You can update ArchiveBox in Docker without losing archives by keeping the existing collection mounted at /data, stopping every service that can write to it, backing up the complete collection and relevant configuration, and following the upgrade instructions for the exact versions you are crossing. Do not run docker compose down -v during an upgrade: it can remove volumes your installation depends on.
Before you update: identify the installation and its data mount
Run commands from the directory containing the active Compose file. Before changing anything, record the current image and tag, Compose service names, host directory or named volume mounted at /data, ports, environment overrides, and any separate scheduler, Sonic, or persona-related services.
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ArchiveBox stores its collection in persistent storage mounted into the container. The official Compose example uses ./data:/data, but your installation may use a different host path or a named volume. Preserve the existing mapping; copying a sample Compose file over your own or changing the mapping can make the new container appear empty without deleting the old collection. See the ArchiveBox Docker guidance and official Compose example.
- Write down the exact current and target ArchiveBox versions and image tags.
- Identify every service that can access or write to the collection, including schedulers and any separate services used by the installation.
- Note whether you use bind mounts, named volumes, custom paths, browser personas, or legacy search settings.
- Keep the current Compose file and environment configuration so you can compare them with the updated files.
Check the release instructions for every version jump
ArchiveBox upgrades are not one universal sequence. Review the release notes for the target version and for any versions skipped between your current and target releases. The upgrade guide describes the general collection upgrade, while release-specific notes can require additional migration commands.
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For example, the cited 0.9.x migration instructions call for archivebox init followed by archivebox update --migrate-only. That is a version-specific instruction, not a command pair to apply automatically to every update. Check the notes that match your actual transition before running migrations. ArchiveBox’s release guidance warns: “A database-only backup isn’t enough.” See the ArchiveBox releases.
Back up the stopped collection before changing the image
- Stop the ArchiveBox stack and any scheduler or separate service that might write to the collection. Do not copy live data while jobs are running.
- Make a full copy of the collection directory or back up the complete named volume. Include the database and archived files.
- Back up the Compose file, environment configuration, and browser personas or other deployment-specific data where applicable.
- Keep the backup separate from the collection being upgraded, and do not remove it until the upgraded installation passes verification.
The current Docker deployment guidance recommends backing up the entire collection while ArchiveBox is stopped. The precise backup command depends on whether your data is a host bind mount or a named volume; verify the actual mount before choosing a copy method.
Update a Compose installation
Retain your established /data mapping, ports, and intentional overrides when updating the Compose configuration. Choose an image tag appropriate to the target release rather than copying a tag from an unrelated example. ArchiveBox’s current deployment examples target archivebox/archivebox:dev; its documentation says latest follows stable and may lag features, and notes that published versions, commit tags, or digests can be used to pin a deployment. Do not switch a stable installation to dev unless that is the intended upgrade.
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- With the stack stopped and backup secured, update the image and any Compose changes required by the applicable release notes.
- Pull and start using the workflow documented for your deployment. The current older-deployment guidance shows:
docker compose pulldocker compose up -d --wait --remove-orphans - Run any collection migration commands required by the release notes, using the service name in your Compose file.
- Do not use
docker compose down -v. If a release procedure calls for bringing the stack down, follow it without the volume-removal flag.
The commands above reflect the current deployment guidance; they are not a substitute for a release-specific migration sequence. For the cited 0.9.x transition, ArchiveBox documents this separate sequence after adjusting Compose:
docker compose run archivebox initdocker compose run archivebox update --migrate-onlydocker compose down --remove-orphansdocker compose up -d
Use that sequence only when it applies to your version transition and your Compose service is named archivebox. The release notes say migration can take minutes to hours depending on database size; that is a broad duration range, not a prediction for a particular collection. Check the applicable release notes before proceeding.
Update a plain Docker installation
For plain Docker, stop the existing container, pull the intended image, and use the same host collection directory mounted at /data. The ArchiveBox upgrade guidance includes running archivebox init against the collection before starting the updated container; check the target release notes for additional migration steps. Do not substitute a new host path for the existing mount, or the new container may show an empty collection. See the upgrade guide and Docker guidance.
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Handle legacy Sonic settings only if your deployment uses them
This is a migration-specific check, not a general requirement for every Docker installation. The current Docker deployment guidance directs older installations to stop their scheduler and Sonic services, remove legacy SEARCH_BACKEND_HOST_NAME=sonic or SEARCH_BACKEND_SONIC_HOST_NAME=sonic settings from the environment and saved configuration, and retain a backup of the old Sonic index. If needed, rebuild the current index with update --index-only. Follow the current deployment instructions for your setup: ArchiveBox Docker deployment guidance.
Verify the upgrade before removing the backup
Once the updated stack is running, check its health and confirm it is using the intended version and the original collection. In Compose, the documented checks include:
docker compose exec archivebox archivebox version— confirm the running version.docker compose exec archivebox archivebox schedule --show— inspect schedules, especially if you need to recreate a legacy schedule.- Check
archivebox statusfor orphaned or corrupted snapshots, following the applicable upgrade guidance. - Log in, open a known older snapshot, and create a new test capture.
- Confirm that the application is healthy and that expected services and schedules are present without creating duplicates.
Keep the pre-upgrade backup until these checks are satisfactory. If the collection appears empty, stop and check the container’s /data mount against the path or volume recorded before the update; do not initialize what may be a new, empty location.
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Troubleshooting common upgrade problems
The updated container shows no archives
The most likely configuration issue is a changed or missing /data mount. Stop the stack, compare the active Compose mount with the one recorded before the upgrade, and restore the original mapping. Do not delete the old data or run initialization against an unintended empty directory.
Compose says a service or command is missing
Your Compose service may not be named archivebox, or the release-specific command may differ. Check the service names in your active Compose file and use the instructions for the exact version transition; do not assume example commands fit every deployment.
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Migration takes longer than expected
The 0.9.x release notes describe database migration as taking minutes to hours depending on database size. Avoid interrupting a migration simply because it is not immediate. Check the relevant release instructions and container logs for signs of progress or an error before deciding what to do.
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The collection or snapshots report errors
Check the status output and logs, verify the target release’s migration steps were completed, and preserve the pre-upgrade backup while diagnosing the issue. Do not attempt a rollback by pointing an older image at a collection that has already been migrated unless the release guidance says that is safe.
Legacy search or schedules no longer work
If the installation used Sonic, check for the legacy environment settings and follow the deployment guidance for the search-index transition. Inspect schedules with archivebox schedule --show and recreate only the schedules that are actually missing.
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