App template JSON format

App template definitions are written in JSON. Valid templates consist of an array, and every template definition consists of one element.

Container template definition format

A container template element must be a valid JSON object, composed of both mandatory and optional data fields. Here's an example of the format:

{
  "version": "2",
  "templates": [
    {
      // template1
    },
    {
      // template2
    },
    ...
  ]
}

type

Description: The template type.
Format: Integer
Valid values: 1 = container; 2 = Swarm stack; 3 = Compose stack
Required/Optional: Required
Other information: Type 3 is limited to using the version "2" stack format (this is a docker/libcompose limitation).

title

Description: The template title.
Format: String
Valid values: Any string value.
Required/Optional: Required

description

Description: The template description.
Format: String
Valid values: Any string value.
Required/Optional: Required

image

Description: The Docker image associated with a template.
Format: String
Valid values: Any valid URL.
Required/Optional: Required

administrator-only

Description: Indicates whether or not a template should be available just to admin users.
Format: Boolean
Valid values: true = available to admins only; false = available to all users
Required/Optional: Optional
Example: See below.

{
  "administrator-only": true
}

name

Description: The default name of a template (shows in the Portainer UI).
Format: String
Valid values: Any valid string.
Required/Optional: Optional

logo

Description: The template logo.
Format: String
Valid values: Any valid URL.
Required/Optional: Optional

registry

Description: The registry where the Docker image is stored. If not specified, Portainer will use Docker Hub as the default.
Format: String
Valid values: Any string value.
Required/Optional: Optional

command

Description: The command to run in the container. If not specified, the container will use the default command in its Dockerfile.
Format: String
Valid values: Any string value.
Required/Optional: Optional
Example: See below.

{
  "command": "/bin/bash -c \"echo hello\" && exit 777"
}

env

Description: A JSON array describing the environment variables required by a template. Each element in the array must be a valid JSON object. An input will be generated in the templates view for each element in the array. Depending on the object properties, different types of inputs can be generated (text input, select).
Format: Array
Required/Optional: Optional

Array format:

{
  "name": "the name of the environment variable, as supported in the container image (mandatory)",
  "label": "label for the input in the UI (mandatory unless set is present)",
  "description": "a short description for this input, will be available as a tooltip in the UI (optional)",
  "default": "default value associated to the variable (optional)",
  "preset": "boolean. If set to true, the UI will not generate an input (optional)",
  "select": "an array of possible values, will generate a select input (optional)"
}

Example:

{
  "env": [
    {
      "name": "MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD",
      "label": "Root password",
      "description": "Password used by the root user."
    },
    {
      "name": "ENV_VAR_WITH_DEFAULT_VALUE",
      "default": "default_value",
      "preset": true
    },
    {
      "name": "ENV_VAR_WITH_SELECT_VALUE",
      "label": "An environment variable",
      "description": "A description for this env var",
      "select": [
        {
          "text": "Yes, I agree",
          "value": "Y",
          "default": true
        },
        {
          "text": "No, I disagree",
          "value": "N"
        },
        {
          "text": "Maybe",
          "value": "YN"
        }
      ],
      "description": "Some environment variable."
    }
  ]
}

network

Description: A string that corresponds to the name of an existing Docker network. Will auto-select the network in the templates view.
Format: String
Valid values: Any string value. If the string does not match an existing network name when the template is used it will fall back to the first available network.
Required/Optional: Optional
Example: See below.

{
  "network": "host"
}

volumes

Description: A JSON array describing the volumes associated with a template. Each element in the array must be a valid JSON object with a required container property. For each element in the array, a Docker volume will be created and associated when starting the container. If a bind property is defined, it will be used as the source of a bind mount. If a readonly property is is defined and = true, the volume will be mounted in readonly mode.
Format: Array
Required/Optional: Optional
Example: See below.

{
  "volumes": [
    {
      "container": "/etc/nginx"
    },
    {
      "container": "/usr/share/nginx/html",
      "bind": "/var/www",
      "readonly": true
    }
  ]
}

ports

Description: A JSON array describing the ports exposed by a template. Each element in the array must be a valid JSON string specifying the port number in the container, as well as the protocol. Can be optionally prefixed with a port number and colon (for example 8080:) to define the port to be mapped on the host. If the host port is not specified, the Docker host will automatically assign it when starting the container.
Format: Array
Required/Optional: Optional
Example: See below.

{
  "ports": ["8080:80/tcp", "443/tcp"]
}

labels

Description: A JSON array describing the labels associated with a template. Each element in the array must be a valid JSON object with two properties (name: and "<value>").
Format: Array
Required/Optional: Optional
Example: See below.

{
  "labels": [
    { "name": "com.example.vendor", "value": "Acme" },
    { "name": "com.example.license", "value": "GPL" },
    { "name": "com.example.version", "value": "1.0" }
  ]
}

privileged

Description: Indicates whether or not the container should be started in privileged mode. Defaults to false if not specified.
Format: Boolean
Valid values: true = start the container in privileged mode; false = do not start the container in privileged mode
Required/Optional: Optional
Example: See below.

{
  "privileged": true
}

interactive

Description: Indicates whether or not the container should be started in foreground mode. Defaults to false if not specified.
Format: Boolean
Valid values: true = start the container in foreground mode; false = do not start the container in foreground mode
Required/Optional: Optional
Example: See below.

