sencho/docs/features/stack-management.mdx

---
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.

<Frame>
  <img src="/images/stack-management/create-stack-dialog.png" alt="Create New Stack dialog" />
</Frame>

## 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.

## 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.

<Frame>
  <img src="/images/editor/editor-overview.png" alt="Stack editor with control buttons" />
</Frame>

## 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. |

<Warning>
  **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.
</Warning>

<Note>
  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.
</Note>

## 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:**

<Frame>
  <img src="/images/stack-management/context-menu-running.png" alt="Context menu for a running stack" />
</Frame>

**Stopped stack:**

<Frame>
  <img src="/images/stack-management/context-menu-stopped.png" alt="Context menu for a stopped stack" />
</Frame>

### 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:

<Frame>
  <img src="/images/stack-scanning/scan-button-sidebar.png" alt="Scan stacks folder button in the sidebar" />
</Frame>

- **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

<Tip>
  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.
</Tip>