Skip to content
New issue

Have a question about this project? Sign up for a free GitHub account to open an issue and contact its maintainers and the community.

By clicking “Sign up for GitHub”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy statement. We’ll occasionally send you account related emails.

Already on GitHub? Sign in to your account

Tweak README text and formatting #1646

Open
wants to merge 4 commits into
base: development
Choose a base branch
from
Open
Changes from all commits
Commits
File filter

Filter by extension

Filter by extension

Conversations
Failed to load comments.
Loading
Jump to
Jump to file
Failed to load files.
Loading
Diff view
Diff view
100 changes: 68 additions & 32 deletions README.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -2,37 +2,56 @@

[![Build Status](https://github.com/pi-hole/docker-pi-hole/workflows/Test%20&%20Build/badge.svg)](https://github.com/pi-hole/docker-pi-hole/actions?query=workflow%3A%22Test+%26+Build%22) [![Docker Stars](https://img.shields.io/docker/stars/pihole/pihole.svg?maxAge=604800)](https://store.docker.com/community/images/pihole/pihole) [![Docker Pulls](https://img.shields.io/docker/pulls/pihole/pihole.svg?maxAge=604800)](https://store.docker.com/community/images/pihole/pihole)

<p align="center">
<a href="https://pi-hole.net"><img src="https://pi-hole.github.io/graphics/Vortex/Vortex_with_text.png" width="150" height="255" alt="Pi-hole"></a><br/>
</p>
<div align="center">
<a href="https://pi-hole.net/">
<img src="https://pi-hole.github.io/graphics/Vortex/vortex_with_text.svg" width="144" height="256" alt="Pi-hole website">
</a>
<br>
<strong>Network-wide ad blocking via your own Linux hardware</strong>
<br>
<br>
<div align="center">
<a href="https://pi-hole.net/">Pi-hole website</a> |
<a href="https://docs.pi-hole.net/">Documentation</a> |
<a href="https://discourse.pi-hole.net/">Discourse Forum</a> |
<a href="https://pi-hole.net/donate">Donate</a>
</div>
<br>
<br>
</div>
<!-- Delete above HTML and insert markdown for dockerhub : ![Pi-hole](https://pi-hole.github.io/graphics/Vortex/Vortex_with_text.png) -->

## Upgrade Notes

## !!! THIS VERSION CONTAINS BREAKING CHANGES

### v[ChangeMeBeforeTagging] has been entirely redesigned from the ground up and contains many breaking changes. Environment variable names have changed, script locations may have changed. Please read the the Readme carefully before proceeding
> [!CAUTION]
>
> ## !!! THIS VERSION CONTAINS BREAKING CHANGES
> **v6 has been entirely redesigned from the ground up and contains many breaking changes.**
Copy link
Member

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

The reason will be displayed to describe this comment to others. Learn more.

Suggested change
> **v6 has been entirely redesigned from the ground up and contains many breaking changes.**
> **v[ChangeMeBeforeTagging] has been entirely redesigned from the ground up and contains many breaking changes.**

I suppose v[ChangeMeBeforeTagging] is there as Docker is more concerned about tags in the format YYYY.MM.X. The tag cannot be foreseen as there is no fixed v6 release date.

Copy link
Member Author

@rdwebdesign rdwebdesign Sep 26, 2024

Choose a reason for hiding this comment

The reason will be displayed to describe this comment to others. Learn more.

I agree we need a better text here, but the current paragraph is not wrong (maybe just incomplete).

v6 is an entirely redesigned Pi-hole. Every v6 tag will contain breaking changes compared to v5 tags.

We probably need to include both: v6 and a tag.

>
> Environment variable names have changed, script locations may have changed.<br>Please read the README carefully before proceeding.

