20/dozzleimage - Version
v10.6.0pinned for stability - Port
8080exposed for the web UI - No persistent storage needed - Dozzle is completely stateless
Dozzle streams logs directly from Docker in real time. It doesn't store any data, so there's nothing to back up or migrate.
Next steps
Once Dozzle is running on Sliplane, access it using the domain Sliplane provided (e.g. dozzle-xxxx.sliplane.app).
Getting started
Dozzle automatically detects all running containers on your server and displays their logs. You can:
- Search logs with full-text search or regex
- Filter by container name or log level
- View live streaming logs as they happen
- Switch between containers using the sidebar
Environment variables
You can customize Dozzle's behavior with these environment variables:
| Variable | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
DOZZLE_LEVEL | info | Log level for Dozzle itself (debug, info, warn, error) |
DOZZLE_NO_ANALYTICS | false | Set to true to disable anonymous analytics |
DOZZLE_FILTER | (none) | Filter containers by label (e.g. name=myapp) |
Logging
Dozzle itself outputs logs to STDOUT, which works well with Sliplane's built-in log viewer. If you need more verbose output from Dozzle, set DOZZLE_LEVEL to debug. For general Docker logging tips, check out our post on how to use Docker logs.
Cost comparison
You can also self-host Dozzle with other cloud providers. Here is a pricing comparison for the most common ones:
| Provider | vCPU | RAM | Disk | Monthly Cost | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sliplane | 2 | 2 GB | 40 GB | €9 (~$10.65) | Flat rate, 1 TB bandwidth, SSL included |
| Fly.io | 2 | 2 GB | 40 GB | ~$18 | Disk and bandwidth billed separately |
| Render | 1 | 2 GB | 40 GB | ~$35 | 100 GB bandwidth, Disk billed separately |
| Railway | 2 | 2 GB | 40 GB | ~$67 + $20 plan | Pro plan floor, usage-based, bandwidth billed separately |
Click here to see how these numbers were calculated.
(Assuming an always-on instance running 730 hrs/month)
- Sliplane: flat €9/month for the Base server. Unlimited services on the same server, 1 TB egress and SSL included.
- Fly.io:
shared-cpu-2x2 GB = $11.83/mo + 40 GB volume × $0.15/GB = $6 -> ~$17.83/mo. Egress billed separately ($0.02/GB in EU). - Render: closest match is Standard ($25, 1 vCPU / 2 GB) plus 40 GB disk × $0.25/GB = $10 -> ~$35/mo. Stepping up to Pro (2 vCPU / 4 GB) costs $85/mo + disk.
- Railway (Pro plan): CPU 2 × $0.00000772/s × 2,628,000 s = $40.57; RAM 2 × $0.00000386/s × 2,628,000 s = $20.29; volume 40 × $0.00000006/s × 2,628,000 s = $6.31 -> ~$67/mo compute, plus the $20/mo Pro plan floor and $0.05/GB egress.
Bandwidth costs can add up fast on usage-based providers. Use our bandwidth cost comparison tool to see what your egress would cost on each platform.
FAQ
What is Dozzle used for?
Dozzle is a real-time log viewer for Docker containers. It gives you a clean web UI to monitor, search, and filter logs across all containers running on your Docker host. It's a popular choice among developers and sysadmins who want something lightweight without setting up a full logging stack like ELK or Grafana Loki. Check out our list of 5 awesome Docker tools for more useful container utilities.
How do I configure log retention?
Dozzle doesn't store logs - it streams them directly from Docker. Log retention is controlled by Docker's logging driver. By default, Docker keeps all logs in JSON files. You can configure retention with Docker's --log-opt max-size and --log-opt max-file options on your containers.
How do I update Dozzle?
Change the image tag in your service settings to the latest version and redeploy. Check Docker Hub for the latest stable version.
Are there alternatives to Dozzle?
Yes, there are several options depending on your needs. Portainer offers log viewing as part of a full Docker management UI. For more advanced setups, Grafana with Loki provides log aggregation and querying at scale. The built-in docker logs command also works for quick checks from the terminal.
Can Dozzle monitor multiple Docker hosts?
Yes. Dozzle supports connecting to remote Docker hosts via the DOZZLE_REMOTE_HOST environment variable. You can specify multiple hosts separated by commas to view logs from containers across different servers in a single dashboard.
