Why Dozzle?

docker logs -f requires SSH. Dozzle puts live container logs in your browser:

  • Real-time streaming — Logs appear instantly as they’re written.
  • Multi-container view — See logs from all containers side by side.
  • Search — Find entries across all containers.
  • Log level highlighting — ERROR, WARN, INFO colored differently.
  • No storage — Zero disk usage, pure streaming.
  • ~8 MB image — Smallest log viewer available.

Prerequisites

  • Docker on any machine.
  • Access to Docker socket.

Deploy with Docker

docker run -d \
  --name dozzle \
  --restart=always \
  -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro \
  -p 8080:8080 \
  amir20/dozzle:latest

Access at http://your-server:8080.

Features

FeatureDescription
Live streamingReal-time log output, no refresh needed
Multi-containerView multiple containers simultaneously
SearchFull-text search across all container logs
RegexSearch with regular expressions
Log levelsColor-coded ERROR, WARN, INFO, DEBUG
Docker ComposeGroups containers by compose project
Multi-hostAggregate logs from remote Docker hosts
AuthenticationBuilt-in simple auth or forward auth
Dark modeBuilt-in dark theme

Dozzle vs Log Management Tools

FeatureDozzlePortainer LogsLoki + GrafanaELK Stack
PurposeLive log viewerDocker managementLog aggregationFull search + analytics
StorageNone (streaming)NonePersistentPersistent
Image size~8 MB~250 MB~500 MB+~2 GB+
Setup time30 seconds2 minutes30 minutes1 hour+
Multi-hostYes (agents)YesYesYes
SearchLive searchBasicLogQL queriesFull-text + aggregation
Best forQuick debuggingDocker managementProduction monitoringEnterprise analytics

Troubleshooting

ProblemSolution
No containers showingVerify Docker socket is mounted: -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro
Permission deniedEnsure the Dozzle container user can read the Docker socket
Logs not updatingContainer might not be writing to stdout/stderr; check logging driver
Multi-host not connectingVerify Dozzle agent is running on remote host and network is reachable

Summary

  • Real-time Docker log viewer — no SSH, no CLI, just a browser.
  • Zero storage — streaming only, no disk usage.
  • ~8 MB footprint — lightest log viewer available.
  • Multi-host aggregation for distributed environments.