What is Docker Secret Operator (DSO)?

Docker Secret Operator (DSO) is an open-source, CNCF Sandbox project that provides zero-persistence, event-driven secret injection for Docker containers. It allows you to securely inject secrets at runtime without ever writing them to disk.

Is Docker Secret Operator free to use?

Yes, Docker Secret Operator is completely free and open source, licensed under the Apache License 2.0. It is available on GitHub at https://github.com/docker-secret-operator/dso.

How does DSO compare to HashiCorp Vault?

DSO is a lightweight, Docker-native alternative to HashiCorp Vault. While Vault requires complex infrastructure setup, DSO works directly with Docker using a simple CLI. It supports local encrypted vaults as well as cloud providers like AWS Secrets Manager and Azure Key Vault with zero-persistence secret injection.

Which cloud providers does Docker Secret Operator support?

Docker Secret Operator supports AWS Secrets Manager, Azure Key Vault, HashiCorp Vault, Huawei Cloud Secret Manager, and a local encrypted vault mode. All providers use the same CLI workflow.

How do I install Docker Secret Operator?

Install DSO with a single command: curl -fsSL https://dso.skycloudops.in/install.sh | sudo bash. Then run 'docker dso init' to initialize. Full documentation is available at https://dso.skycloudops.in/docs/guide/installation.

What is zero-persistence secret management?

Zero-persistence means secrets are injected directly into container memory at runtime and never written to disk, environment files, or Docker layers. This eliminates the risk of secrets being exposed through file system access, docker inspect, or image layer scanning.

Back to Docs

Local Mode Documentation Index

Complete reference for Docker Secret Operator in local development mode.

📚 Documentation Structure

Getting Started

New to DSO? Start here:

Quick Start (5 min) - Minimal setup to deploy your first service
Complete Local Mode Guide - Comprehensive guide with examples and troubleshooting

Real-World Examples

Learn by doing:

MySQL + phpMyAdmin Quick Start ⭐ START HERE
- Your real-world use case
- Step-by-step walkthrough
- Common tasks and troubleshooting
- ~5 minute deployment
MySQL + phpMyAdmin Full Example
- Complete, annotated docker-compose.yml
- Production-like configuration
- Best practices included
Minimal Example
- PostgreSQL + Python app
- Simplest possible setup
- Good for learning
Full-Featured Example
- PostgreSQL, API, Redis, pgAdmin
- Multiple secret injection patterns
- Advanced configuration
Local Mode Examples Guide
- How to run each example
- Rotation strategies explained
- Secret management reference

Reference Documentation

For specific information:

CLI Reference - Complete command reference
Configuration Reference - YAML schema and options
Quick Reference Card - One-page cheat sheet

Advanced Topics

Architecture Guide - How DSO works internally
Operational Guide - Day-2 operations
Security Model - Security analysis
Recovery Procedures - Failure recovery

🎯 By Use Case

I want to...

📋 Documentation Overview

Local Mode Guide (`LOCAL_MODE_GUIDE.md`)

Length: ~2000 words | Time to Read: 20 minutes | Scope: Comprehensive

Topics:

What is local mode
Installation (3 steps)
Quick start (5 minutes)
Real-world example: MySQL + phpMyAdmin
Secret management (set, list, get, delete, import)
Docker Compose configuration (labels, injection methods, rotation strategies)
Deployment & verification
Monitoring & debugging
Troubleshooting (9 common issues)
Best practices (8 guidelines)
Security model

Best for: Complete understanding, reference material

MySQL + phpMyAdmin Quick Start (`MYSQL_PHPMYADMIN_QUICKSTART.md`)

Length: ~1000 words | Time to Read: 5-10 minutes | Scope: Hands-on tutorial

Topics:

5-step deployment walkthrough
How to access services
Common tasks (backup, logs, connection)
Troubleshooting (4 common issues)
Command cheat sheet
Tips & tricks

Best for: Hands-on learning, quick reference

Complete Examples (`examples/LOCAL_MODE_EXAMPLES.md`)

Length: ~1500 words | Time to Read: 10 minutes | Scope: All examples explained

Topics:

How to run minimal example
How to run full-featured example
Secret injection methods explained
All DSO labels and meanings
Rotation strategies (rolling, restart, signal, none)
Secret management commands
Monitoring & debugging
Troubleshooting

Best for: Understanding different configurations, learning features

Quick Reference (`QUICKREF.md`)

