Install Prometheus Podman Exporter On Ubuntu/Debian

Dec 3, 2025 by Alex Johnson 52 views

Installing Prometheus Podman Exporter on Ubuntu/Debian: A Comprehensive Guide

Are you looking to monitor your Podman containers on Ubuntu or Debian using Prometheus? You've come to the right place! While the current exporter documentation might not explicitly cover these distributions, fear not! This comprehensive guide will walk you through the installation process, covering both building from source and using packages. We'll explore the step-by-step instructions to get Prometheus Podman Exporter up and running on your Ubuntu or Debian system, ensuring you can effectively monitor your containers. This guide addresses the need for clear instructions for these widely used distributions, making the setup process smooth and efficient. By following this guide, you'll be able to leverage the power of Prometheus to gain valuable insights into your containerized environment.

Why Ubuntu and Debian?

Ubuntu and Debian are leading Linux distributions, renowned for their stability, extensive package repositories, and widespread community support. This makes them popular choices for both development and production environments. Many users rely on these distributions for their container deployments, highlighting the importance of providing clear installation instructions for Prometheus Podman Exporter. The absence of explicit instructions for Ubuntu and Debian in the official documentation can be a hurdle for users familiar with these systems. Therefore, this guide aims to bridge that gap by providing detailed steps for installing the exporter using both build-from-source and package-based approaches. By catering to these popular distributions, we ensure that a wider audience can benefit from the powerful monitoring capabilities of Prometheus Podman Exporter.

Understanding the Need for a Detailed Guide

The current documentation for Prometheus Podman Exporter might not explicitly mention Ubuntu and Debian, which can be confusing for users of these distributions. While the general principles of installation might apply across different Linux systems, subtle differences in package management and system configurations can lead to complications. This guide addresses the specific needs of Ubuntu and Debian users, providing clear instructions tailored to these distributions. By offering a step-by-step approach, we aim to minimize potential issues and ensure a smooth installation experience. Whether you prefer building from source for maximum customization or using pre-built packages for ease of installation, this guide has you covered. We will delve into the specifics of each method, providing the necessary commands and configurations to get you up and running quickly.

Prerequisites

Before we dive into the installation process, let's ensure you have the necessary prerequisites in place. This will help avoid any roadblocks along the way. These are the key requirements to consider:

A running Ubuntu or Debian system: This guide is tailored for these distributions, so make sure you have one of them installed.
Podman installed and configured: Prometheus Podman Exporter monitors Podman containers, so you'll need Podman set up and running.
Go (for building from source): If you plan to build the exporter from source, you'll need the Go programming language installed.
Prometheus (optional): While not strictly required for the exporter itself, you'll likely want Prometheus to collect and visualize the metrics.
Basic Linux command-line knowledge: Familiarity with the command line will be helpful for navigating the installation process.

Having these prerequisites in place will ensure a smoother installation experience. Let's move on to the installation methods.

Method 1: Building from Source

Building from source offers the greatest flexibility and control over the installation process. This method allows you to customize the exporter to your specific needs and ensure you're running the latest version. However, it also requires some familiarity with the Go programming language and the command line. This section will walk you through the steps of building Prometheus Podman Exporter from source on Ubuntu and Debian.

Step 1: Install Go

If you don't already have Go installed, you'll need to install it first. This is a crucial step as Go is the programming language in which Prometheus Podman Exporter is written. On Ubuntu and Debian, you can typically install Go using the package manager. Open your terminal and run the following commands:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install golang

These commands will update the package list and install the Go compiler and related tools. After the installation is complete, verify that Go is installed correctly by running:

go version

This should display the installed Go version. If you encounter any issues during the installation, refer to the official Go documentation for troubleshooting steps. With Go installed, you're ready to move on to the next step.

Step 2: Download the Source Code

Next, you'll need to download the source code for Prometheus Podman Exporter. The recommended way to do this is by using git, a version control system. If you don't have git installed, you can install it using the package manager:

sudo apt install git

Once git is installed, clone the Prometheus Podman Exporter repository from GitHub:

git clone https://github.com/containers/prometheus-podman-exporter.git
cd prometheus-podman-exporter

This will download the source code to a directory named prometheus-podman-exporter. Navigate into this directory using the cd command. Now you have the source code on your system and can proceed to the next step.

Step 3: Build the Exporter

With the source code downloaded, you can now build the exporter. This involves compiling the Go code into an executable binary. Use the following command to build the exporter:

make build

This command will use the make utility to build the exporter. If the build is successful, you'll find an executable file named prometheus-podman-exporter in the current directory. This is the compiled exporter that you'll run to collect metrics from Podman. If you encounter any build errors, double-check that you have Go installed correctly and that all dependencies are in place. Building from source provides you with the most up-to-date version of the exporter, ensuring you have access to the latest features and bug fixes.

