Key facts
- Docker runs on a managed VPS, not on the shared £1 a day plan
- Docker Engine and Docker Compose installed and kept updated
- Reverse proxy in front of containers with free SSL certificates
- Only ports 80 and 443 open to the internet; container ports kept private
- Backups of named volumes and database dumps, not just the server image
- Cloudflare DNS set up and managed by us
- Quoted to the size of your stack
Why Docker isn't on our standard plan
Our standard plan runs many customers' sites on shared Plesk servers, each isolated under its own system user. Running containers there would mean giving each customer far more access to the server than is safe for everyone else. So, to be clear: Docker workloads go on their own managed VPS, and that's quoted.
Worth knowing before you go down this road: plenty of apps people containerise don't need Docker to run. A Laravel, Symfony or WordPress site runs perfectly well on the standard plan without it. If Docker is only there because it was convenient for local development, ask us and we'll tell you if the £1 a day + VAT plan would do.
What a managed Docker VPS includes
- The server: a VPS sized to your containers, with operating system security updates applied.
- Docker Engine and Compose: installed from Docker's own repositories and kept up to date.
- Reverse proxy: routing your domains to the right containers, with free SSL certificates issued and renewed automatically.
- Firewall: only web traffic and locked-down SSH open. We pay attention to the classic mistake of Docker publishing a database port straight to the internet.
- Backups: named volumes and database dumps backed up on a schedule, so a restore gives you data, not just an empty container.
- Cloudflare: DNS managed for you, with the proxy hiding the server's address.
- Monitoring: we're alerted if the server or key containers go down.
What people run on it
- Self-hosted tools such as Uptime Kuma, n8n, Metabase or Plausible-style analytics
- Apps built as several services: a web front end, an API, a worker and a database
- Node.js and Python apps that need always-on workers or WebSockets
- Staging environments that mirror a client's production setup
- AI tools and LLM front ends, see LLM app hosting
Who does what
On a managed Docker VPS we look after the host: the operating system, Docker itself, the firewall, the proxy, SSL, DNS and backups. You, or your developer, look after what's inside the containers: your images, your application updates and your docker-compose.yml. If you don't have a developer, we can take that on too as part of a custom software hosting arrangement. We agree the split in writing so nobody assumes the other person is patching something.
Getting a quote
Send us your docker-compose.yml, or a list of the containers you run, roughly how much data they hold and how busy they are. We'll recommend a server size and send a fixed monthly quote. Email info@dijitul.uk or call 01623 650333. For bigger setups, see dedicated servers and cloud hosting.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I host Docker containers in the UK?
dijitul hosts Docker containers on managed UK VPS servers with Docker Engine, Docker Compose, a reverse proxy with free SSL, a firewall, Cloudflare DNS and volume backups. We look after the server and Docker; you look after your images. It's quoted to the size of your stack.
Can I run Docker on shared hosting?
Usually not. Running containers needs a level of access to the server that isn't safe on shared hosting, so most shared hosts don't allow it. Docker needs a VPS or dedicated server. dijitul provides managed Docker VPS hosting on a quoted basis.
Do I need Docker to host my web app?
Often not. Many apps use Docker for local development but run fine on normal hosting in production. PHP apps such as Laravel, Symfony and WordPress run on dijitul's standard £1 a day + VAT plan without Docker. Ask us before paying for a VPS you may not need.
Why is my Docker database port open to the internet?
Docker adds its own firewall rules when you publish a port, which can bypass a host firewall such as UFW. A published database port can then be reached from anywhere. Bind it to 127.0.0.1 or don't publish it at all. dijitul checks this on every managed Docker VPS.
Do you back up Docker volumes?
Yes. On a managed Docker VPS, dijitul backs up named volumes and takes database dumps on a schedule, because a server snapshot alone may capture a database mid-write. Restores bring back your data, not just empty containers.
Related
Tell us what you need to run
We spec it, build it, host it and look after it. Clear quote, no jargon.