---

- **Using Watchtower? See the [Note on Watchtower](#note-on-watchtower) at the bottom of this readme**
> [!NOTE]
> **Using Watchtower?\
> See the [Note on Watchtower](#note-on-watchtower) at the bottom of this readme**

- Some users [have reported issues](https://github.com/pi-hole/docker-pi-hole/issues/963#issuecomment-1095602502) with using the `--privileged` flag on `2022.04` and above. TL;DR, don't use that mode, and be [explicit with the permitted caps](https://github.com/pi-hole/docker-pi-hole#note-on-capabilities) (if needed) instead
> [!TIP]
> Some users [have reported issues](https://github.com/pi-hole/docker-pi-hole/issues/963#issuecomment-1095602502) with using the `--privileged` flag on `2022.04` and above.\
> TL;DR, don't use that mode, and be [explicit with the permitted caps](https://github.com/pi-hole/docker-pi-hole#note-on-capabilities) (if needed) instead

## Quick Start

Using [Docker-compose](https://docs.docker.com/compose/install/):

1. Copy the below docker compose example and update as needed



```yml
# More info at https://github.com/pi-hole/docker-pi-hole/ and https://docs.pi-hole.net/
services:
pihole:
container_name: pihole
image: pihole/pihole:latest
image: pihole/pihole:latest
ports:
# DNS Ports
- "53:53/tcp"
Expand All @@ -42,7 +61,7 @@ services:
# Default HTTPs Port. FTL will generate a self-signed certificate
- "443:443/tcp"
# Uncomment the below if using Pi-hole as your DHCP Server
#- "67:67/udp"
#- "67:67/udp"
environment:
# Set the appropriate timezone for your location (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tz_database_time_zones), e.g:
TZ: 'Europe/London'
Expand All @@ -53,36 +72,42 @@ services:
# For persisting Pi-hole's databases and common configuration file
- './etc-pihole:/etc/pihole'
# Uncomment the below if you have custom dnsmasq config files that you want to persist. Not needed for most.
#- './etc-dnsmasq.d:/etc/dnsmasq.d'
#- './etc-dnsmasq.d:/etc/dnsmasq.d'
cap_add:
# See https://github.com/pi-hole/docker-pi-hole#note-on-capabilities
# Required if you are using Pi-hole as your DHCP server, else not needed
- NET_ADMIN
- NET_ADMIN
restart: unless-stopped
```

2. Run `docker compose up -d` to build and start pi-hole (Syntax may be `docker-compose` on older systems)
3. If using Docker's default `bridge` network setting, set the environment variable `FTLCONF_dns_listeningMode` to `all`

nb. Volumes are recommended for persisting data across container re-creations for updating images.
> [!NOTE]
> Volumes are recommended for persisting data across container re-creations for updating images.

### Automatic Ad List Updates

`cron` is baked into the container and will grab the newest versions of your lists and flush your logs. This happens once per week in the small hours of Sunday morning.

## Running DHCP from Docker Pi-Hole

There are multiple different ways to run DHCP from within your Docker Pi-hole container but it is slightly more advanced and one size does not fit all. DHCP and Docker's multiple network modes are covered in detail on our docs site: [Docker DHCP and Network Modes](https://docs.pi-hole.net/docker/DHCP/)
There are multiple different ways to run DHCP from within your Docker Pi-hole container, but it is slightly more advanced and one size does not fit all.

DHCP and Docker's multiple network modes are covered in detail on our docs site: [Docker DHCP and Network Modes](https://docs.pi-hole.net/docker/DHCP/)

## Configuration

It is recommended that you use environment variables to configure the Pi-hole docker container (more details below), however if you are persisting your `/etc/pihole` directory, you may choose instead to set them via the web interface or by directly editing `pihole.toml`.
It is recommended that you use environment variables to configure the Pi-hole docker container (more details below), however if you are persisting your `/etc/pihole` directory, you may choose instead to set them via the web interface or by directly editing `pihole.toml`.

