PR 426 Allow to set user and password using environment variables at runtime doesnt work

[rchekhina]

HI,

The PR louislam#426 doesnt work. If you set the env variables USER and PASSWORD the user is not created.

Can you investigate it please?

Best regards.

[cmcooper1980]

I have found this to be true also, I actually removed this PR (and a few others) and rebased the image of louislam's new 1.5.0 release...just haven't updated this github yet. tag is dockge:1.5.0-rebase which when I update the github will be the latest.

[rchekhina]

HI,

Do you have some news about this PR please ?

Best regards.

[cmcooper1980]

This particular PR technically goes against @louislam 's style but that is the nice thing about forks, you can do whatever (just may never be merged back to official)

Looking into it further, PR louislam#426 does not make the server read USER/PASSWORD variables on startup.
It only adds a non-interactive path to the reset-password script. You still need to run that script (once) inside the running container, then restart the app. The PR description even shows the exact two commands to use. Basically you have to run docker exec command into the container but you can't do that if the container isn't running already

That said, the way around this would be to add a command: directive to the compose that will read the USER and PASSWORD variables and run it when the container is spun up. Downside is anytime the container is spun up whatever variable is set will be overwrite that user and password. So that would be an issue if you change the password in the GUI and forget unless you remember to remove the variables.

other method would be to create a start script and add it to the Dockerfile and build a new image that does the same thing and creates some type of marker file so as to run only once if that marker file is detected ensuring it only runs once (until that file is removed). This however also isn't secure due to the password now being in the compose or env file...so then docker secrets would need to be used to try and keep things more secure.

[cmcooper1980]

...just to mess around with the idea, I created a local branch with concepts of PR# 426 merged and tested (not extensively) and seems to work...

I will probably not push the build image to the registry...but if you want I can push the branch to my git and from there you can clone the repo and build/run it yourself

[rchekhina]

HI, Ok thanks can you push the branch and tell me how to create the docker image please ? Best regards.

…

On Thu, Oct 16, 2025 at 1:31 AM cmcooper1980 ***@***.***> wrote: ...just to mess around with the idea, I created a local branch with concepts of PR# 426 merged and tested (*not extensively*) and seems to work... I will probably not push the build image to the registry...but if you want I can push the branch to my git and from there you can clone the repo and build/run it yourself — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#14 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ASWWRPHY5YHLQEDD72ZGTQT3X3KOPAVCNFSM6AAAAAB2GUM5EGVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43URDJONRXK43TNFXW4Q3PNVWWK3TUHMYTINRZGIZTQMA> . You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

-- Reynald CHEKHINA *SA, Square1* *e: ***@***.*** ***@***.***>* Company Registration Number: 528714 VAT number IE3178050PH

[cmcooper1980]

The branch feature/credentials-at-runtime has been pushed.

You would create the image like any other except checkout the branch first (git clone, git checkout branch, docker build)

[rchekhina]

HI,

I have created the docker image and test it like following:

docker compose up -d
docker exec -e USER=admin -e PASSWORD=XXXXXX -it dockge npm run reset-password
docker compose restart

it works and I dont need to put the env variable on the docker-compose.yml or .env file.

Can you merge it please ?

Best regards.

[cmcooper1980]

I don't know what you mean.

The branch should allow 3 ways to initially setup the admin account

1. enter the values for environmental variables in the .env file
2. comment out the USER and PASSWORD variables in the .env file (so as they are skipped). Create the account via the WebUI as original dockge repo intended
3. comment out the USER and PASSWORD variables in the .env file (so as they are skipped). Run the docker exec command to create the account and restart the container. (also used to reset password)

Which of these 3 are you having issues with, maybe it isn't the behavior you're expecting?

[rchekhina]

HI,

I mean that i execute the docker command so I dont need to have the env variables.

docker exec -e USER=admin -e PASSWORD=XXXXXX -it dockge npm run reset-password

Best regards.

[cmcooper1980]

OK great, then you just delete/omit/comment out the variables in the compose/.env file as noted in the 3rd option I mentioned previously

[rchekhina]

HI, yes sure. will you merge this branch and generate new docker image version ? Best regards.

…

On Tue, Oct 21, 2025 at 10:23 AM cmcooper1980 ***@***.***> wrote: OK great, then you just delete/omit/comment out the variables in the compose/.env file as noted in the 3rd option I mentioned previously — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#14 (reply in thread)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/ASWWRPGI6C2IIRAAPDDID6L3YXUQZAVCNFSM6AAAAAB2GUM5EGVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43URDJONRXK43TNFXW4Q3PNVWWK3TUHMYTINZTG43DGMY> . You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

-- Reynald CHEKHINA *SA, Square1* *e: ***@***.*** ***@***.***>* Company Registration Number: 528714 VAT number IE3178050PH

[cmcooper1980]

no this will stay as an experimental/feature branch as not to cause issues with the upstream official repo since I had to change the Dockerfile to introduce new variables.