Length: ~500 words | Time to Read: 2-3 minutes | Scope: Condensed reference

Topics:

Essential commands
Configuration examples
Docker Compose integration
File locations
Permissions

Best for: Quick lookup, one-page reference

Getting Started Guide (`getting-started.md`)

Length: ~1000 words | Time to Read: 10 minutes | Scope: All modes (local & cloud)

Topics:

Prerequisites
Installation
Mode selection
Local mode setup (step-by-step)
Cloud mode setup
Verification

Best for: Official getting started guide, all deployment modes

🔄 Common Workflows

Workflow 1: Initial Setup

1. Read: MySQL + phpMyAdmin Quick Start (5 min)
2. Follow: Steps 1-5 in MYSQL_PHPMYADMIN_QUICKSTART.md
3. Reference: QUICKREF.md for available commands
4. Done! ✅

Workflow 2: Deep Learning

1. Read: Local Mode Guide introduction
2. Follow: Real-world example walkthrough
3. Practice: Run example from examples/
4. Reference: CLI and configuration docs as needed
5. Done! ✅

Workflow 3: Troubleshooting

1. Run: docker dso doctor --level full
2. Check: Troubleshooting section in LOCAL_MODE_GUIDE.md
3. Search: MYSQL_PHPMYADMIN_QUICKSTART.md#troubleshooting
4. Read: Complete Local Mode Guide for detailed info
5. Done! ✅

Workflow 4: Docker Compose Setup

1. Read: Docker Compose Configuration section (LOCAL_MODE_GUIDE.md)
2. Reference: mysql-phpmyadmin-local.yml for example
3. Reference: local-mode-minimal.yml for minimal setup
4. Create: Your own docker-compose.yml
5. Follow: Deployment & Verification section
6. Done! ✅

📖 Quick Navigation

By Learning Style

Visual Learners

Start with examples: examples/
Use annotated compose files: mysql-phpmyadmin-local.yml
Follow step-by-step: MYSQL_PHPMYADMIN_QUICKSTART.md

Hands-On Learners

Follow quick start: MYSQL_PHPMYADMIN_QUICKSTART.md
Modify example configs: examples/
Experiment with commands: QUICKREF.md

Reference-Oriented Learners

Read complete guide: LOCAL_MODE_GUIDE.md
Check CLI reference: cli.md
Use quick reference: QUICKREF.md

Deep-Dive Learners

Read architecture: architecture.md
Study security: SECURITY.md
Review operations: operational-guide.md

🎓 Learning Paths

Path 1: 30-Minute Quick Start (Beginner)

Read MYSQL_PHPMYADMIN_QUICKSTART.md (5 min)
Follow steps 1-5 (10 min)
Explore services (10 min)
Practice updating a secret (5 min)
Done! ✅

Path 2: 1-Hour Comprehensive (Intermediate)

Read LOCAL_MODE_GUIDE.md introduction (10 min)
Follow quick start (5 min)
Read real-world example section (15 min)
Follow MySQL + phpMyAdmin example (20 min)
Practice troubleshooting (10 min)
Done! ✅

Path 3: 2-Hour Deep Dive (Advanced)

Read LOCAL_MODE_GUIDE.md completely (30 min)
Review all examples (20 min)
Follow MySQL + phpMyAdmin (15 min)
Test rotation strategies (20 min)
Troubleshoot intentionally (20 min)
Read security model (15 min)
Done! ✅

📌 Key Concepts

Secret Injection Methods

Method	Visibility	Best For	Documentation
`dso://`	Env vars	Simple secrets	LOCAL_MODE_GUIDE.md#environment-variable
`dsofile://`	Files	Sensitive data	LOCAL_MODE_GUIDE.md#file-injection

→ Learn more

Rotation Strategies

Strategy	Downtime	Best For	Documentation
`rolling`	Zero	Production services	LOCAL_MODE_GUIDE.md#rolling
`restart`	Brief	Stateless services	LOCAL_MODE_GUIDE.md#restart
`signal`	None	SIGHUP-aware apps	LOCAL_MODE_GUIDE.md#signal
`none`	N/A	Manual rotation	LOCAL_MODE_GUIDE.md#none

→ Learn more

Secret Management

docker dso secret set <name>        # Create/update
docker dso secret list [project]    # View all
docker dso secret get <name>        # Retrieve (local mode only)
docker dso secret delete <name>     # Remove
docker dso env import <file> <proj> # Bulk import