**Please Note**: Settings that are set via environment variables effectively become read-only, meaning that you will not be able to change them in the web interface or CLI. This is to ensure a "single source of truth" on the config. If you later unset an environment variable, then FTL will revert to the default value for that setting.
> [!WARNING]
> Settings that are set via environment variables effectively become _**read-only**_, meaning that you will not be able to change them in the web interface or CLI. This is to ensure a "single source of truth" on the config.<br>If you later unset an environment variable, then FTL will revert to the default value for that setting.

### Web interface password

To set a specific password for the web interface, use the environment variable `FTLCONF_webserver_api_password`. If this variable is not detected, and you have not already set one via `pihole setpassword` / `pihole-FTL --config webserver.api.password` inside the container, then a random password will be assigned on startup, this will be printed to the log. Run `docker logs pihole | grep random password` to find it.
To set a specific password for the web interface, use the environment variable `FTLCONF_webserver_api_password`.

If this variable is not detected, and you have not already set one via `pihole setpassword` / `pihole-FTL --config webserver.api.password` inside the container, then a random password will be assigned on startup, this will be printed to the log. Run `docker logs pihole | grep random password` to find it.

To explicitly set no password, set `FTLCONF_webserver_api_password: ''`

Expand All @@ -91,8 +116,8 @@ To explicitly set no password, set `FTLCONF_webserver_api_password: ''`
| Variable | Default | Value | Description |
| -------- | ------- | ----- | ---------- |
| `TZ` | UTC | `<Timezone>` | Set your [timezone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tz_database_time_zones) to make sure logs rotate at local midnight instead of at UTC midnight.
| `FTLCONF_webserver_api_password` | random | `<Admin password>` | <http://pi.hole/admin> password. Run `docker logs pihole \| grep random` to find your random pass.
| `FTLCONF_dns_upstreams` | `8.8.8.8;8.8.4.4` | IPs delimited by `;` | Upstream DNS server(s) for Pi-hole to forward queries to, separated by a semicolon <br/> (supports non-standard ports with `#[port number]`) e.g `127.0.0.1#5053;8.8.8.8;8.8.4.4` <br/> (supports [Docker service names and links](https://docs.docker.com/compose/networking/) instead of IPs) e.g `upstream0,upstream1` where `upstream0` and `upstream1` are the service names of or links to docker services <br/> Note: The existence of this environment variable assumes this as the _sole_ management of upstream DNS. Upstream DNS added via the web interface will be overwritten on container restart/recreation |
| `FTLCONF_webserver_api_password` | random | `<Admin password>` | <http://pi.hole/admin> password.<br>Run `docker logs pihole \| grep random` to find your random password.
| `FTLCONF_dns_upstreams` | `8.8.8.8;8.8.4.4` | IPs delimited by `;` | Upstream DNS server(s) for Pi-hole to forward queries to, separated by a semicolon <br><br> Supports non-standard ports with: `#[port number]`, e.g `127.0.0.1#5053;8.8.8.8;8.8.4.4` <br><br> Supports [Docker service names and links](https://docs.docker.com/compose/networking/) instead of IPs, e.g `upstream0,upstream1` where `upstream0` and `upstream1` are the service names of or links to docker services <br><br> **Note:** The existence of this environment variable assumes this as the _sole_ management of upstream DNS. Upstream DNS added via the web interface will be overwritten on container restart/recreation |

