This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Željko Šević
Docker Compose runs multi-container applications from a single YAML file. One command can start an API, a database, a message broker, and supporting tools for local development - without installing each service on the host machine.
This post covers Compose concepts and commands. For ready-made stacks, see the service-specific posts linked at the end (Postgres/Redis, RabbitMQ, MongoDB, Kafka, DynamoDB/SQS).
Prerequisites
- Docker Engine installed
- Compose V2 - use
docker compose(with a space). Current Docker Desktop includes it; no separate Compose install is required.
Mental model
-
Project - the folder that contains
docker-compose.yml. The project name defaults to the directory name and prefixes container names. -
Services - named containers defined in the file (
api,redis,postgres). Each service maps to one image or build context. -
Network - Compose creates a default network so services resolve each other by name. From the
apicontainer, Redis is reachable atredis:6379, notlocalhost:6379. -
Volumes - named or bind mounts for data that survives
docker compose down(unless you pass-v).
Minimal compose file
A two-service stack: a Node API and Redis. No top-level version: key - it is deprecated in the current Compose specification.
services:
api:
build: .
ports:
- 3000:3000
environment:
REDIS_URL: redis://redis:6379
depends_on:
- redis
redis:
image: redis:alpine
volumes:
- redis-data:/data
volumes:
redis-data:
Run docker compose up --build from the directory that contains this file.
Core concepts
Ports - map host ports to container ports as host:container:
ports:
- 3000:3000
Environment - inline variables or an env file:
environment:
REDIS_URL: redis://redis:6379
env_file:
- .env
Volumes - named volumes are managed by Docker (good for database data). Bind mounts map a host path into the container (good for live code reload during development):
volumes:
- redis-data:/data # named
- ./src:/app/src:ro # bind mount
Networks - services on the default network can reach each other by service name. Custom networks isolate groups of services (see the Postgres and Redis post for a multi-network example).
depends_on - controls startup order. It does not wait for the dependency to be ready; add a healthcheck or retry logic in the app when you need readiness.
restart - policies like on-failure:3 or unless-stopped keep containers running after crashes or host reboots.
healthcheck - optional probe so Compose and other services know when a container is ready:
healthcheck:
test: ['CMD', 'redis-cli', 'ping']
interval: 5s
timeout: 3s
retries: 5
Commands
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
docker compose up |
Start services (foreground, logs in terminal) |
docker compose up -d |
Start in detached mode |
docker compose up --build |
Rebuild images before starting |
docker compose down |
Stop and remove containers |
docker compose down -v |
Also remove named volumes |
docker compose ps |
List running services |
docker compose logs -f api |
Follow logs for one service |
docker compose exec api sh |
Open a shell in a running container |
docker compose pull |
Pull latest images |
When to use what
| Tool | Best for |
|---|---|
docker run |
One-off containers, quick image tests |
| Docker Compose | Local multi-service stacks, dev databases and queues |
| Kubernetes | Production orchestration, scaling, rolling deploys |
Service-specific setups
- Postgres and Redis containers with Docker Compose - databases with Pgweb and Redis Commander
- RabbitMQ container with Docker Compose - message broker with management UI
- MongoDB containers with Docker Compose - MongoDB with Mongo Express
- Kafka containers with Docker Compose - KRaft-mode Kafka with Kafka UI
- DynamoDB and SQS containers with Docker Compose - DynamoDB Local and ElasticMQ
Demo
Runnable files for this post live in the docker-compose-overview-demo folder. Get access via code demos.
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Željko Šević
Željko Šević | Sciencx (2026-06-19T22:55:36+00:00) Docker Compose overview. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2026/06/19/docker-compose-overview/
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