How to Use Docker Compose

Purpose

Learn how to define and manage multiple Docker containers using a simple YAML configuration file with Docker Compose.

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1. Install Docker Compose

If you don't already have Docker Compose installed, install it:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install docker-compose-plugin -y

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2. Create a Docker Compose File

Create a directory for your project and add a docker-compose.yml file inside it:

mkdir my-project
cd my-project
nano docker-compose.yml

Example docker-compose.yml:

version: '3'

services:
  web:
    image: nginx
    ports:
      - "8080:80"

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3. Start the Application

Use Docker Compose to bring up your containers:

docker compose up -d

The -d option runs it in the background (detached mode).

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4. Stop the Application

When you want to stop and remove all containers defined in the Compose file:

docker compose down

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✅ Summary

• Compose simplifies multi-container deployments with a single file.
• Use volumes inside docker-compose.yml to persist your data.
• Keep your Compose files under version control (like Git) for easy recovery and updates.