PlayOn

Docker on nodes

Why Docker matters for containerized games, how PlayOn installs it on Linux, and what to do on Windows.

Docker (Engine on Linux, Desktop on Windows) lets PlayOn run many game skills in isolated containers — Minecraft/Paper and most catalog skills with containerSupport: full.

Docker is a node capability, not a PlayOn prerequisite. SteamCMD / native skills work without it. Home (the control plane) does not need a Docker socket unless that same machine also hosts containerized games (Local) or you use one-click Ollama via Docker.

When you need it

WorkloadDocker?
Minecraft / Paper and most container skillsYes, on the node that runs the server
SteamCMD / native process skillsNo
One-click Install Ollama in SettingsYes, on the Home host
Control-plane-only Home (games on other nodes)No on Home

Automatic (preferred)

  • Add node (SSH or one-liner) and Home service install (PLAYON_SERVICE=1) install Docker Engine when it is missing, enable the daemon, add the playon user to the docker group, and set PLAYON_RUNTIME=docker.
  • Opt out: PLAYON_INSTALL_DOCKER=0.

If a node is already online without Docker

Settings → Nodes → on that row, Install Docker:

  1. Install via SSH — enter SSH credentials (same as Add node); PlayOn runs the ensure-docker helper on that machine.
  2. Copy one-liner instead — paste into a root shell on the node; short-lived token installs Engine and restarts the node-agent so the next heartbeat reports Docker.

Manual (any Linux box)

curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh
sudo systemctl enable --now docker
sudo usermod -aG docker "$USER"   # or the playon service user
docker ps

Then restart the PlayOn node-agent (or Home) so it picks up the socket and reports docker: true.

Windows

Silent install is not supported. Install Docker Desktop, ensure the engine named pipe is available, then restart the node-agent / Home and confirm Settings → Nodes shows Docker.