Skip to main content

Updates & Upgrades FAQ

Common questions about keeping your self-hosted Hawkra deployment up to date.

How do I update my self-hosted deployment?​

Updating Hawkra is a two-command process. From your installation directory:

cd /opt/hawkra
docker compose pull
docker compose up -d

This pulls the latest container images and restarts all services. Your database, configuration, and uploaded files are stored in Docker volumes and persist across updates with zero data loss.

tip

It is recommended to perform updates during a maintenance window, as services will briefly restart during the process.

Are database migrations automatic?​

Yes. The backend automatically detects and runs any pending database migrations on startup. There is no manual intervention required. When you pull a new image and restart the backend service, any schema changes included in that release are applied before the application begins accepting requests.

Will updates break my configuration?​

No. Your .env file, Docker volumes, and all persistent data are fully preserved across updates. Specifically:

  • Configuration (.env file) is mounted from the host and never overwritten by container updates.
  • Database data is stored in a named Docker volume that persists independently of the container.
  • Uploaded files (reports, attachments, license files) are stored in a separate volume.
  • Redis data persists in its own volume.

The only scenario that could require manual .env changes is if a new release introduces a new required environment variable, which will be noted in the release changelog.

How do I check my current version?​

Check the backend startup logs to see the running version:

docker compose logs backend | head -20

The version number is printed during the startup sequence. You can also check which image tag is currently running:

docker compose images

How often are updates released?​

Hawkra follows a rolling release cycle. Updates are published as new container images and include:

  • Bug fixes and stability improvements
  • Security patches
  • New features and enhancements
  • Performance optimizations

There is no fixed release schedule. Critical security patches are released as soon as they are ready.

Can I pin to a specific version?​

Yes. By default, the docker-compose.yml uses the latest tag, which always pulls the most recent release. To pin to a specific version, replace latest with the desired version tag in your compose file:

services:
  backend:
    image: ghcr.io/reconhawk/hawkra-backend-prod:v1.2.3
  frontend:
    image: ghcr.io/reconhawk/hawkra-frontend-prod:v1.2.3
caution

Pinning to a specific version means you will not receive security patches automatically. Make sure to monitor for new releases and update manually when security fixes are published.