→ Learn more

✅ Verification Checklist

After following any guide, verify your setup:

# ✅ 1. DSO installed
docker dso version

# ✅ 2. Local vault exists
ls ~/.dso/vault.enc ~/.dso/master.key

# ✅ 3. Secrets are set
docker dso secret list

# ✅ 4. Services running
docker ps

# ✅ 5. Health check passing
docker dso doctor

# ✅ 6. Status OK
docker dso status

# ✅ All systems operational!

🔗 Related Documentation

For other deployment modes:

Cloud mode: Agent Mode in Getting Started
Providers: Providers Guide

For operations:

Day-2 operations: Operational Guide
Recovery: Recovery Procedures
Monitoring: Status Monitoring

For development:

Architecture: Architecture Guide
Security: Security Model
API: API Reference (if available)

🎯 Quick Links

Examples

Reference

📞 Getting Help

Something not working?

Quick check: docker dso doctor --level full
View logs: docker compose logs -f
Check secrets: docker dso secret list
Read troubleshooting:
- MySQL Quick Start Troubleshooting
- Local Mode Guide Troubleshooting

Still stuck?

Full documentation: LOCAL_MODE_GUIDE.md
Examples: LOCAL_MODE_EXAMPLES.md
GitHub Issues: https://github.com/docker-secret-operator/dso/issues
Discussions: https://github.com/docker-secret-operator/dso/discussions

📄 Document Versions

Document	Version	Updated	Status
LOCAL_MODE_GUIDE.md	1.0	May 2026	✅ Current
MYSQL_PHPMYADMIN_QUICKSTART.md	1.0	May 2026	✅ Current
LOCAL_MODE_EXAMPLES.md	1.0	May 2026	✅ Current
getting-started.md	3.5.17	May 2026	✅ Current
QUICKREF.md	Latest	May 2026	✅ Current

🚀 Next Steps

After Local Mode Works

Test rotation - Intentionally change a secret and watch zero-downtime swap
Add more services - Expand to full-stack application
Explore advanced features - Try different rotation strategies
Move to production - Switch to agent mode with cloud provider
Contribute - Help improve documentation or contribute to DSO

Ready to get started?

👉 Go to MySQL + phpMyAdmin Quick Start

Want to learn everything?

👉 Go to Complete Local Mode Guide

Need a quick reference?

👉 Go to Quick Reference Card

Version: 1.0
Last Updated: May 2026
Status: Production Ready ✅

Local Mode Documentation Index

📚 Documentation Structure

Getting Started

Real-World Examples

Reference Documentation

Advanced Topics

🎯 By Use Case

I want to...

Get started in 5 minutes ⭐

Understand how local mode works

Set up my own Docker Compose file

Manage my secrets

Test secret rotation

Troubleshoot issues

Learn all CLI commands

Move to production

📋 Documentation Overview

Local Mode Guide (LOCAL_MODE_GUIDE.md)

MySQL + phpMyAdmin Quick Start (MYSQL_PHPMYADMIN_QUICKSTART.md)

Complete Examples (examples/LOCAL_MODE_EXAMPLES.md)

Quick Reference (QUICKREF.md)

Getting Started Guide (getting-started.md)

🔄 Common Workflows

Workflow 1: Initial Setup

Workflow 2: Deep Learning

Workflow 3: Troubleshooting

Workflow 4: Docker Compose Setup

📖 Quick Navigation

By Learning Style

🎓 Learning Paths

Path 1: 30-Minute Quick Start (Beginner)

Path 2: 1-Hour Comprehensive (Intermediate)

Path 3: 2-Hour Deep Dive (Advanced)

📌 Key Concepts

Secret Injection Methods

Rotation Strategies

Secret Management

✅ Verification Checklist

🔗 Related Documentation

🎯 Quick Links

Most Popular

Examples

Reference

📞 Getting Help

📄 Document Versions

🚀 Next Steps

After Local Mode Works

Local Mode Guide (`LOCAL_MODE_GUIDE.md`)

MySQL + phpMyAdmin Quick Start (`MYSQL_PHPMYADMIN_QUICKSTART.md`)

Complete Examples (`examples/LOCAL_MODE_EXAMPLES.md`)

Quick Reference (`QUICKREF.md`)

Getting Started Guide (`getting-started.md`)