WGDashboard/docker

WGDashboard Docker Explanation:

Author: @DaanSelen

This document delves into how the WGDashboard Docker container has been built.
Of course there are two stages (simply said), one before run-time and one at/after run-time.
The Dockerfile describes how the container image is made, and the entrypoint.sh is executed after running the container.
In this example, WireGuard is integrated into the container itself, so it should be a run-and-go(/out-of-the-box).
For more details on the source-code specific to this Docker image, refer to the source files, they have lots of comments.

To get the container running you either pull the image from the repository, (docker.io)donaldzou/wgdashboard:latest.
From there either use the environment variables describe below as parameters or use the Docker Compose file: compose.yaml.
Be careful, the default generated WireGuard configuration file uses port 51820/udp. So use this port if you want to use it out of the box.
Otherwise edit the configuration file in /etc/wireguard/wg0.conf.

WGDashboard: 🐳 Docker Deployment Guide

To run the container, you can either pull the image from Docker Hub or build it yourself. The image is available at:

docker.io/donaldzou/wgdashboard:latest

docker.io is in most cases automatically resolved by the Docker application.

🔧 Quick Docker Run Command

Here's an example to get it up and running quickly:

docker run -d \
  --name wgdashboard \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  -p 10086:10086/tcp \
  -p 51820:51820/udp \
  --cap-add NET_ADMIN \
  donaldzou/wgdashboard:latest

⚠️ The default WireGuard port is 51820/udp. If you change this, update the /etc/wireguard/wg0.conf accordingly.

---

📦 Docker Compose Alternative

You can also use Docker Compose for easier configuration:

services:
  wgdashboard:
    image: donaldzou/wgdashboard:latest
    restart: unless-stopped
    container_name: wgdashboard
    environment:
      # - tz=Europe/Amsterdam
      # - global_dns=1.1.1.1
      # - public_ip=YOUR_PUBLIC_IP
    ports:
      - 10086:10086/tcp
      - 51820:51820/udp
    volumes:
      - conf:/etc/wireguard
      - data:/data
    cap_add:
      - NET_ADMIN

volumes:
  conf:
  data:

📁 You can customize the volume paths on the host to fit your needs. The example above uses Docker volumes.

---

🔄 Updating the Container

Updating WGDashboard is currently in alpha stage. While the update process may work, it's still under testing.

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⚙️ Environment Variables

Variable	Accepted Values	Default	Example	Description
tz	Timezone	Europe/Amsterdam	America/New_York	Sets the container's timezone. Useful for accurate logs and scheduling.
global_dns	IPv4 and IPv6 addresses	9.9.9.9	8.8.8.8, 1.1.1.1	Default DNS for WireGuard clients.
public_ip	Public IP address	Retrieved automatically	253.162.134.73	Used to generate accurate client configs. Needed if container is NAT’d.
wgd_port	Any port that is allowed for the process	10086	443	This port is used to set the WGDashboard web port.

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🔐 Port Forwarding Note

When using multiple WireGuard interfaces, remember to open their respective ports on the host.

Examples:

# Individual mapping
- 51821:51821/udp

# Or port range
- 51820-51830:51820-51830/udp

🚨 Security Tip: Only expose ports you actually use.

---

🛠️ Building the Image Yourself

To build from source:

git clone https://github.com/donaldzou/WGDashboard.git
cd WGDashboard
docker build . -f docker/Dockerfile -t yourname/wgdashboard:latest

Example output:

docker images

REPOSITORY           TAG       IMAGE ID       CREATED             SIZE
yourname/wgdashboard latest    c96fd96ee3b3   42 minutes ago      314MB

---

🧱 Dockerfile Overview

Here's a brief overview of the Dockerfile stages used in the image build:

1. Build Tools & Go Compilation

FROM golang:1.24 AS compiler
WORKDIR /go

RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y ...
RUN git clone ... && make
...

2. Binary Copy to Scratch

FROM scratch AS bins
COPY --from=compiler /go/amneziawg-go/amneziawg-go /amneziawg-go
...

3. Final Alpine Container Setup

FROM alpine:latest
COPY --from=bins ...
RUN apk update && apk add --no-cache ...
COPY ./src ${WGDASH}/src
COPY ./docker/entrypoint.sh /entrypoint.sh
...
EXPOSE 10086
ENTRYPOINT ["/bin/bash", "/entrypoint.sh"]

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🚀 Entrypoint Overview

Major Functions:

• ensure_installation: Sets up the app, database, and Python environment.
• set_envvars: Writes wg-dashboard.ini and applies environment variables.
• start_core: Starts the main WGDashboard service.
• ensure_blocking: Tails the error log to keep the container process alive.

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✅ Final Notes

• Use docker logs wgdashboard for troubleshooting.
• Access the web interface via http://your-ip:10086 (or whichever port you specified in the compose).
• The first time run will auto-generate WireGuard keys and configs (configs are generated from the template).

Closing remarks:

For feedback please submit an issue to the repository. Or message dselen@nerthus.nl.