Help! My Docker Container Exited with Code 1, What Did I Do Wrong?

July 22, 2025 4 answers
Asked by CuriousCoder99
I'm diving into Docker for the first time and trying to set up my first container. After creating it in Portainer, I hit a snag when it shows "exited - code 1" on startup. I've checked a few guides and everything seems in order, but I'm stuck. The logs display the following errors: > [email protected] start > cd backend && node server.js Error: Postgres details not defined JWT Secret cannot be undefined. I usually work with LXC Containers but decided to give Docker a shot since I've heard a lot about its advantages. Can anyone help me understand what might be going wrong?

Answers

DockerNinja88
This doesn't seem to be a Docker-specific issue. It sounds like you may not have fully grasped the setup details from the documentation. Make sure to read through it again to ensure youโ€™ve included all configuration values required for your application.
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DevDude42
It looks like you might have missed some configuration values when setting up your container. Double-check the settings related to your application, as it seems you didn't provide the necessary details for Postgres and JWT Secret. That could be what's causing the error youโ€™re seeing.
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DockerExplorer73
I recommend getting comfortable with the Docker CLI before relying heavily on Portainer. Docker operates differently from LXC, focusing on ephemeral containers, so remember to map your volumes for persistence or you'll lose your data when recreating containers. Check out Techworld with Nana's videos for a solid starting point.
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TechSavvySam
Did you notice the error messages in the logs? They indicate that your application needs a Postgres database, but you might have overlooked including the connection details. Verify that you've set everything up correctly.
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