{"dataset":{"id":"00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000054","slug":"docker-compose-best-practices","name":"Docker Compose best practices","description":"Source-linked guidance on Docker Compose fundamentals: the application model, the compose file, networking, profiles, and building images. Scoped to current Compose.","visibility":"public","version":1,"documentCount":5,"publisher":"Koskamo editorial","license":"Original summaries; linked sources retain their own terms.","reviewedAt":"2026-10-04T00:00:00.000Z","readOnly":true,"createdAt":"2026-10-04T00:00:00.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-04T00:00:00.000Z"},"total":5,"documents":[{"title":"Building images with Compose","sourceUrl":"https://docs.docker.com/compose/compose-file/build/","text":"Build is an optional part of the Compose Specification; it defines how to (re)build an application from source portably. build can be a single string defining a context path or a detailed build definition. As a string, the whole path is the Docker context for a Docker build, looking for a canonical Dockerfile at the directory's root; as a detailed structure, build arguments and an alternate Dockerfile location can be specified. Paths can be absolute or relative; relative paths resolve from the Compose file's directory, while absolute paths prevent portability, so Compose displays a warning. When both build and image are set, Compose follows the pull_policy attribute; without pull_policy, it pulls the image first, then builds from source if not found. Scope: Docker Compose. Reviewed October 4, 2026.","id":"docker-compose-best-practices:Building images with Compose","version":1,"createdAt":"2026-10-04T00:00:00.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-04T00:00:00.000Z"},{"title":"Profiles for selective startup","sourceUrl":"https://docs.docker.com/compose/how-tos/profiles/","text":"Use the profiles attribute to associate services with named profiles, allowing debugging or development tools to remain in a single compose.yml file but start only when activated. Core application services should omit this attribute to ensure they are always enabled and auto-started, while assigned services only start when their profile is active. Valid profile names must match the regex [a-zA-Z0-9][a-zA-Z0-9_.-]+. Activate specific profiles using the --profile flag or the COMPOSE_PROFILES environment variable, supporting multiple profiles via repeated flags or comma-separated lists. Use --profile \"*\" to enable all profiles simultaneously. Explicitly targeting a service with assigned profiles auto-starts it and its dependencies without requiring manual profile activation, enabling efficient one-off runs. Scope: Docker Compose. Reviewed October 4, 2026.","id":"docker-compose-best-practices:Profiles for selective startup","version":1,"createdAt":"2026-10-04T00:00:00.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-04T00:00:00.000Z"},{"title":"Networking between services","sourceUrl":"https://docs.docker.com/compose/how-tos/networking/","text":"Compose handles networking by default, creating a single bridge network named `<project-name>_default` where all services join. Containers discover each other by service name via an internal DNS server, eliminating the need for manual IP configuration. Always reference services by name rather than IP address because Docker assigns dynamic IPs that change upon restart. For host access from containers, use `host-gateway` or `host.docker.internal` to resolve the host machine's IP. This resolution is automatic on Mac and Windows. To customize networking, specify custom networks or change the network mode using `network_mode: host`. You can also map custom hostnames with `extra_hosts`, driven by environment variables for different targets per environment. The default setup suffices for most development, but fine-grained control is available for complex connectivity needs. Scope: Docker Compose. Reviewed October 4, 2026.","id":"docker-compose-best-practices:Networking between services","version":1,"createdAt":"2026-10-04T00:00:00.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-04T00:00:00.000Z"},{"title":"The Compose file structure","sourceUrl":"https://docs.docker.com/reference/compose-file/","text":"Adopt the Compose Specification, the latest and recommended version of the Compose file format, to define a Compose file that configures your application's services, networks, volumes, and more. Legacy versions 2.x and 3.x of the Compose file format were merged into the Compose Specification, which is implemented in versions 1.27.0 and above of the Docker Compose CLI, also known as Compose v2. The Compose Specification on Docker Docs is the Docker Compose implementation; to implement your own version, see the Compose Specification repository. For a better editing experience for Compose files in VS Code, use the Docker DX extension for linting, code navigation, and vulnerability scanning. Scope: Docker Compose. Reviewed October 4, 2026.","id":"docker-compose-best-practices:The Compose file structure","version":1,"createdAt":"2026-10-04T00:00:00.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-04T00:00:00.000Z"},{"title":"The Compose application model","sourceUrl":"https://docs.docker.com/compose/intro/compose-application-model/","text":"Use a YAML Compose file (compose.yaml) to configure your application's services, then create and start them with the Compose CLI; the file follows the Compose Specification for defining multi-container applications and is the Docker Compose implementation of that formal specification. Computing components are defined as services, implemented by running the same container image and configuration one or more times. Services communicate through networks, which establish an IP route between connected containers, and store persistent data in volumes, high-level filesystem mounts with global options. Configs cover runtime-dependent data and secrets sensitive data, both mounted as files. A project is an individual deployment; its name, set with the top-level name attribute, groups and isolates resources, which must be prefixed by the project and labeled com.docker.compose.project. Scope: Docker Compose. Reviewed October 4, 2026.","id":"docker-compose-best-practices:The Compose application model","version":1,"createdAt":"2026-10-04T00:00:00.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-04T00:00:00.000Z"}]}