docker-compose - Define and run multi-container applications

Options you will use

up [-d] [--build] [--wait] [SERVICE...]

Create networks and volumes, build/pull images, and start containers in depends_on order.

down [-v] [--rmi all|local]

Stop and remove containers and networks. Volumes only with -v.

ps [-a] / logs [-f] [--tail N] [SERVICE]

Status and logs, prefixed by service.

exec SERVICE CMD / run --rm SERVICE CMD

Run in an existing container / in a new one-off container.

config [--services|--volumes|--profiles]

The fully interpolated project. The fastest way to see what .env really produced.

build / pull / stop / start / restart

The usual lifecycle.

-f, --file FILE

Compose configuration files (repeatable; later files override earlier ones). Default compose.yaml.

-p, --project-name NAME

Project name (default: the directory name). Prefixes containers, networks and volumes.

--profile PROFILE

Enable a profile: services with profiles: [PROFILE] start only when it is on.

--env-file FILE

Specify an alternate environment file (default .env, used for ${VAR} interpolation).

--project-directory DIR

Specify an alternate working directory (default: the directory of the first compose file).

--ansi STRING

Control when to print ANSI control characters: never, always, auto.

--progress STRING

Set type of progress output: auto, tty, plain, json, quiet.

--dry-run

Execute command in dry run mode: show what would happen.

--parallel INT

Control max parallelism, -1 for unlimited.

Examples

$ docker compose up -d

start the project in the background

$ docker compose config

see the file after ${VAR} interpolation

$ docker compose --profile debug up -d

include services in the debug profile

Gotchas

• .env in the project directory feeds ${VAR} interpolation in the compose file; env_file: feeds variables into the CONTAINER. They are different things.
• depends_on alone only orders startup. Use condition: service_healthy with a healthcheck to wait for readiness.
• Service names resolve by DNS on the project network (<project>_default).