---
title: Stack Management
description: Create, deploy, control, and remove Docker Compose stacks.
---
A **stack** in Sencho is a Docker Compose project: a directory inside your `COMPOSE_DIR` that contains at least a `compose.yaml` (or `docker-compose.yml`) file. Sencho automatically discovers every subdirectory as a stack.
## Creating a stack
Click **Create Stack** in the left sidebar. Enter a name and click **Create**.
**Naming rules:**
- Lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens only (e.g. `my-app`, `nextcloud`)
- No spaces or special characters
- Must be unique; duplicates are rejected
Sencho creates a new directory inside `COMPOSE_DIR` with a blank `compose.yaml` file. You'll land in the editor automatically.
## Convert from a docker run command
If you have a `docker run` command handy (from a README, a forum post, or your shell history), Sencho can turn it into a ready-to-deploy `compose.yaml` without hand translation.
Open the **Create New Stack** dialog and switch to the **From Docker Run** tab.
### How to use it
1. Enter a **Stack Name**. Same rules as the Empty tab (lowercase, hyphens, unique).
2. Paste your full command into **Paste your docker run command**. The whole command should be on one logical line; line continuations with `\` are fine.
3. Click **Convert**. Sencho parses the command and shows the resulting compose YAML in a read-only preview below.
4. Review the YAML. If it looks right, click **Create Stack**. Sencho creates the stack directory and writes the converted YAML into `compose.yaml`.
5. The editor opens on the new stack. Click **Start** to deploy it.
### Supported flags
The converter handles the flags you reach for most often:
| Flag | Purpose |
|------|---------|
| `-d` / `--detach` | Detached mode (implied by compose) |
| `--name` | Container name |
| `-p` / `--publish` | Port mappings (`host:container`) |
| `-v` / `--volume` | Volumes and bind mounts |
| `-e` / `--env` | Environment variables |
| `--env-file` | Env file reference |
| `--restart` | Restart policy (`no`, `always`, `unless-stopped`, `on-failure`) |
| `--network` | Attach to a named network |
| `--label` | Container labels |
| `--user` | Run as a specific user |
| `--workdir` | Set the working directory |
| `--entrypoint` | Override the entrypoint |
| `--cap-add` / `--cap-drop` | Linux capabilities |
| `--privileged` | Privileged mode |
| `--read-only` | Read-only root filesystem |
| `--tmpfs` | Temporary filesystem mount |
The image tag is taken from the final positional argument (for example `nginx:alpine`). Any trailing command arguments are preserved as the service `command`.
### Troubleshooting
If the converter cannot produce a usable compose file, the request fails with a clear error toast. Common causes:
- **Not a docker run command.** The input must begin with `docker run` and include an image reference. Free-form text, `docker compose` commands, and shell pipelines are rejected.
- **Unrecognized flag.** The parser supports the flags listed above. Rare flags (such as `--userns`, `--ipc`, custom runtime options) may not be recognized. Remove the flag, convert the rest, and add it back by hand in the editor.
- **Quoting issues.** Multi-line commands with embedded quotes sometimes confuse the parser. Paste the command as a single line with escaped quotes, or simplify the command first.
- **Command is too long.** The endpoint accepts commands up to 8192 characters. Longer inputs are rejected; trim anything you do not need and convert in pieces.
When a flag is not supported, paste the output you do get into the **Empty** tab as a starting point and fill in the rest by editing `compose.yaml` directly.
## The stack list
All discovered stacks appear in the left sidebar. Each shows a color-coded status indicator:
| Indicator | Meaning |
|-----------|---------|
| `UP` (green) | All containers running |
| `DN` (red) | One or more containers exited |
| No indicator | No containers / status unknown |
Use the **search box** above the list to filter stacks by name.
## Deploying a stack
Select a stack and click **Start** (or **Deploy** from the context menu) in the stack header. This runs `docker compose up -d`, pulling images if needed and creating or recreating containers.
## Controlling a running stack
The stack header shows different actions depending on whether the stack is running or stopped.
**When running:**
| Button | Command | What it does |
|--------|---------|--------------|
| **Stop** | `docker compose stop` | Stops containers without removing them. State is preserved. |
| **Restart** | `docker compose restart` | Restarts all containers in the stack. |
| **Update** | `docker compose pull` + `up -d` | Pulls the latest image tags and recreates containers. |
| **Rollback** | Restores backup | Reverts compose and env files to the pre-deploy snapshot and redeploys. Only shown when a backup exists (Skipper+). |
| **Delete** | `down --volumes` + removes files | Stops and removes containers and volumes, then deletes the stack directory. |
**When stopped:**
| Button | Command | What it does |
|--------|---------|--------------|
| **Start** | `docker compose up -d` | Starts the stack. |
| **Update** | `docker compose pull` + `up -d` | Pulls the latest image tags and recreates containers. |
| **Delete** | Removes files | Deletes the stack directory. |
**Delete** is irreversible. It removes the stack directory, including `compose.yaml`, `.env`, and any bind-mounted files stored there. Back up important files before deleting.
Stack directories often contain root-owned files, either because Docker Compose creates them, or because the stacks were originally set up outside of Sencho with `sudo`. Sencho handles this automatically: if a normal deletion fails due to permissions, it uses Docker to clean up root-owned files. No manual intervention is needed in the standard setup.
## Stack context menu
Right-click any stack in the sidebar to open the context menu. The menu adapts to the stack's current state; only relevant actions are shown.
**Running stack:**
**Stopped stack:**
### Available actions
- **Alerts** - configure metric-based alerting rules for this stack
- **Labels** - assign organizational labels (Skipper+)
- **Check for updates** - manually trigger an image update check
- **Open App** - open the stack's web interface in a new tab (only shown when the stack is running and exposes a web port)
- **Deploy** - start the stack (shown when stopped)
- **Stop** - stop all containers (shown when running)
- **Restart** - restart all containers (shown when running)
- **Update** - pull latest images and recreate containers (shown when running)
- **Delete** - stop and remove the stack (admin only)
All actions are disabled while another operation is in progress on that stack.
## Scanning for stacks
If you place Docker Compose files directly into the stacks directory (for example, via `scp`, a file manager, or the command line), you can import them without going through the full "Create Stack" flow.
Click the **folder-search icon** next to the "Create Stack" button in the sidebar. Sencho scans the configured stacks directory and reports what it finds:
- **New stacks detected** - a success notification lists the newly discovered stack names, and they appear immediately in the sidebar
- **Stacks removed from disk** - an informational notification lists stacks that are no longer present in the directory
- **No changes** - a notification confirms no new stacks were found
Any subdirectory inside your `COMPOSE_DIR` that contains a `compose.yaml`, `compose.yml`, `docker-compose.yaml`, or `docker-compose.yml` file is recognized as a valid stack.