Docker Compose Setup

January 30, 2026 ยท View on GitHub

Build a multi-container Docker development environment.

Overview

A production-ready Docker Compose setup for a typical web application stack. Includes application containers, database, cache, reverse proxy, and development tools. Designed for both development and production deployment with proper networking, volumes, and health checks.

Features

  • Multi-stage Dockerfiles
  • Development and production configurations
  • PostgreSQL database with persistence
  • Redis for caching
  • Nginx reverse proxy
  • Hot reload for development
  • Health checks
  • Logging configuration
  • Network isolation
  • Volume management
  • Environment variable handling

Tasks

Task 1: Project Structure

  • Create docker folder structure
  • Set up environment files
  • Create .dockerignore
  • Document folder layout

Task 2: Application Dockerfile

  • Create multi-stage Dockerfile
  • Add development stage
  • Add production stage
  • Optimize layer caching
  • Add non-root user

Task 3: Database Setup

  • Configure PostgreSQL service
  • Add initialization scripts
  • Set up volume for persistence
  • Configure health check
  • Add backup service (optional)

Task 4: Cache Setup

  • Configure Redis service
  • Add persistence options
  • Set up health check
  • Configure memory limits

Task 5: Reverse Proxy

  • Create Nginx configuration
  • Set up SSL termination
  • Configure upstream servers
  • Add rate limiting
  • Enable gzip compression

Task 6: Development Compose

  • Create docker-compose.dev.yml
  • Add volume mounts for hot reload
  • Configure debug ports
  • Add development tools (pgAdmin, Redis Commander)

Task 7: Production Compose

  • Create docker-compose.prod.yml
  • Configure resource limits
  • Set up restart policies
  • Configure logging drivers
  • Add deployment constraints

Task 8: Networking

  • Create custom networks
  • Configure internal networking
  • Set up external access points
  • Document port mappings

Task 9: Scripts

  • Create start script
  • Add build script
  • Create backup script
  • Add logs viewing script
  • Create cleanup script

Task 10: Documentation

  • Document all services
  • Add troubleshooting guide
  • Create environment variable reference
  • Add deployment instructions

Tech Stack

  • Docker
  • Docker Compose
  • Nginx
  • PostgreSQL
  • Redis
  • Shell scripting

Files to Create

  • Dockerfile
  • docker-compose.yml
  • docker-compose.dev.yml
  • docker-compose.prod.yml
  • docker/nginx/nginx.conf
  • docker/nginx/ssl/README.md
  • docker/postgres/init.sql
  • docker/redis/redis.conf
  • .dockerignore
  • .env.example
  • scripts/docker-start.sh
  • scripts/docker-build.sh
  • scripts/docker-logs.sh
  • scripts/docker-backup.sh
  • README.md