OTOBO Docker Update – Safely upgrading the version

Regularly upgrading your OTOBO installation ensures that you can immediately take advantage of new features, security patches, and bug fixes. This guide explains how to bring a Docker-based OTOBO instance to the desired release in just a few steps.

Prerequisites

An existing OTOBO installation with Docker & Docker Compose
SSH access to the host
Backup of your important data (Docker volumes for /opt/otobo, database, Elasticsearch index)
Desired target version, e.g., 11.0.10 or 10.1.8

Step 1: Update the Docker Compose configuration

Change to the directory of your OTOBO Docker project:
Terminal window
```
cd /opt/otobo-docker
```

Fetch new Git tags and switch to the desired release:

git fetch --tags
git checkout rel-11_0_10    # Example for version 11.0.10

If necessary, adjust your .env, e.g.:

OTOBO_IMAGE=rotheross/otobo:11.0.10
OTOBO_IMAGE_ELASTICSEARCH=elasticsearch:8.8.2
OTOBO_IMAGE_NGINX=nginx:1.23-alpine

Step 2: Pull new Docker images

docker-compose pull

Step 3: Stop and update containers

Stop old containers (volumes are preserved):
Terminal window
```
docker-compose down
```
Migrate the code volume to the new version:
Terminal window
```
docker-compose run --rm web copy_otobo_next
```
Start containers with the new software:
Terminal window
```
docker-compose up -d
```

Step 4: Perform OTOBO internal update

Execute update tasks:

docker-compose exec web entrypoint.sh do_update_tasks

Optional: Database migration script for major releases (e.g., 10.1→11.0):
Terminal window
```
docker exec -it otobo_web_1 perl scripts/DBUpdate-to-11.0.pl
```

Check the update log:

docker-compose exec web cat /opt/otobo/var/log/update.log

Step 5: Completion & Verification

Check status: docker-compose ps shows whether all containers are running
Test login: Ensure that agents and customers can log in
Quick test: Create a ticket, send emails, and check core functions

Available OTOBO versions

Major and minor releases (selection):

11.0.16 (Apr 2026): Security patch – fixes XSS (CVE-2025-59490) and updates Compress::Raw::Zlib against CVE-2026-3381 in Docker; email X-headers usable as a dynamic-field source.
11.0.15 (Feb 2026): Fixes for multi-value fields with empty values and CKEditor formatting; database-attribute correction.
11.0.14 (Dec 2025): Stability and bug fixes.
11.0.13 (Oct 2025): Maintenance release with bug fixes.
11.0.12 (Sep 2025): Maintenance release with bug fixes.
11.0.11: OTOBO now handles log rotation for otobo.log directly, simplifying external configuration.
11.0.10: Offers internal improvements and updated Docker tags for stable deployments.
11.0.9: Closes a critical security vulnerability (CVE-2025-43926) and optimizes the ticket search module.
11.0.8: Strengthened password hashing algorithms and improved two-factor authentication.
11.0.7: Various bug fixes, including corrections for checkbox display and article links.
11.0.6: Important security updates against JavaScript injection and switch to CKEditor 5.
11.0.5: Layout optimizations for CKEditor 5 and improved translation of services.
11.0.4: Extended translation system and optimized Docker quickstart scripts.
11.0.3: Fixes database errors during ticket merge and issues with dynamic fields.
11.0.2: Automatic loading of ITSM repos and better upgrade detection for core packages.
11.0.1: New dynamic field functions and a high-contrast skin for better accessibility.
11.0.0-beta3: Switch to HTML::Scrubber for safer Safety() behavior.
11.0.0-beta2: Refined dynamic reference fields and integration of new core packages.
10.1.8: Security fix for XSS in AdminCustomerUser and robust HTTP header validation.
10.1.7: Improved calendar display and more stable Elasticsearch handling.
10.1.6: Closes an SQL injection in TicketSearch and optimizes appointment notifications.
10.1.5: Prevents code injection in ACLs and updates important JavaScript libraries.
10.1.4: Corrects gaps in LDAP synchronization and improves bulk updates.
10.1.3: Prevents server-side calls in the admin interface and closes XSS gaps.
10.1.2: Bug fixes in the DynamicFieldDatabase module for consistent search.
10.1.1: Extended customer dashboard and improved Elasticsearch self-healing.

Note: For major version jumps (e.g., 10.1 → 11.0), always perform the minor upgrade (10.1) first, then the major upgrade (11.0).

Frequently asked questions

How do you update Docker-based OTOBO?

Pull the target release images, stop services cleanly, apply the upgrade steps for your compose setup, then start and verify.

Should you back up before an OTOBO upgrade?

Yes. Always back up the database and volumes before upgrading so you can roll back if needed.

Does this guide cover major and minor versions?

Yes. It explains how to move a Docker-based OTOBO installation to a new major or minor release.