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fix(inputs.docker): Allow Telegraf to start when Docker daemon is unavailable #18181

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@skartikey skartikey commented Jan 5, 2026 •
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Summary

  • Implements the startup-error-behavior framework (TSD-006) for handling Docker daemon
    unavailability
  • Uses Ping to check Docker connectivity during Start()
  • Returns StartupError with Retry flag based on whether the error is a connection failure
  • Allows users to configure behavior via startup_error_behavior option:
    • error (default): Fail startup if Docker is unavailable
    • retry: Keep retrying connection on each gather cycle
    • ignore: Remove plugin from processing if connection fails
    • probe: Probe plugin availability before deciding

This gives users control over how Telegraf handles Docker daemon unavailability at startup, rather than silently continuing with deferred initialization.

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Related issues

resolves #18089

@telegraf-tiger telegraf-tiger bot added area/docker fix pr to fix corresponding bug plugin/input 1. Request for new input plugins 2. Issues/PRs that are related to input plugins labels Jan 5, 2026
@skartikey skartikey self-assigned this Jan 5, 2026
@skartikey skartikey changed the title fix(inputs.docker): Allow Telegraf to start when Docker daemon is una… fix(inputs.docker): Allow Telegraf to start when Docker daemon is unavailable Jan 5, 2026
@skartikey
fix(inputs.docker): Allow Telegraf to start when Docker daemon is una…
ec111c6 
…vailable

This fixes a regression introduced in v1.36.3 where Telegraf would fail to start if the Docker/Podman socket was unavailable. The Start() method now logs a warning instead of returning a fatal error, and the client connection is retried lazily on each Gather() cycle.
@skartikey skartikey force-pushed the inputs_docker_socket_missing branch from 7c2a47a to ec111c6 Compare January 5, 2026 19:17
@skartikey skartikey assigned srebhan and mstrandboge and unassigned skartikey Jan 8, 2026
srebhan
srebhan reviewed Jan 12, 2026
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Thanks @skartikey for the PR! However, I think this should be implemented using the
startup-error-behavior framework, i.e. returning a StartupError with a flag denoting that the error is retryable and let the user decide what to do. See this example on how to implement it.

Please only return a retryable error if it is retryable, e.g. using a Ping and check if IsErrConnectionFailed!

@skartikey
fix(inputs.docker): use startup-error-behavior framework for connecti…
065bc90 
…on failures

Implement the startup-error-behavior framework (TSD-006) to handle
Docker daemon unavailability during startup.

This allows users to configure retry behavior via the
startup_error_behavior option (error, retry, ignore, probe) instead of
silently logging warnings and deferring connection to the first Gather.
@skartikey skartikey force-pushed the inputs_docker_socket_missing branch from f24d56a to 065bc90 Compare January 22, 2026 21:46
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skartikey commented Jan 22, 2026

@srebhan Implemented the startup-error-behavior framework (TSD-006) to handle Docker daemon unavailability. Please take a look.

srebhan
srebhan reviewed Jan 23, 2026
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Thanks @skartikey! Some more comments...

@skartikey skartikey force-pushed the inputs_docker_socket_missing branch from 402ca62 to dffca5d Compare January 23, 2026 19:16
srebhan
srebhan reviewed Jan 27, 2026
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Thanks @skartikey! Some more minor comments...

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telegraf-tiger bot commented Jan 27, 2026

Download PR build artifacts for linux_amd64.tar.gz, darwin_arm64.tar.gz, and windows_amd64.zip.
Downloads for additional architectures and packages are available below.

☺️ This pull request doesn't significantly change the Telegraf binary size (less than 1%)

📦 Click here to get additional PR build artifacts

Artifact URLs

. DEB . RPM . TAR . GZ . ZIP
amd64.deb aarch64.rpm darwin_amd64.tar.gz windows_amd64.zip
arm64.deb armel.rpm darwin_arm64.tar.gz windows_arm64.zip
armel.deb armv6hl.rpm freebsd_amd64.tar.gz windows_i386.zip
armhf.deb i386.rpm freebsd_armv7.tar.gz
i386.deb ppc64le.rpm freebsd_i386.tar.gz
mips.deb riscv64.rpm linux_amd64.tar.gz
mipsel.deb s390x.rpm linux_arm64.tar.gz
ppc64el.deb x86_64.rpm linux_armel.tar.gz
riscv64.deb linux_armhf.tar.gz
s390x.deb linux_i386.tar.gz
linux_mips.tar.gz
linux_mipsel.tar.gz
linux_ppc64le.tar.gz
linux_riscv64.tar.gz
linux_s390x.tar.gz

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@mstrandboge mstrandboge

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Telegraf 1.36.3-1 fails to start when Docker/podman socket is missing (regression from 1.36.2-1)

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@skartikey @srebhan @mstrandboge