Install with Docker¶

Updated 3 November 2026

The official image panelica/pnlcs-runtime carries PHP-FPM 8.4, nginx and supervisor. On its first start it installs the newest stable release of PNLCS: a signed package, verified before it is unpacked, with its PHP dependencies and frontend already built.

Start it¶

You need a database next to it. This starts MariaDB and PNLCS on a private Docker network:

docker network create pnlcs-net

docker run -d --name pnlcs-db --network pnlcs-net \
  -v pnlcs_db:/var/lib/mysql \
  -e MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=choose-a-root-password \
  -e MYSQL_DATABASE=pnlcs -e MYSQL_USER=pnlcs -e MYSQL_PASSWORD=choose-a-password \
  mariadb:11

docker run -d --name pnlcs --network pnlcs-net -p 8090:80 \
  -v pnlcs_app:/var/www/pnlcs \
  -e DB_HOST=pnlcs-db -e DB_DATABASE=pnlcs \
  -e DB_USERNAME=pnlcs -e DB_PASSWORD=choose-a-password \
  -e APP_URL=http://localhost:8090 \
  panelica/pnlcs-runtime:1.5

The two named volumes keep your data when a container is replaced: pnlcs_db holds the database, pnlcs_app the application with its .env and uploaded files (ticket attachments, logos). Invoice PDFs are not stored: PNLCS renders each one when it is opened.

The first start takes about a minute. Then open http://localhost:8090/install and follow the install wizard. It checks the requirements, creates the administrator with the username and password you choose, and closes itself for good when it is done.

The container runs the scheduler (invoices, reminders, suspensions, backups) every minute and keeps a queue worker running, both under supervisor: there is no cron line to add.

In production¶

• Put it behind a reverse proxy that terminates HTTPS, and set APP_URL to the public https:// address.
• Keep the database on a volume, and back it up (Backups).
• The image's own page lists every environment variable and production notes: hub.docker.com/r/panelica/pnlcs-runtime.

Environment¶

Update¶

docker exec pnlcs /usr/local/bin/update.sh

See Updating. A container restarted in the middle of an update rolls it back before it serves a page.

The image, which update.sh does not touch¶

update.sh updates PNLCS, not the container it runs in. Fixes to nginx, PHP, the Alpine packages or the entrypoint live in the image, and they arrive only when you pull the tag again and recreate the container:

docker pull panelica/pnlcs-runtime:1.5
docker stop pnlcs && docker rm pnlcs
docker run -d --name pnlcs ... panelica/pnlcs-runtime:1.5   # the same run command as before

Your installation, database and uploads are in the volumes, so they stay. The 1.5 tag is rebuilt in place when the base image or a package it carries is updated — the tag does not change, so there is nothing for the panel to announce; pulling it again is how you get the newer build. Each rebuild also gets a dated tag (1.5-20261103) if you want to pin one.

To see whether your container is on the newest build of its tag:

docker inspect --format '{{.Image}}' pnlcs                             # what the container runs
docker image inspect panelica/pnlcs-runtime:1.5 --format '{{.Id}}'     # what the tag points at now

Different ids mean a newer build is waiting; pull and recreate as above.

Installed with Panelica: in Docker Manager, open the container's Update Image action and press Pull & Update — it pulls the tag and recreates the container with the same settings and volumes.

From image 1.4 or older: those images reset the code to the development branch on every update. Recreate the container on 1.5 with the same volumes; your installation, data and changes stay as they are:

docker pull panelica/pnlcs-runtime:1.5
docker stop pnlcs && docker rm pnlcs
docker run -d --name pnlcs ... panelica/pnlcs-runtime:1.5   # the same run command as before

Installed with Panelica: in Panelica's Docker Manager, click Update to 1.5 on the PNLCS container, or choose Update Image and enter panelica/pnlcs-runtime:1.5. Panelica pulls the image and recreates the container with the same volumes.