You can use Docker Compose to easily run WordPress in an isolated environment built with Docker containers. This quick-start guide demonstrates how to use Compose to set up and run WordPress. Before starting, make sure you have Compose installed.

1. Create an empty project directory.

   You can name the directory something easy for you to remember. This directory is the context for your application image. The directory should only contain resources to build that image.

   This project directory contains a docker-compose.yml file which is complete in itself for a good starter wordpress project.

   Tip: You can use either a .yml or .yaml extension for this file. They both work.

2. Change into your project directory.

   For example, if you named your directory my_wordpress:

   $ cd my_wordpress/

3. Create a docker-compose.yml file that starts your WordPress blog and a separate MySQL instance with volume mounts for data persistence:

   services: db: # We use a mariadb image which supports both amd64 & arm64 architectureimage: mariadb:10.6.4-focal# If you really want to use MySQL, uncomment the following line#image: mysql:8.0.27command: '--default-authentication-plugin=mysql_native_password'volumes: - db_data:/var/lib/mysqlrestart: alwaysenvironment: - MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=somewordpress - MYSQL_DATABASE=wordpress - MYSQL_USER=wordpress - MYSQL_PASSWORD=wordpressexpose: - 3306 - 33060wordpress: image: wordpress:latestvolumes: - wp_data:/var/www/htmlports: - 80:80restart: alwaysenvironment: - WORDPRESS_DB_HOST=db - WORDPRESS_DB_USER=wordpress - WORDPRESS_DB_PASSWORD=wordpress - WORDPRESS_DB_NAME=wordpressvolumes: db_data: wp_data:

Notes:

• The docker volumes db_data and wordpress_data persists updates made by WordPress to the database, as well as the installed themes and plugins. Learn more about docker volumes

• WordPress Multisite works only on ports 80 and 443. {: .note-vanilla}

Now, run docker compose up -d from your project directory.

This runs docker compose up in detached mode, pulls the needed Docker images, and starts the wordpress and database containers, as shown in the example below.

$ docker compose up -dCreating network "my_wordpress_default" with the default driverPulling db (mysql:5.7)...5.7: Pulling from library/mysqlefd26ecc9548: Pull completea3ed95caeb02: Pull complete<...>Digest: sha256:34a0aca88e85f2efa5edff1cea77cf5d3147ad93545dbec99cfe705b03c520deStatus: Downloaded newer image for mysql:5.7Pulling wordpress (wordpress:latest)...latest: Pulling from library/wordpressefd26ecc9548: Already existsa3ed95caeb02: Pull complete589a9d9a7c64: Pull complete<...>Digest: sha256:ed28506ae44d5def89075fd5c01456610cd6c64006addfe5210b8c675881aff6Status: Downloaded newer image for wordpress:latestCreating my_wordpress_db_1Creating my_wordpress_wordpress_1

Note: WordPress Multisite works only on ports 80 and/or 443. If you get an error message about binding 0.0.0.0 to port 80 or 443 (depending on which one you specified), it is likely that the port you configured for WordPress is already in use by another service.

At this point, WordPress should be running on port 80 of your Docker Host, and you can complete the "famous five-minute installation" as a WordPress administrator.

Note: The WordPress site is not immediately available on port 80 because the containers are still being initialized and may take a couple of minutes before the first load.

If you are using Docker Desktop for Mac or Docker Desktop for Windows, you can use http://localhost as the IP address, and open http://localhost:80 in a web browser.

The command docker compose down removes the containers and default network, but preserves your WordPress database.

The command docker compose down --volumes removes the containers, default network, and the WordPress database.

• Docker Compose overview
• Install Docker Compose
• Getting Started with Docker Compose
• Docker Compose Command line reference
• Compose file reference
• Awesome Compose WordPress sample