Migrate snap to docker

Community Support
1

I’d like to migrate my version of rocketchat server from Snap to Docker.

Is there a procedure for doing this?

Thanks :wink:

RocketChat Server = v6.6.2
Snap = 2.61.2
Debian 11

2

Well, assuming you haven’t found one on the internet, and understanding that I only have limited experience of snap, and that there are many possible installation configurations, it’ll be the same as moving it to any other location, the basic steps are:

  1. Check for any external paths linked to the container, there shouldn’t be, but check.

  2. Backup Mongodb.

  3. Setup docker with a new compose file (you can get this from the git repo), and setup your own .env.

  4. docker compose up -d the new container with your selected .env values. Check it works. It’ll be like a new install but that’s ok.

  5. In docker mongodb and rocket are separate containers, stop the rocket one. Restore the mongodb database.

  6. If there were any external paths linked to your snap container, and you’ve correctly mapped them in your compose file, copy those into whatever paths you’re now using.

  7. Restart rocket.

And you should be good to go.

Hope that helps, its how I move rocket between docker containers, and I’ve done a few.

3

The mongo DB in snap and docker mongo have different names.

On snap it is called ‘parties’ IIRC

On mongo or a local DB it is ‘rocketchat’

Search for something like “snap database name” here.

4

Hi reetp

Thanks for respond.

We are having trouble with blank/clean/new docker container version 7.13.2. Containers run, initial wizard shows but it omits step 3 and doesn’t send activation email. There is possibility to change email and than it works, but after activation the GUI app crashes. There are no errors in Rocketchat app container.

Screenshot from 2026-06-22 13-18-11
Screenshot from 2026-06-22 13-18-11321×321 10.4 KB

We’ve tried the same with v8.5 and there was NOT such error, we were able to see workspace, but we could not restore the database.

5

Hi

I’ve got it, but the other way.

We had snap v.7.13.2 and tracking was on 8.x/stable but it didn’t want to upgrade. We had to change tracking to 7.x then update to newest v.7.x and then we changed tracking to v.8.x and it upgraded to 8.5.1.

We are still on snap and wondering if switch to docker. Now, after upgrade we have another problem with Jitsi. The app from marketplace didn’t work so I’ve tried to reinstall it but it is possible anymore (it says “read-only filesystem”). Still looking for solution.