docker-mailserver/docs/content/advanced/maintenance/update-and-cleanup.md

# Automatic update

Docker images are handy but it can get a a hassle to keep them updated. Also when a repository is automated you want to get these images when they get out.

One could setup a complex action/hook-based workflow using probes, but there is a nice, easy to use docker image that solves this issue and could prove useful: [watchtower](https://hub.docker.com/r/containrrr/watchtower).

A docker-compose example:
```yaml
services:
  watchtower:
    restart: always
    image: containrrr/watchtower:latest
    volumes:
      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
```

For more details see the [manual](https://containrrr.github.io/watchtower/)


***


# Automatic cleanup

When you are pulling new images in automaticly it is nice to have them cleaned as well. There is also a docker images for this (from Spotify). The image is: [spotify/docker-gc](https://hub.docker.com/r/spotify/docker-gc/).

A docker-compose example:
```yaml
services:
  docker-gc:
    restart: always
    image: spotify/docker-gc:latest
    volumes:
      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
```

For more details see the [manual](https://github.com/spotify/docker-gc/blob/master/README.md)

Or you can just use the "--cleanup" option on v2tec/watchtower. :-)