Prowlarr is the central search engine that feeds data to Radarr and Sonarr. Instead of manually configuring 10 different search sites in multiple apps, you configure them once in Prowlarr, and it automatically pushes them out.
Overview
An "Indexer" is a website that contains a database of magnet links. Prowlarr connects to these indexers. When Radarr wants a movie, it asks Prowlarr. Prowlarr searches all your indexers simultaneously and sends the best results back to Radarr.
Step 1: Adding Indexers
Open the Prowlarr app from your LocalNode dashboard.
Go to Indexers in the left menu.
Click Add Indexer.
You will see a massive list of hundreds of sites. Some are Public, some are Private (require an invite and API key).
Search for a public indexer (e.g., 1337x or RARBG if available).
Click on the indexer. A configuration window will open. Leave the defaults and click Test.
If you get a green checkmark, click Save.
Add 3 or 4 reliable public indexers. Do not add 50; it will slow down your searches drastically.
⚠️ Warning: Public indexers frequently change their URLs or go down. If searches stop working, open Prowlarr and check the status of your indexers. If one is red, it may be dead.
Step 2: Syncing to Radarr and Sonarr
Now we must tell Prowlarr to push these search engines into Radarr and Sonarr.
In Prowlarr, go to Settings > Apps.
Click the large + button under Applications.
Click Radarr.
Prowlarr Server: Type http://prowlarr:9696 (the internal docker name).
Radarr Server: Type http://radarr:7878.
API Key: You need Radarr's API key. Open Radarr in a new tab, go to Settings > General, copy the API key, and paste it here.
Click Test, then Save.
Repeat this exact process for Sonarr:
Sonarr Server: http://sonarr:8989
Get the Sonarr API key from Sonarr's General settings.
Servarr wiki screenshot (wiki.servarr.com), bundled with Servarr/Wiki alongside GPLv3 Radarr/Sonarr/Prowlarr releases.
Step 3: Testing the connection
Once saved, Prowlarr will immediately "Sync" with the apps.
Go back to your Radarr tab.
Go to Settings > Indexers.
You should magically see all the indexers you added in Prowlarr appear here, marked with a "Prowlarr" tag.
Your automated media setup is now complete! Radarr has a root folder to save to, a download client to fetch the files, and indexers to search. Try adding a movie!
