# Building Discourse image from discourse/discourse - how to install plugins

**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/building-discourse-image-from-discourse-discourse-how-to-install-plugins/394969
**Category:** Self-hosting
**Tags:** docker, install, hosting
**Created:** [February 2, 2026, 6:10pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/building-discourse-image-from-discourse-discourse-how-to-install-plugins/394969 "2026-02-02T18:10:55Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 4

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### Author: ![pfaffman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/pfaffman/32/120154_2.png) [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)
#### Post date: [February 3, 2026, 6:12pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/building-discourse-image-from-discourse-discourse-how-to-install-plugins/394969/4 "2026-02-03T18:12:41Z")

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> [@stevejr](#):
>
> Looking at the existing `launcher` script and the `samples/web_only.yml` I believe I can comment out the `volumes` and `links` sections as this would be done in Kubernetes with a Persistent Volume and mount.

Maybe, but the container needs to talk to some database to build the container, usually. It doesn’t need to be the actual database (but then you need to migrate the database and precompile assets in your pipeline).

> [@stevejr](#):
>
> For the Discourse version, we can monitor when a new release is available in Docker Hub and then amend the `base_image` value in the `web.template.yml` file.

You may be conflating the issue of Discourse upgrades vs updates of the resources in the base container.

If you’re ok with the bleeding edge, there’s this: [Is Docker image discourse/discourse considered safe and production-ready? - #14 by JackNZ](https://meta.discourse.org/t/is-docker-image-discourse-discourse-considered-safe-and-production-ready/380646/14)

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