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DockFlare: Manage Cloudflare Tunnel Routes with Docker Labels

DockFlare maps Docker labels and UI rules to Cloudflare Tunnel routes, DNS, and Access policies, reducing repetitive setup while requiring a controller, API credentials, and Docker integration.
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DockFlare lets Docker labels describe how a container should be published through Cloudflare Tunnel, then applies the matching tunnel ingress, DNS, and Access configuration through Cloudflare’s API. It reduces repeated dashboard work as services change, while adding another service to operate—with Cloudflare credentials and a controlled Docker integration.

What DockFlare does

DockFlare is a self-hosted controller for Docker services published through Cloudflare Tunnel. It watches Docker container events, reads labels on containers you mark for management, and makes the corresponding changes to tunnel ingress, DNS, and Cloudflare Access. The documented workflow is described in How DockFlare Works.

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Rather than configuring each container route entirely by hand in Cloudflare’s dashboard, you can keep its hostname and destination alongside the service’s Docker configuration. DockFlare also has a web UI for manual rules and policy management, so the arrangement is not labels-only.

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Define a route with Docker labels

A basic route needs three pieces: an enable flag, a public hostname, and the internal address DockFlare should route to. For example:

services:
  my-app:
    image: example/my-app
    labels:
      dockflare.enable: "true"
      dockflare.hostname: "app.example.com"
      dockflare.service: "http://my-app:80"

Here, app.example.com is the public hostname, while http://my-app:80 is the destination reachable from the Docker network. Replace both with values that fit your domain, service name, port, and network. The current label names and options are documented in the Container Labels Reference.

Optional route and Access settings

Labels can also configure details such as a URL path, a zone override, origin TLS verification behavior, or a Host header. Access-related labels can select public bypass or authentication behavior and configure identity providers or session duration. These settings affect who can reach an application and how requests are handled, so check the label reference rather than assuming a default is appropriate for every service.

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More than one route from a container

Indexed labels such as dockflare.0.hostname and dockflare.1.hostname let a single container define multiple routes. Use the index consistently for the related settings belonging to each route, and consult the reference for the full indexed-label syntax.

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What happens when a service changes

DockFlare reacts to Docker container events and reconciles managed configuration through Cloudflare’s API. When a managed container stops or is removed, its documented cleanup process removes corresponding tunnel ingress and associated DNS and Access resources if no other service still uses that hostname. The workflow documentation describes a configurable grace period before cleanup, so removal should not be assumed to happen immediately in every configuration.

The web UI can edit a label-created route. While a UI override is in place, UI changes take precedence over the container labels; reverting the override returns control to the labels. This is useful for an exception, but it also means the effective route may not match the Compose file until the override is reverted. See Using the Web UI.

What you need before setting it up

  • A Cloudflare account and a domain on Cloudflare.
  • An internet-connected server or VM where cloudflared can run.
  • A Docker host for DockFlare and the containers you want to manage.
  • Cloudflare API credentials with permissions for the operations you plan to perform.

Cloudflare’s Tunnel setup guide, updated September 30, 2026, lists an account, a Cloudflare-managed domain, and an internet-connected host as prerequisites for publishing applications. It advises checking connectivity to port 7844 if the host is behind a restrictive firewall. Its API setup lists Cloudflare Tunnel edit and DNS edit permissions; treat these as the guide’s setup requirements, not a universal minimum token recipe for every DockFlare deployment.

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DockFlare deployment and Docker access

The current Docker Compose quick start uses a socket proxy between DockFlare and Docker, along with supporting services including Redis. Its guide walks through a web setup wizard to set a UI password, enter Cloudflare account credentials, and configure an initial tunnel. It says direct mounting of /var/run/docker.sock is no longer supported in this deployment; follow the current Compose guide rather than copying older raw-socket examples. The guide also specifies permissions for the mounted data directory and explains host UID/GID behavior.

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Use the UI for exceptions and broader policy

Labels are well suited to repeatable container configuration. The UI covers cases where labels are not the right fit: it supports rules for services outside Docker, edits to label-created rules, reusable Access groups, wildcard zone policies, tunnel status, and backup and restore.

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DockFlare’s UI documentation recommends zone defaults as a safety net against accidentally unprotected subdomains. That is a recommendation, not a guarantee that a particular deployment is secure. The same documentation warns that disabling password login can expose the API to other containers on the same Docker network. Follow the current setup guidance and consider which containers can reach that network before changing authentication settings.

Do you need to buy hardware?

No, not if you already have a suitable Docker host or VM. DockFlare is software, not a hardware appliance. A small server or mini PC is one possible host for someone without suitable hardware, but it is not a DockFlare-specific requirement. The separate Cloudflare Tunnel requirement is an internet-connected host capable of running cloudflared.

Existing installations and label-prefix changes

DockFlare’s release notes say the default label prefix changed from cloudflare.tunnel. to dockflare., and that existing Compose files using the older prefix continue to work. Use dockflare. for new examples and check the release history for current migration guidance, since project versions and compatibility details can change.

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When DockFlare is a good fit

DockFlare is a practical fit if you already run Docker services behind Cloudflare Tunnel and want routes to follow container configuration, with the UI available for manual services and exceptions. Before adopting it, weigh that convenience against operating an additional controller, handling Cloudflare API credentials, and providing Docker integration through the current socket-proxy setup.

If comparing it with dashboard-only configuration or another ingress manager, check where desired state lives (labels, UI, or both), how routes and related DNS and Access policies are created and cleaned up, whether non-Docker and multi-host services are supported, how credentials and Docker access are handled, and what backup and recovery options exist. Those are evaluation criteria; support varies by product and deployment.

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