# Install docker-gen with Homebrew Generate files from docker container metadata. Version 0.16.6 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-16. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:docker-gen ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install docker-gen ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:docker-gen - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 0.16.6 - **Source summary:** Generate files from docker container metadata - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-06-16T16:51:53Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-09T07:20:21+00:00 ## Executables - docker-gen (cli) - docker-gen (alias) ## Build dependencies - go ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-09 - Package-manager version: 0.16.6 - Package-manager updated: 2026-06-16 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/nginx-proxy/docker-gen - Upstream latest detected: 0.16.6 (current) ## Project history and usage docker-gen is a Docker metadata templating tool. It watches containers and renders Go templates into configuration files, commonly for reverse proxies, logging, log rotation, and service-discovery glue. ### Project history The upstream README defines docker-gen as a file generator that renders templates using Docker container metadata. It documents early Docker-era use cases such as nginx and haproxy reverse-proxy config generation, fluentd and logstash logging files, logrotate files, and service-discovery scripts. The tag history starts in May 2014 with 0.1.0 and continues into current nginx-proxy maintenance. The project evolved around the Docker event stream: it can render once, watch for container starts and stops, filter containers and events, send signals or restart commands after regeneration, and run either on the host, bundled inside another container, or as a separate companion container. ### Adoption history docker-gen is best known through the nginx-proxy ecosystem. The README names nginx-proxy/nginx-proxy as a trusted-build example of running docker-gen alongside nginx, and the current repository lives under the nginx-proxy organization. Its adoption followed a common Docker pattern: containers advertise intent through metadata or environment variables, and a sidecar regenerates host or proxy configuration. ### How it is used Users provide a Go text/template file and an optional destination path. docker-gen reads Docker metadata, renders the template, and can watch for container events to regenerate output and notify a service with a signal or command. It also supports config files with multiple template directives and Docker connection settings through flags or Docker environment variables. ### Why package nerds care docker-gen matters because it captures a pre-orchestrator, Docker-native automation style: dynamic infrastructure from container metadata before Compose, Kubernetes ingress controllers, and service meshes became common. Package nerds care because it is tiny, scriptable, and still explains a lot of nginx-proxy-era container deployment patterns. ### Timeline - 2014: 0.1.0 is tagged, placing docker-gen in the early Docker ecosystem. - 2015: 0.4.x and 0.5.x tags show continued rapid early releases. - 2016: 0.7.x tags continue the Docker sidecar/template workflow. - 2020s: the project is maintained under the nginx-proxy organization. - 2026: 0.16.x tags show ongoing maintenance. ### Related projects - Related projects include nginx-proxy/nginx-proxy, nginxproxy/docker-gen container images, nginx, haproxy, fluentd, logrotate, Docker Engine, Go text/template, sprig, and earlier Docker service-discovery helpers such as docker-register. ### Sources - - - - ## Security Notes infrastructure mutation or orchestration signal. - **Geiger risk:** orange / medium - infrastructure mutation or orchestration signal ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** docker-gen - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Related links - [Cloud CLI packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/cloud-clis/) - Belongs to a cloud or infrastructure command family. - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [Secret-risk packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/secret-risk-packages/) - Has protected-tool coverage, approval-gate, or non-low Geiger security signals. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [go](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/go/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [dockcheck](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/dockcheck/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: automation, cli, containers, developer-tools, docker. - [cdebug](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cdebug/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, containers, developer-tools, docker. - [cekit](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cekit/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, containers, developer-tools, docker. - [devcontainer](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/devcontainer/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, containers, developer-tools, docker. - [docker](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/docker/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, containers, developer-tools, docker. - [docker-buildx](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/docker-buildx/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, containers, developer-tools, docker. - [docker-clean](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/docker-clean/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, containers, developer-tools, docker. - [docker-compose](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/docker-compose/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, containers, developer-tools, docker. - [docker-debug](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/docker-debug/) - Package names and metadata indicate a similar tool family. Shared terms: cli, container, containers, developer, developer-tools. - [docker-credential-helper](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/docker-credential-helper/) - Package names and metadata indicate a similar tool family. Shared terms: cli, containers, developer, developer-tools, docker. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/docker-gen.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/docker-gen.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - cross-ecosystem install command graph