Self-hosted auto-update
Enable browser-based updates for a self-hosted Nowledge Mem Docker server
Self-hosted Docker servers can check for new Nowledge Mem releases from the web app. Installing those releases from the browser is opt-in, because it changes the server itself.
This is for the official nmemctl Docker deployment
In-app auto-update requires the official community/docker layout and its nmemctl helper. If you installed Mem through a NAS app store, a NAS Container Manager template, Portainer, Unraid, or your own custom compose file, the app may still show that a new version exists, but it cannot safely rewrite that deployment for you. Update from the same place you installed it, or use your own Docker image pull/recreate flow.
If your Settings page says auto-update is not configured, SSH to the server once and run:
cd community/docker
./nmemctl auto-update enableThat command creates a per-deploy updater token, starts a small companion updater container, and lets the web app download and install future Mem images. If community/docker or ./nmemctl is not present on your server, you are not on this update path.
Use this only on a server you administer
The updater companion container needs access to Docker so it can replace the Mem container. That is why browser installs are disabled until you explicitly enable them on the server host.
What changes in the app
After official auto-update is enabled:
- The title bar shows an update badge when a newer server image is available.
- Settings shows the current server version, the latest available version, and a link to the release notes.
- Download pulls the image in the background without taking Mem offline.
- Install takes a pre-upgrade snapshot, recreates the container, and reconnects the page when the server is back.
Every install keeps the last three pre-upgrade snapshots in ./cache. If the new image fails to boot, Settings shows the snapshot path so you can restore it from the server:
./nmemctl import <snapshot-path> --forceUseful commands
./nmemctl auto-update status
./nmemctl auto-update rotate
./nmemctl auto-update upgrade
./nmemctl auto-update disablestatusshows whether auto-update is enabled and which snapshots are retained.rotatereplaces the updater token.upgradeupdates the companion updater container itself.disableremoves the updater container but keeps existing snapshots.
Remote installs
Checking for updates is always safe and available from the web UI. Download and Install are server-side operations, so they are protected by the server's remote-operations setting.
./nmemctl auto-update enable configures this for the normal web-upgrade flow. If you turned it off later, enable Remote server upgrades from Settings when you are on a trusted private network, or run upgrades from SSH:
./nmemctl upgrade <version>More detail
For the full Docker deployment guide, including backup, memory sizing, TLS, and migration, see Docker Deployment.