### Optional Variables

Expand All @@ -108,17 +133,17 @@ To explicitly set no password, set `FTLCONF_webserver_api_password: ''`
| Variable | Default | Value | Description |
| -------- | ------- | ----- | ---------- |
| `FTL_CMD` | `no-daemon` | `no-daemon -- <dnsmasq option>` | Customize the options with which dnsmasq gets started. e.g. `no-daemon -- --dns-forward-max 300` to increase max. number of concurrent dns queries on high load setups. |
| `DNSMASQ_USER` | unset | `<pihole\|root>` | Allows changing the user that FTLDNS runs as. Default: `pihole`, some systems such as Synology NAS may require you to change this to `root` (See [#963](https://github.com/pi-hole/docker-pi-hole/issues/963)) |
| `DNSMASQ_USER` | unset | `<pihole\|root>` | Allows changing the user that FTLDNS runs as. Default: `pihole`, some systems such as Synology NAS may require you to change this to `root`<br><br>(See [#963](https://github.com/pi-hole/docker-pi-hole/issues/963)) |
| `ADDITIONAL_PACKAGES`| unset | Space separated list of APKs | HERE BE DRAGONS. Mostly for development purposes, this just makes it easier for those of us that always like to have whatever additional tools we need inside the container for debugging |

Here is a rundown of other arguments for your docker-compose / docker run.

