Edit docker compose after installing app

Insight & Feedback
1

im wondering if there is an application to where i can edit the docker compose without uninstall the app and doing a custom compose? i dont know if dockage would help me here or not

2

Yes, it is possible, but it depends how the app was installed.

If the app was installed from the ZimaOS App Store

I believe you cannot directly edit the underlying docker compose for “Store apps” (the system manages it for you), so changes normally get overwritten.

What I suggest instead:

  • Use the app’s Settings / Environment / Ports / Volumes section (if available)
  • Or reinstall it as a Custom Install / Custom Compose if you need full control

If the app was installed as a Custom Compose

Then yes, you can edit it freely.

What I suggest:

  • Use Dockge (or Portainer) to manage and edit the compose file
  • Dockge is perfect for editing compose stacks after install and updating them cleanly

Important note (so you don’t lose changes)

If you edit a compose that ZimaOS “owns” (App Store install), ZimaOS may revert your changes during updates/redeploy.

So in short:

  • App Store install: limited editing (UI settings only)
  • Custom Compose install: full editing (Dockge recommended)
3

ok i understand but that is dumb lol they need to give us something that can do that without reinstalling a custom app cause im trying to get traefik working and need to use lables and along with wanting to force some app to us specific DNS like cloudflare instead of my pihole.

4

I believe you are 100% right to call that out. For anything reverse proxy related (Traefik labels, custom networks, DNS override, middleware, etc.) you really do need compose-level control.

Right now ZimaOS “App Store” installs are designed to be beginner friendly, but the downside is you lose advanced control (labels, extra networks, custom dns, etc.) unless the app explicitly exposes those options in the UI.

What I suggest as the practical workaround (without losing your data):

  1. Keep using the App Store for simple apps.
  2. For anything that must work with Traefik, install it as a Custom Compose stack (Dockge is perfect for this).
  3. Mount the SAME AppData folders, so you are not “rebuilding”, you are just “re-attaching” the existing data.

That way it’s not really reinstalling, it is just taking ownership of the same container + volumes with your own compose.

For your specific use cases:

1) Traefik labels

I suggest you run Traefik as your own compose stack, and any apps you want behind it must be in a compose you control so you can add:

  • labels
  • traefik.docker.network
  • shared network (example: proxy)

2) Force a container to use Cloudflare DNS (not Pi-hole)

Yes, this is exactly what the compose dns: option is for.

Example:

dns:
  - 1.1.1.1
  - 1.0.0.1

So honestly: for this requirement, you must have compose control.

If you want a clean “best practice” setup, what I suggest is:

  • One dedicated compose stack called traefik
  • One shared external docker network called proxy
  • Any app that needs public routing goes into Dockge compose and joins proxy
  • Apps that should stay internal can remain App Store installs

This gives you both:

  • ZimaOS simplicity for basic installs
  • Full control for anything advanced
5

We’re currently refactoring the App Store and app installation experience, and in the future, the installation section should include a simple installation process and advanced features for editing docker compose yaml files directly.

2 Likes
6

well shoot ill wait for that then.

7

i think nignx proxy manger will work better for the time being until ui changes are made