Docker Compose for Local Development

Why Docker Compose?

Docker Compose lets you define and run multi-container applications with a single YAML file. It is the fastest way to get a reproducible dev environment.

A Basic Compose File

services:
  db:
    image: postgres:16
    environment:
      POSTGRES_USER: app
      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: app
      POSTGRES_DB: app
    ports:
      - "5432:5432"

Common Commands

docker compose up -d
docker compose logs -f
docker compose down

Tips

• Use named volumes to persist data.
• Keep secrets out of the compose file with an .env.
• Add healthchecks so dependent services wait correctly.