Step 4: Run the Exporter

Now that you've built the exporter, you can run it. Before running the exporter, it's helpful to understand the available command-line options. You can display these options by running:

./prometheus-podman-exporter --help

This will show you a list of available flags, such as the port to listen on and the Podman socket to connect to. A common way to run the exporter is with the following command:

./prometheus-podman-exporter --podman.socket=/run/podman/podman.sock

This will start the exporter and make it listen for HTTP requests on the default port (9434). The --podman.socket flag specifies the path to the Podman socket, which the exporter uses to communicate with the Podman daemon. You may need to adjust this path depending on your Podman configuration. Once the exporter is running, it will start collecting metrics from your Podman containers. You can now configure Prometheus to scrape these metrics.

Method 2: Using Packages

Using packages provides a simpler and often quicker way to install Prometheus Podman Exporter. This method leverages the package management system of your distribution (Ubuntu or Debian) to install the exporter and manage its dependencies. While it might not offer the same level of customization as building from source, it's a convenient option for most users. This section will guide you through the process of installing the exporter using packages.

Step 1: Download the Package

Unfortunately, there are no official pre-built packages for Prometheus Podman Exporter for Ubuntu or Debian. This means you'll likely need to either build your own package or use a third-party repository. Building your own package is beyond the scope of this guide, but we'll explore the option of using a third-party repository in the future. For now, you can use the build from source method described above, or look for community-maintained packages. Keep an eye on the Prometheus Podman Exporter project for updates on official package availability.

Step 2: Install the Package

Since there are no official packages, this step is not directly applicable at this time. However, if you were to have a package file (e.g., a .deb file for Debian/Ubuntu), you would typically install it using the dpkg command:

sudo dpkg -i <package_file.deb>
sudo apt-get install -f # Fix any dependency issues

These commands would install the package and resolve any dependency issues. Keep an eye out for future updates on package availability.

Step 3: Configure and Run the Exporter

Similar to the package installation, this step is also not directly applicable without a package. However, if you had installed the exporter using a package, you would typically configure it using configuration files (e.g., in /etc/prometheus-podman-exporter/) and start the service using systemctl:

sudo systemctl start prometheus-podman-exporter
sudo systemctl enable prometheus-podman-exporter # Start on boot

These commands would start the exporter service and configure it to start automatically on boot. We'll update this guide as packages become available.

Configuring Prometheus to Scrape Metrics

Once you have the Prometheus Podman Exporter running, you need to configure Prometheus to scrape the metrics it exposes. This involves adding a new job to your Prometheus configuration file (prometheus.yml). This section will guide you through the process of configuring Prometheus to collect metrics from your exporter instance.

Step 1: Edit the Prometheus Configuration File

Open your Prometheus configuration file (prometheus.yml) in a text editor. The location of this file depends on your Prometheus installation, but it's often located in /etc/prometheus/ or /usr/local/etc/prometheus/. You'll need to have appropriate permissions to edit this file. Use a text editor with sudo privileges:

sudo nano /etc/prometheus/prometheus.yml

This command will open the configuration file in the nano text editor. Adjust the path if your configuration file is located elsewhere.

Step 2: Add a New Job

In the scrape_configs section of your prometheus.yml file, add a new job to scrape metrics from the Prometheus Podman Exporter. A typical job configuration looks like this:

scrape_configs:
  - job_name: 'podman'
    static_configs:
      - targets: ['localhost:9434']

Let's break down this configuration:

job_name: This is a descriptive name for the job. Choose a name that reflects the purpose of the job, such as podman.
static_configs: This section defines the targets to scrape. In this case, we're using static_configs because we have a fixed target.
targets: This is a list of targets to scrape. In this example, we're scraping localhost:9434, which is the default address and port where Prometheus Podman Exporter listens. If you're running the exporter on a different host or port, adjust this accordingly.

Add this job configuration to your prometheus.yml file. You can add it alongside any existing jobs. Save the file after making the changes.

Step 3: Reload Prometheus

After modifying the Prometheus configuration file, you need to reload Prometheus for the changes to take effect. This can be done by sending a SIGHUP signal to the Prometheus process. You can find the Prometheus process ID using ps or pgrep:

pgrep prometheus

This will print the process ID of the Prometheus process. Then, send the SIGHUP signal:

sudo kill -SIGHUP <prometheus_pid>

Replace <prometheus_pid> with the actual process ID. Alternatively, you can often reload Prometheus using systemctl:

sudo systemctl reload prometheus

This command will reload the Prometheus service. After reloading Prometheus, it will start scraping metrics from the Prometheus Podman Exporter. You can verify this by checking the Prometheus web interface.

Verifying Metrics in Prometheus

After configuring Prometheus to scrape metrics from the exporter, it's essential to verify that the metrics are being collected correctly. This section will guide you through the process of checking the Prometheus web interface to confirm that the metrics are available.

Step 1: Access the Prometheus Web Interface

Open your web browser and navigate to the Prometheus web interface. The default address is usually http://localhost:9090. If you're running Prometheus on a different host or port, adjust the address accordingly. The Prometheus web interface provides a powerful way to query and visualize metrics.

Step 2: Query for Metrics

In the Prometheus web interface, you'll find a query input field. This is where you can enter PromQL queries to select and filter metrics. To check if Prometheus is collecting metrics from the Podman exporter, try querying for a metric exposed by the exporter, such as podman_containers_running:

podman_containers_running

Enter this query into the input field and press the