Dokploy Bug: GitHub Apps Missing Traefik Labels

Hey guys, let's dive into a frustrating bug I've been wrestling with: when you deploy applications sourced directly from GitHub using Dokploy in Docker Swarm mode, they're not getting the Traefik labels they need. This means your app, despite deploying successfully, is essentially invisible to the outside world because Traefik can't route traffic to it. Let's break down the issue, how to reproduce it, and what we can do about it.

The Problem: Missing Traefik Labels for GitHub-Sourced Apps

So, the core problem is pretty straightforward: GitHub-sourced applications deployed through Dokploy aren't receiving the necessary Traefik labels. These labels are crucial. Traefik, as you probably know, is a fantastic reverse proxy and load balancer. It automatically configures itself based on the labels you attach to your Docker services. Without these labels, Traefik has no idea how to route traffic to your application, even if the application itself is up and running smoothly within your Docker Swarm. This is a real head-scratcher, especially since compose-based deployments seem to work just fine in the same environment. This inconsistency is what makes it a pain in the butt. This bug significantly impacts the usability of Dokploy for anyone relying on GitHub as their primary source for application deployments and is a real productivity killer.

How to Spot the Bug

Here’s how you can tell if you're affected:

1. Create a new Application from GitHub: Start by creating a new application within Dokploy, making sure it’s pulling its code directly from your GitHub repository.
2. Choose Nixpacks Build Type: Select 'Nixpacks' as your build type. This is a common choice, but the bug could affect other build types too.
3. Configure a Domain: Go to the Domains tab and add your desired domain. This tells Dokploy where you want your application to be accessible.
4. Deploy the Application: Deploy the application. Dokploy should start the deployment process within your Docker Swarm.
5. Inspect the Docker Service: Once deployed, run the following command in your terminal: docker service inspect <app-name> --format '{{json .Spec.Labels}}'. Replace <app-name> with the actual name of your application.
6. Check for Traefik Labels: Examine the output. You're looking for labels that start with traefik.. Specifically, you should see labels like traefik.enable=true, traefik.http.routers.<name>.rule=Host(\domain.com`)`, and others that define how Traefik should handle the routing. If you don't see these labels, you've found the bug.

If you're not seeing these traefik.* labels in your service's configuration, then you're experiencing the same issue.

Expected Behavior vs. Current Reality

When everything is working as intended, deploying a GitHub-sourced application with a domain configured in Dokploy should automatically result in Traefik labels being added to the Docker service. These labels tell Traefik how to handle incoming requests and route them to your application. Think of it like this: your domain is the address, Traefik is the postal worker, and the labels are the instructions on where to deliver the mail (your application).

What Should Happen

Here's a list of the labels you should see:

• traefik.enable=true: This enables Traefik for this service.
• traefik.http.routers.<name>.rule=Host(\domain.com`): This defines the rule for routing traffic; in this case, any traffic for domain.com`.
• traefik.http.routers.<name>.entrypoints=websecure: Specifies the entry point for secure web traffic.
• traefik.http.routers.<name>.tls.certresolver=letsencrypt: Configures Let's Encrypt for automatic TLS certificate management.
• traefik.http.services.<name>.loadbalancer.server.port=<port>: Defines the port on which your application is running.

If these labels aren't present, Traefik won't know how to route traffic, and your application will be inaccessible.

Workaround: Manually Adding Traefik Labels

While we wait for a proper fix, there's a workaround: manually adding the Traefik labels to your Docker service. It's not ideal, but it gets the job done. This means you’ll have to manually update each service you deploy, which can be a hassle, especially when you have multiple applications or frequently update your deployments.

Here's how you do it:

1. Find your service name: You'll need the name of your Docker service. You can find this by running docker service ls.

2. Run the update command: Use the docker service update command to add the labels. Here's an example:

   docker service update \
     --label-add 'traefik.enable=true' \
     --label-add 'traefik.http.routers.<name>.rule=Host(\`domain.com\`)' \
     --label-add 'traefik.http.routers.<name>.entrypoints=websecure' \
     --label-add 'traefik.http.routers.<name>.tls.certresolver=letsencrypt' \
     --label-add 'traefik.http.services.<name>.loadbalancer.server.port=<port>' \
     <service-name>
   

   Replace the values in the --label-add arguments with your specific configuration, such as your domain name (domain.com) and the port your application is using (<port>). Make sure you replace <service-name> with the actual name of your Docker service.

3. Verify the labels: After running the command, inspect the service again using docker service inspect <service-name> --format '{{json .Spec.Labels}}' to confirm that the labels have been added.

Remember, this is a manual process and will need to be repeated every time you update your application until a permanent fix is implemented. Not a perfect solution, but it'll keep your applications accessible until a proper fix lands.

Environment Information

Here’s the environment I’m working with. This information is important for context and troubleshooting:

• Dokploy Version: latest (as of 2024-12-05) – always good to be up-to-date!
• Docker Version: 27.x
• Traefik Version: 3.6.2
• Deployment Mode: Docker Swarm (single manager)
• OS: Ubuntu 24.04

This information helps narrow down potential causes and allows others to replicate the issue if they have a similar setup. It's a key part of any bug report or troubleshooting effort.

Areas Affected: Traefik, Application, Docker

This bug directly affects the interplay between Traefik (the reverse proxy and load balancer), the deployed application itself, and the Docker environment. The issue is a breakdown in the communication between Dokploy, which is responsible for the application deployment, and Traefik, which is responsible for routing the traffic. Dokploy is failing to correctly set up the necessary labels on the Docker Swarm services, which prevents Traefik from functioning as intended. This means that even if the application deploys successfully, it remains inaccessible via the configured domain, impacting application functionality. This makes it impossible to access the deployed application via the domain. This issue impacts the whole deployment process.

Deployment Location: Both Local and Remote Servers

This issue occurs regardless of whether the applications are deployed where Dokploy is installed or on a remote server. The root cause appears to be within the Dokploy's process of generating the Docker service specifications for GitHub-sourced applications, rather than any environment-specific configuration.

Additional Context and Related Issues

This is a super important part of any bug report: providing context and pointing to any related issues. This helps developers understand the broader scope of the problem.

• Compose-based deployments work: Deployments based on Docker Compose in the same environment function correctly. This suggests the issue is specific to how Dokploy handles GitHub-sourced applications.
• Domain Configuration: The domain is correctly configured, with DNS records pointing to the server's IP address. This eliminates DNS resolution as a potential cause.
• Traefik Dashboard: The Traefik dashboard shows no routers for the affected services, confirming that Traefik isn't aware of them. This is a direct consequence of the missing labels.
• Related Issues: I’ve found some related issues that may shed more light on the problem. Checking those out may help provide more information about the bug, so that we can understand and fix it.
  • #2682: (Insert a brief summary of the issue if you know it, or a relevant excerpt) This issue is potentially about a similar problem, perhaps within the application.
  • #2994: (Insert a brief summary of the issue if you know it, or a relevant excerpt) This issue seems to be a general problem about routing.
  • #2604: (Insert a brief summary of the issue if you know it, or a relevant excerpt) This issue also impacts the routing process.

Will You Send a PR to Fix It?

Maybe. I'm willing to help contribute a fix, but I need a little help to get started. I'm going to need to dig into the Dokploy codebase and understand how it handles the deployment of GitHub-sourced applications and how it's supposed to add the Traefik labels. If I can get some guidance on where to start looking in the code, I'm happy to give it a shot. I'll need some pointers from the Dokploy developers to point me in the right direction. I'll need some guidance to understand the project structure and how to test any changes I make. If you're a Dokploy developer, please reach out to me, and let's get this fixed!