# Autodiscover and modules

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/autodiscover-and-modules/141697>\
**Category:** Beats\
**Created:** [July 26, 2018, 6:20am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/autodiscover-and-modules/141697 "2018-07-26T06:20:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Zane\_Storha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/bc8723/32.png) [@Zane\_Storha](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Zane_Storha)\
**Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 6:20am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/autodiscover-and-modules/141697/1 "2018-07-26T06:20:17Z")

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What is the main difference between using only docker module and autodiscover ?  
What's the main idea of autodiscover? With both I can detect stopped containers, images etc .

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**Author:** ![Zane\_Storha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/bc8723/32.png) [@Zane\_Storha](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Zane_Storha)\
**Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 12:25pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/autodiscover-and-modules/141697/3 "2018-07-26T12:25:28Z")

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UP!!!

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**Author:** ![pierhugues](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/pierhugues/32/48383_2.png) [@pierhugues](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/pierhugues)\
**Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 2:36pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/autodiscover-and-modules/141697/4 "2018-07-26T14:36:42Z")

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Hello @Zane_Storha,

The main difference between **docker** and **autodiscover** is [autodiscover](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/beats/filebeat/current/configuration-autodiscover.html) allow you to change  
on the fly the running configuration of the beats when a new container is started or stopped.

Autodiscover uses [hints](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/beats/filebeat/current/configuration-autodiscover-hints.html) that you can define to generate the appropriate configuration.

The docker input allows you to read the logs from a container, autodiscover uses the docker input.

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2018, 4:36pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/autodiscover-and-modules/141697/5 "2018-08-23T16:36:49Z")

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