# Netdata

Monitoring agent that collects metrics from hosts, containers and applications.

- Replaces: [Datadog](https://openlogs.fyi/alternatives/datadog)
- Summary: Paid infrastructure monitoring services, such as Datadog.
- Stack: Go (language)
- Deployment: docker_compose
- License: GPL-3.0 (osi) [source](https://github.com/netdata/netdata/blob/77a391af6feda65eba3d87136c7ca37dab34872f/LICENSE)
- Business model: unknown. The README at the pinned commit does not state a business model, so it stays unknown. ([source](https://github.com/netdata/netdata/blob/77a391af6feda65eba3d87136c7ca37dab34872f/README.md), read 2026-10-22)
- Difficulty: medium. 1 service, 13 volume mounts, no env values to set, host access: cap_add, docker_socket, host_network, host_pid. Heuristic score 4 of 11: medium.
- Requirements: not stated
- Repository: [netdata/netdata](https://github.com/netdata/netdata)

## Install

1. Docker with the Compose plugin ([source](https://github.com/netdata/netdata/blob/77a391af6feda65eba3d87136c7ca37dab34872f/packaging/docker/README.md#L98-L131))

   ```text
   A host with Docker and the Docker Compose plugin. This entry runs from a compose file.
   ```

2. Save the code block as docker-compose.yml ([source](https://github.com/netdata/netdata/blob/77a391af6feda65eba3d87136c7ca37dab34872f/packaging/docker/README.md))

   ```yaml
   version: '3'
   services:
     netdata:
       image: netdata/netdata
       container_name: netdata
       pid: host
       network_mode: host
       restart: unless-stopped
       cap_add:
         - SYS_PTRACE
         - SYS_ADMIN
       security_opt:
         - apparmor:unconfined
       volumes:
         - netdataconfig:/etc/netdata
         - netdatalib:/var/lib/netdata
         - netdatacache:/var/cache/netdata
         - /:/host/root:ro,rslave
         - /etc/passwd:/host/etc/passwd:ro
         - /etc/group:/host/etc/group:ro
         - /etc/localtime:/etc/localtime:ro
         - /proc:/host/proc:ro
         - /sys:/host/sys:ro
         - /etc/os-release:/host/etc/os-release:ro
         - /var/log:/host/var/log:ro
         - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro
         - /run/dbus:/run/dbus:ro
   
   volumes:
     netdataconfig:
     netdatalib:
     netdatacache:
   ```

3. What the compose file check ran with ([source](https://github.com/netdata/netdata/blob/77a391af6feda65eba3d87136c7ca37dab34872f/packaging/docker/README.md#L98-L131))

   ```text
   This compose file is copied unchanged from the code block in https://github.com/netdata/netdata/blob/77a391af6feda65eba3d87136c7ca37dab34872f/packaging/docker/README.md#L98-L131. The check ran on that block alone. The Docker guide of the project tells the reader to create a docker-compose.yml with this content.
   ```

4. Start it ([source](https://github.com/netdata/netdata/blob/77a391af6feda65eba3d87136c7ca37dab34872f/packaging/docker/README.md))

   ```bash
   docker compose up -d
   ```

5. Open the app ([source](https://github.com/netdata/netdata/blob/77a391af6feda65eba3d87136c7ca37dab34872f/packaging/docker/README.md))

   ```text
   Open http://localhost:19999. The netdata service uses the host network, so the compose file publishes no port; the docs name port 19999.
   ```

Compose file check: config_ok on 2026-10-22.

## Gotchas and maintenance

### Gotchas

- Some images use the latest tag or no tag: Images without a pinned version: netdata: netdata/netdata (no tag). A later pull can get a different version. ([source](https://github.com/netdata/netdata/blob/77a391af6feda65eba3d87136c7ca37dab34872f/packaging/docker/README.md), checked 2026-10-22)
- The compose file mounts host folders: Host paths mounted into containers: / at /host/root (netdata), /etc/passwd at /host/etc/passwd (netdata), /etc/group at /host/etc/group (netdata), /etc/localtime at /etc/localtime (netdata), /proc at /host/proc (netdata), /sys at /host/sys (netdata), /etc/os-release at /host/etc/os-release (netdata), /var/log at /host/var/log (netdata) and 1 more. ([source](https://github.com/netdata/netdata/blob/77a391af6feda65eba3d87136c7ca37dab34872f/packaging/docker/README.md), checked 2026-10-22)
- Some services get elevated host access: netdata uses the host network, netdata shares the host process list, netdata adds Linux capabilities, netdata mounts the Docker socket, which gives it control of Docker on the host. ([source](https://github.com/netdata/netdata/blob/77a391af6feda65eba3d87136c7ca37dab34872f/packaging/docker/README.md), checked 2026-10-22)

### Signals

Computed from a GitHub snapshot taken 2026-10-22.

- Open issues and pull requests: 459
- Stars: 81088, forks: 6687
- Last push: 2026-10-22 (0 days ago)
- Latest release: v2.12.1 on 2026-10-08 (14 days ago)

## Sources

- [Repository: https://github.com/netdata/netdata](https://github.com/netdata/netdata)
- [License: https://github.com/netdata/netdata/blob/77a391af6feda65eba3d87136c7ca37dab34872f/LICENSE](https://github.com/netdata/netdata/blob/77a391af6feda65eba3d87136c7ca37dab34872f/LICENSE)
- [Business model: https://github.com/netdata/netdata/blob/77a391af6feda65eba3d87136c7ca37dab34872f/README.md](https://github.com/netdata/netdata/blob/77a391af6feda65eba3d87136c7ca37dab34872f/README.md)
- [Compose file: https://github.com/netdata/netdata/blob/77a391af6feda65eba3d87136c7ca37dab34872f/packaging/docker/README.md](https://github.com/netdata/netdata/blob/77a391af6feda65eba3d87136c7ca37dab34872f/packaging/docker/README.md)
- [Install step: https://github.com/netdata/netdata/blob/77a391af6feda65eba3d87136c7ca37dab34872f/packaging/docker/README.md#L98-L131](https://github.com/netdata/netdata/blob/77a391af6feda65eba3d87136c7ca37dab34872f/packaging/docker/README.md#L98-L131)

---
Canonical: https://openlogs.fyi/tools/netdata  
Last updated: 2026-10-22