| Docker Arguments | Description |
| ---------------- | ----------- |
| `-p <port>:<port>` **Recommended** | Ports to expose (53, 80, 67), the bare minimum ports required for Pi-holes HTTP and DNS services
| `-p <port>:<port>` **Recommended** | Ports to expose (53, 80, 443, 67), the bare minimum ports required for Pi-holes HTTP, HTTPS and DNS services
| `--restart=unless-stopped`<br/> **Recommended** | Automatically (re)start your Pi-hole on boot or in the event of a crash
| `-v $(pwd)/etc-pihole:/etc/pihole`<br/> **Recommended** | Volumes for your Pi-hole configs help persist changes across docker image updates
| `--net=host`<br/> _Optional_ | Alternative to `-p <port>:<port>` arguments (Cannot be used at same time as -p) if you don't run any other web application. DHCP runs best with --net=host, otherwise your router must support dhcp-relay settings.
| `--net=host`<br/> _Optional_ | Alternative to `-p <port>:<port>` arguments (Cannot be used at same time as `-p`) if you don't run any other web application. DHCP runs best with `--net=host`, otherwise your router must support dhcp-relay settings.
| `--cap-add=NET_ADMIN`<br/> _Recommended_ | Commonly added capability for DHCP, see [Note on Capabilities](#note-on-capabilities) below for other capabilities.
| `--dns=n.n.n.n`<br/> _Optional_ | Explicitly set container's DNS server. It is **_not recommended_** to set this to `localhost`/`127.0.0.1`.
| `--env-file .env` <br/> _Optional_ | File to store environment variables for docker replacing `-e key=value` settings. Here for convenience
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -156,7 +181,9 @@ network:
version: 2
```

Note that it is also possible to disable `systemd-resolved` entirely. However, this can cause problems with name resolution in vpns ([see bug report](https://bugs.launchpad.net/network-manager/+bug/1624317)). It also disables the functionality of netplan since systemd-resolved is used as the default renderer ([see `man netplan`](http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/bionic/man5/netplan.5.html#description)). If you choose to disable the service, you will need to manually set the nameservers, for example by creating a new `/etc/resolv.conf`.
Note that it is also possible to disable `systemd-resolved` entirely. However, this can cause problems with name resolution in vpns ([see bug report](https://bugs.launchpad.net/network-manager/+bug/1624317)).\
It also disables the functionality of netplan since systemd-resolved is used as the default renderer ([see `man netplan`](http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/bionic/man5/netplan.5.html#description)).\
If you choose to disable the service, you will need to manually set the nameservers, for example by creating a new `/etc/resolv.conf`.

Users of older Ubuntu releases (circa 17.04) will need to disable dnsmasq.

Expand All @@ -166,9 +193,11 @@ Users of older Ubuntu releases (circa 17.04) will need to disable dnsmasq.

## Docker tags and versioning

The primary docker tags are explained in the following table. [Click here to see the full list of tags](https://store.docker.com/community/images/pihole/pihole/tags). See [GitHub Release notes](https://github.com/pi-hole/docker-pi-hole/releases) to see the specific version of Pi-hole Core, Web, and FTL included in the release.
The primary docker tags are explained in the following table. [Click here to see the full list of tags](https://hub.docker.com/r/pihole/pihole/tags). See [GitHub Release notes](https://github.com/pi-hole/docker-pi-hole/releases) to see the specific version of Pi-hole Core, Web, and FTL included in the release.

The Date-based (including incremented "Patch" versions) do not relate to any kind of semantic version number, rather a date is used to differentiate between the new version and the old version, nothing more.

The Date-based (including incremented "Patch" versions) do not relate to any kind of semantic version number, rather a date is used to differentiate between the new version and the old version, nothing more. Release notes will always contain full details of changes in the container, including changes to core Pi-hole components
Release notes will always contain full details of changes in the container, including changes to core Pi-hole components

| tag | description
|---------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Expand All @@ -185,20 +214,27 @@ The standard Pi-hole customization abilities apply to this docker, but with dock

### Upgrading / Reconfiguring

Do not attempt to upgrade (`pihole -up`) or reconfigure (`pihole -r`). New images will be released for upgrades, upgrading by replacing your old container with a fresh upgraded image is the 'docker way'. Long-living docker containers are not the docker way since they aim to be portable and reproducible, why not re-create them often! Just to prove you can.
Do not attempt to upgrade (`pihole -up`) or reconfigure (`pihole -r`).

New images will be released for upgrades, upgrading by replacing your old container with a fresh upgraded image is the 'docker way'. Long-living docker containers are not the docker way since they aim to be portable and reproducible, why not re-create them often! Just to prove you can.

0. Read the release notes for both this Docker release and the Pi-hole release
- This will help you avoid common problems due to any known issues with upgrading or newly required arguments or variables
- We will try to put common break/fixes at the top of this readme too
1. Download the latest version of the image: `docker pull pihole/pihole`
2. Throw away your container: `docker rm -f pihole`
- **Warning** When removing your pihole container you may be stuck without DNS until step 3; **docker pull** before **docker rm -f** to avoid DNS interruption.
- **Warning:** When removing your pihole container you may be stuck without DNS until step 3; **`docker pull`** before **`docker rm -f`** to avoid DNS interruption.
- If you care about your data (logs/customizations), make sure you have it volume-mapped or it will be deleted in this step.
3. Start your container with the newer base image: `docker run <args> pihole/pihole` (`<args>` being your preferred run volumes and env vars)

Why is this style of upgrading good? A couple reasons: Everyone is starting from the same base image which has been tested to known it works. No worrying about upgrading from A to B, B to C, or A to C is required when rolling out updates, it reduces complexity, and simply allows a 'fresh start' every time while preserving customizations with volumes. Basically I'm encouraging [phoenix server](https://martinfowler.com/bliki/PhoenixServer.html) principles for your containers.
**Why is this style of upgrading good?**

A couple reasons:
- Everyone is starting from the same base image which has been tested to known it works.
- No worrying about upgrading from A to B, B to C, or A to C is required when rolling out updates, it reduces complexity, and simply allows a 'fresh start' every time while preserving customizations with volumes.
- Basically I'm encouraging [phoenix server](https://martinfowler.com/bliki/PhoenixServer.html) principles for your containers.

To reconfigure Pi-hole you'll either need to use an existing container environment variables or if there is no a variable for what you need, use the web UI or CLI commands.
To reconfigure Pi-hole you'll either need to use an existing container environment variables or, if there is no a variable for what you need, use the web UI or CLI commands.

### Building the image locally

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -228,7 +264,7 @@ docker buildx build src/. --tag pihole:local --no-cache

### Pi-hole features

Here are some relevant wiki pages from [Pi-hole's documentation](https://docs.pi-hole.net).
Here are some relevant wiki pages from [Pi-hole's documentation](https://docs.pi-hole.net).

We install all pihole utilities so the the built in [pihole commands](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/the-pihole-command-with-examples/738) will work via `docker exec <container> <command>` like so:

Expand Down