Upgrade GitKraken Self-Hosted Server (Docker & Client Instructions)

Last updated: June 2025

The upgrade procedure is the same whether you’re running GitKraken Self-Hosted on CentOS, Ubuntu, or RHEL7.

Upgrade Self-Hosted Server

1. Navigate to the folder where GitKraken Self-Hosted is installed (the folder with docker-compose.yml).

2. Take down the current instance:

   sudo docker-compose down

3. Back up the docker-compose.yml file.

4. Extract GitKrakenEnterpriseServer.zip in the same folder. This will overwrite docker-compose.yml.

5. Compare the new and old docker-compose.yml for differences, such as:

   • Port configurations
   • Volume mount paths
   • Environment variable updates

6. If you are not using docker-compose (e.g., Nomad setup), adjust image names/tags in your swarm manager accordingly.

7. Load Docker images:

   sudo sh loadImages.sh

8. Restart the server from the same directory:

   sudo docker-compose up

Note: Always run docker-compose up from the original directory. On CentOS or RHEL7, you may need full paths:

sudo systemctl start docker.service
sudo /usr/local/bin/docker-compose up

Upgrade Self-Hosted Clients

1. Open your docker-compose.yml file.

2. Find the gk-enterprise-controller service. Under volumes, identify the client volume:

   - ./gk-data/release:/controller/release

3. This line splits into:

   • Host path: ./gk-data/release
   • Container path: /controller/release

4. Navigate to the release folder on the host machine. Extract release.zip and overwrite existing content.

5. After extracting, your folder should look like:

   ./gk-data/
     └── release/
         ├── linux/
         ├── darwin/
         ├── win32/
         └── win64/

6. GitKraken Self-Hosted users will now receive the latest client.

Update License

To update your GitKraken Self-Hosted license:

1. Copy the new license.dat file to the server.
2. Open the License tab on your Enterprise site.
3. Browse to and select the new license file.

Reset the Super User Password

1. Stop GitKraken Self-Hosted:

   sudo docker-compose down

2. Add the environment variable SUPER_USER_RESET: 1 under gk-services in docker-compose.yml:

   environment:
    SUPER_USER_RESET: 1

3. Start the instance:

   sudo docker-compose up

4. Visit /reset/super-user in your browser to set a new password.

5. Confirm login works, then shut down the server:

   sudo docker-compose down

6. Remove the SUPER_USER_RESET variable from docker-compose.yml.

7. Restart GitKraken Self-Hosted:

   sudo docker-compose up