Quick reference for Docker Compose commands and config files.
---
title: Docker Compose Cheatsheet
subtitle: Quick reference for Docker Compose commands and config files
author: Jon LaBelle
date: April 7, 2019
source: https://jonlabelle.com/snippets/view/markdown/docker-compose-cheatsheet
notoc: false
---
## Basic config example
```yml
# docker-compose.yml
version: '3'
services:
web:
build: .
# build from Dockerfile
context: ./Path
dockerfile: Dockerfile
ports:
- "5000:5000"
volumes:
- .:/code
redis:
image: redis
```
## Common commands
```bash
# Starts existing containers for a service.
docker-compose start
# Stops running containers without removing them.
docker-compose stop
# Pauses running containers of a service.
docker-compose pause
# Unpauses paused containers of a service.
docker-compose unpause
# Lists containers.
docker-compose ps
# Builds, (re)creates, starts, and attaches to containers for a service.
docker-compose up
# Stops containers and removes containers, networks, volumes, and images created by up.
docker-compose down
```
## Config file reference
### Building
```yml
web:
# build from Dockerfile
build: .
# build from custom Dockerfile
build:
context: ./dir
dockerfile: Dockerfile.dev
# build from image
image: ubuntu
image: ubuntu:14.04
image: tutum/influxdb
image: example-registry:4000/postgresql
image: a4bc65fd
```
### Ports
```yml
ports:
- "3000"
- "8000:80" # guest:host
# expose ports to linked services (not to host)
expose: ["3000"]
```
### Commands
```yml
# command to execute
command: bundle exec thin -p 3000
command: [bundle, exec, thin, -p, 3000]
# override the entrypoint
entrypoint: /app/start.sh
entrypoint: [php, -d, vendor/bin/phpunit]
```
### Environment variables
```yml
# environment vars
environment:
RACK_ENV: development
environment:
- RACK_ENV=development
# environment vars from file
env_file: .env
env_file: [.env, .development.env]
```
### Dependencies
```yml
# makes the `db` service available as the hostname `database`
# (implies depends_on)
links:
- db:database
- redis
# make sure `db` is alive before starting
depends_on:
- db
```
### Other options
```yml
# make this service extend another
extends:
file: common.yml # optional
service: webapp
volumes:
- /var/lib/mysql
- ./_data:/var/lib/mysql
```
## Advanced features
### Labels
```yml
services:
web:
labels:
com.example.description: "Accounting web app"
```
### DNS servers
```yml
services:
web:
dns: 8.8.8.8
dns:
- 8.8.8.8
- 8.8.4.4
```
### Devices
```yml
services:
web:
devices:
- "/dev/ttyUSB0:/dev/ttyUSB0"
```
### External links
```yml
services:
web:
external_links:
- redis_1
- project_db_1:mysql
```
### Hosts
```yml
services:
web:
extra_hosts:
- "somehost:192.168.1.100"
```
### Network
```yml
# creates a custom network called `frontend`
networks:
frontend:
```
### External network
```yml
# join a preexisting network
networks:
default:
external:
name: frontend
```
## References
Based off cheatsheet from <https://devhints.io/docker-compose>.