Beginner’s Docker Compose Cheat Sheet: Essential Commands You’ll Use Daily

D: Docker Compose is a powerful tool for defining and running multi-container Docker applications. �🐋 Whether you’re a developer, DevOps engineer, or just starting with containers, this cheat sheet will help you master the most commonly used Docker Compose commands.

Let’s dive in! 🚀

🔹 1. Basic Docker Compose Commands

Start Services

docker-compose up

• Starts all services defined in docker-compose.yml.
• Use -d to run in detached mode (background):

  docker-compose up -d

Stop Services

docker-compose down

• Stops and removes containers, networks, and volumes.
• Add --volumes to also remove named volumes:

  docker-compose down --volumes

List Running Containers

docker-compose ps

• Shows the status of all containers managed by Compose.

🔹 2. Managing Services

Start a Single Service

docker-compose up 
<service_name>

• Example:

  docker-compose up nginx

Stop a Single Service

docker-compose stop 
<service_name>

• Example:

  docker-compose stop mysql

Restart Services

docker-compose restart

• Restarts all services.
• To restart a specific service:

  docker-compose restart 
  <service_name>

🔹 3. Logs & Debugging

View Logs

docker-compose logs

• Shows logs from all services.
• To follow logs in real-time:

  docker-compose logs -f

• To see logs for a specific service:

  docker-compose logs 
  <service_name>

Execute Commands Inside a Container

docker-compose exec 
<service_name> <command>

• Example (accessing a MySQL shell):

  docker-compose exec mysql mysql -u root -p

🔹 4. Building & Updating Services

Rebuild Images

docker-compose build

• Rebuilds all images defined in docker-compose.yml.
• To rebuild a specific service:

  docker-compose build 
  <service_name>

Force Recreate Containers

docker-compose up --force-recreate

• Useful when you change environment variables or configurations.

🔹 5. Advanced Commands

Scale Services

docker-compose up --scale 
<service_name>=<num_instances>

• Example (running 3 instances of a web service):

  docker-compose up --scale web=3

Check Service Dependencies

docker-compose config

• Validates and displays the final configuration.

🎉 Bonus Tips for Docker Compose Newbies

✅ Always use docker-compose down before docker-compose up to avoid conflicts.
✅ Use docker-compose pull to update images before starting services.
✅ Store sensitive data (like passwords) in .env files instead of hardcoding them.

Final Thoughts 🏁

Docker Compose simplifies container orchestration, and mastering these commands will save you tons of time! Bookmark this cheat sheet and refer to it whenever needed.

Happy Dockering! 🐳💙

(Need more help? Check the official Docker Compose docs!)