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Getting Started with Docker Compose

Welcome to Docker Compose​

Running a real application usually means running multiple containers — your Node.js API, a PostgreSQL database, a Redis cache, maybe an Nginx proxy. Starting, networking, and configuring them individually with docker run commands is tedious and error-prone.

Docker Compose solves this with a single docker-compose.yml file that describes your entire stack. One command starts everything, wired together and ready to go.

docker compose up        # start the full stack
docker compose down      # stop and remove containers

What You'll Learn​

  • The compose file — services, images, ports, volumes, and environment variables
  • Networking — how containers talk to each other by service name
  • Volumes — persisting database data across container restarts
  • Environment files — keeping secrets out of the compose file with .env
  • Multi-environment setups — using override files for dev vs. production
  • Common patterns — app + database, app + database + Redis + Nginx

Prerequisites​

  • Docker Desktop installed and running
  • Basic understanding of Docker images and containers
  • Familiarity with the terminal