{
  "interactive": true
}

restart_policy

Description: The restart policy associated with the container. Will default to "always" if no value is specified.
Format: String
Valid values:
- "always" Always restart the container regardless of the exit status.
- "no" Never automatically restart the container.
- "on-failure" Restart the container only if it exits with a non-zero status.
- "unless-stopped" Always restart the container regardless of the exit status (unless the container was manually stopped).
Required/Optional: Optional
Example: See below.

{
  "restart_policy": "unless-stopped"
}

hostname

Description: The hostname of the container. Will default to Docker if not specified.
Format: String
Valid values: Any string value.
Required/Optional: Optional
Example: See below.

{
  "hostname": "mycontainername"
}

note

Description: Extra information about a template, for example what it is used for. Displayed inside the template-creation form in the Portainer UI. Supports HTML.
Format: String
Valid values: Any string value.
Required/Optional: Optional
Example: See below.

{
  "note": "You can use this field to record extra information about a template."
}

platform

Description: The supported platform. Displays a small platform-related icon in the Portainer UI. Must contain a valid value.
Format: String
Valid values: "linux"; "windows"
Required/Optional: Optional
Example: See below.

{
  "platform": "linux"
}

Stack template definition format

A stack template element must be a valid JSON object, composed of mandatory and optional data fields. Here's an example of the format:

{
  "type": 2,
  "title": "CockroachDB",
  "description": "CockroachDB cluster",
  "note": "Deploys an insecure CockroachDB cluster, please refer to CockroachDB documentation for production deployments.",
  "categories": ["database"],
  "platform": "linux",
  "logo": "https://cloudinovasi.id/assets/img/logos/cockroachdb.png",
  "repository": {
    "url": "https://github.com/portainer/templates",
    "stackfile": "stacks/cockroachdb/docker-stack.yml"
  }
}

type

Description: The template type. A Swarm stack will be deployed using the equivalent of docker stack deploy. A Compose stack will be deployed using the equivalent of docker-compose.
Format: Integer
Valid values: 1 = container; 2 = Swarm stack; 3 = Compose stack
Required/Optional: Required
Other information: Type 3 is limited to using the version "2" stack format (this is a docker/libcompose limitation).

title

Description: The template title.
Format: String
Valid values: Any string value.
Required/Optional: Required

description

Description: The template description.
Format: String
Valid values: Any string value.
Required/Optional: Required

repository

Description: A JSON object describing the public Git repository from where the stack template will be loaded. It indicates the URL of the Git repository as well as the path to the Compose file inside the repository.
Format: Object
Valid values: See the example below.
Required/Optional: Required

This value must reference a Git repository.

Object format:

{
  "url": "URL of the public git repository (mandatory)",
  "stackfile": "Path to the Compose file inside the repository (mandatory)",
}

Example:

{
  "url": "https://github.com/portainer/templates",
  "stackfile": "stacks/cockroachdb/docker-stack.yml"
}

administrator_only

Description: Indicates whether or not a template should be available just to admin users.
Format: Boolean
Valid values: true = available to admins only; false = available to all users
Required/Optional: Optional
Example: See below.

{
  "administrator_only": true
}

name

Description: The default name of a template (shows in the Portainer UI).
Format: String
Valid values: Any valid string.
Required/Optional: Optional

logo

Description: The template logo.
Format: String
Valid values: Any valid URL.
Required/Optional: Optional

env

Description: A JSON array describing the environment variables required by a template. Each element in the array must be a valid JSON object. An input will be generated in the templates view for each element in the array. Depending on the object properties, different types of inputs can be generated (text input, select).
Format: Array
Required/Optional: Optional

An input will be generated in the templates view for each element in the array. Depending on the object properties, different types of inputs can be generated (text input, select).

Array format:

{
  "name": "the name of the environment variable, as supported in the container image (mandatory)",
  "label": "label for the input in the UI (mandatory unless set is present)",
  "description": "a short description for this input, will be available as a tooltip in the UI (optional)",
  "default": "default value associated to the variable (optional)",
  "preset": "boolean. If set to true, the UI will not generate an input (optional)",
  "select": "an array of possible values, will generate a select input (optional)"
}

Example:

{
  "env": [
    {
      "name": "MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD",
      "label": "Root password",
      "description": "Password used by the root user."
    },
    {
      "name": "ENV_VAR_WITH_DEFAULT_VALUE",
      "default": "default_value",
      "preset": true
    },
    {
      "name": "ENV_VAR_WITH_SELECT_VALUE",
      "label": "An environment variable",
      "description": "A description for this env var",
      "select": [
        {
          "text": "Yes, I agree",
          "value": "Y",
          "default": true
        },
        {
          "text": "No, I disagree",
          "value": "N"
        },
        {
          "text": "Maybe",
          "value": "YN"
        }
      ],
      "description": "Some environment variable."
    }
  ]
}

note

Description: Extra information about a template, for example what it is used for. Displayed inside the template-creation form in the Portainer UI. Supports HTML.
Format: String
Valid values: Any string value.
Required/Optional: Optional
Example: See below.

{
  "note": "You can use this field to record extra information about a template."
}

platform

Description: The supported platform. Displays a small platform-related icon in the Portainer UI. Must contain a valid value.
Format: String
Valid values: "linux"; "windows"
Required/Optional: Optional
Example: See below.

{ "platform": "linux" }