# Rubakas Agent Notes Docker Compose > Docker Compose Patterns - Skill: `tomevault-io/rubakas-agent-notes-docker-compose` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/rubakas-agent-notes-docker-compose` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/rubakas-agent-notes-docker-compose/raw - Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner WARNING, skillspector CAUTION) - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: DevOps & Infra - Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/rubakas-agent-notes-docker-compose --- # Docker Compose Patterns Production-ready Docker Compose configurations for multi-container applications based on official Docker Compose Specification and current best practices. > **Sources**: This guide is based on [Docker Compose Specification](https://docs.docker.com/reference/compose-file/), [Docker Compose Services Reference](https://docs.docker.com/reference/compose-file/services/), and Docker Compose v2 (2022+) best practices. --- ## Important: Version Field is Obsolete **The `version:` field is obsolete** as of Docker Compose v2 (2022). Docker Compose now ignores this field entirely. Modern compose files should **NOT include** a `version:` field. **Why**: Docker Compose v1.27.0+ (2020) introduced the Compose Specification, making the version field optional. The Compose Specification is now the recommended version. **Source**: [Docker Compose Specification](https://docs.docker.com/reference/compose-file/) --- ## Compose File Structure Template ```yaml services: # Application service app: build: context: . dockerfile: Dockerfile target: production args: NODE_ENV: production image: myapp:latest container_name: myapp restart: unless-stopped ports: - "3000:3000" environment: - NODE_ENV=production - DATABASE_URL=postgresql://postgres:password@db:5432/myapp - REDIS_URL=redis://redis:6379 env_file: - .env depends_on: db: condition: service_healthy redis: condition: service_healthy volumes: - ./uploads:/app/uploads - app_logs:/app/logs networks: - app_network healthcheck: test: ["CMD", "curl", "-f", "http://localhost:3000/health"] interval: 30s timeout: 10s retries: 3 start_period: 40s # Database service db: image: postgres:16-alpine container_name: myapp_db restart: unless-stopped environment: - POSTGRES_USER=postgres - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=password - POSTGRES_DB=myapp volumes: - postgres_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data - ./init.sql:/docker-entrypoint-initdb.d/init.sql:ro networks: - app_network healthcheck: test: ["CMD-SHELL", "pg_isready -U postgres"] interval: 10s timeout: 5s retries: 5 # Redis service redis: image: redis:7-alpine container_name: myapp_redis restart: unless-stopped command: redis-server --appendonly yes volumes: - redis_data:/data networks: - app_network healthcheck: test: ["CMD", "redis-cli", "ping"] interval: 10s timeout: 5s retries: 5 volumes: postgres_data: driver: local redis_data: driver: local app_logs: driver: local networks: app_network: driver: bridge ``` --- ## Health Checks in Compose Health checks work the same way as Dockerfile HEALTHCHECK and use the same default values. Your Compose file can override values set in the Dockerfile. ```yaml services: web: image: myapp:latest healthcheck: test: ["CMD", "curl", "-f", "http://localhost/health"] interval: 30s timeout: 10s retries: 3 start_period: 40s ``` **Health check attributes**: - `test`: Command to run (can be string or array) - `interval`: Time between checks (default: 30s) - `timeout`: Maximum time for check to complete (default: 30s) - `retries`: Consecutive failures before marking unhealthy (default: 3) - `start_period`: Grace period for container initialization (default: 0s) **Source**: [Docker Compose Health Checks](https://docs.docker.com/reference/compose-file/services/#healthcheck) --- ## Depends_on with Conditions Use `condition` to wait for services to be healthy before starting dependent services. ```yaml services: app: depends_on: db: condition: service_healthy # Wait for health check to pass redis: condition: service_started # Just wait for container to start ``` **Available conditions**: - `service_started`: Default, just waits for container to start - `service_healthy`: Waits for health check to pass - `service_completed_successfully`: Waits for one-time task to complete **Source**: [Docker Compose depends_on](https://docs.docker.com/reference/compose-file/services/#depends_on) --- ## Common Service Patterns ### Node.js Application ```yaml services: app: build: context: . dockerfile: Dockerfile target: ${BUILD_TARGET:-production} image: ${APP_NAME}:${VERSION:-latest} restart: unless-stopped ports: - "${APP_PORT:-3000}:3000" environment: NODE_ENV: ${NODE_ENV:-production} DATABASE_URL: ${DATABASE_URL} REDIS_URL: redis://redis:6379 env_file: - .env depends_on: db: condition: service_healthy volumes: # Development: mount source code - ./src:/app/src:ro # Production: named volumes for data - uploads:/app/uploads - logs:/app/logs networks: - app_network healthcheck: test: ["CMD", "node", "healthcheck.js"] interval: 30s timeout: 10s retries: 3 deploy: resources: limits: cpus: '1' memory: 1G reservations: cpus: '0.5' memory: 512M ``` ### Rails with Background Workers ```yaml services: web: build: context: . dockerfile: Dockerfile command: bundle exec rails server -b 0.0.0.0 restart: unless-stopped ports: - "3000:3000" environment: RAILS_ENV: ${RAILS_ENV:-production} DATABASE_URL: postgresql://postgres:password@db:5432/myapp REDIS_URL: redis://redis:6379/0 SECRET_KEY_BASE: ${SECRET_KEY_BASE} depends_on: db: condition: service_healthy redis: condition: service_started volumes: - ./storage:/app/storage - ./log:/app/log networks: - app_network sidekiq: build: context: . dockerfile: Dockerfile command: bundle exec sidekiq restart: unless-stopped environment: RAILS_ENV: ${RAILS_ENV:-production} DATABASE_URL: postgresql://postgres:password@db:5432/myapp REDIS_URL: redis://redis:6379/0 depends_on: - db - redis volumes: - ./storage:/app/storage - ./log:/app/log networks: - app_network ``` ### Python/Django with Celery ```yaml services: web: build: context: . dockerfile: Dockerfile command: gunicorn myapp.wsgi:application --bind 0.0.0.0:8000 --workers 4 restart: unless-stopped ports: - "8000:8000" environment: DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE: myapp.settings.production DATABASE_URL: postgresql://postgres:password@db:5432/myapp REDIS_URL: redis://redis:6379/0 SECRET_KEY: ${SECRET_KEY} depends_on: db: condition: service_healthy volumes: - ./media:/app/media - ./static:/app/static networks: - app_network celery_worker: build: context: . dockerfile: Dockerfile command: celery -A myapp worker -l info restart: unless-stopped environment: DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE: myapp.settings.production DATABASE_URL: postgresql://postgres:password@db:5432/myapp REDIS_URL: redis://redis:6379/0 depends_on: - db - redis networks: - app_network celery_beat: build: context: . dockerfile: Dockerfile command: celery -A myapp beat -l info restart: unless-stopped environment: DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE: myapp.settings.production REDIS_URL: redis://redis:6379/0 depends_on: - redis networks: - app_network ``` --- --- > Converted and distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io/claim/rubakas) — claim your Tome and manage your conversions.