# 1534 Docker Compose Guide 72061a3c

> Docker Compose Guide

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- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: DevOps & Infra
- Author: tools-only (https://skillmd.com/u/tools-only)
- Updated: 2026-09-22
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tools-only/1534-docker-compose-guide-72061a3c

---

# Docker Compose Guide

This guide covers Docker Compose setup for Local Deep Research. For the quickest start, see the [Quick Start](#quick-start) section below.

## Quick Start

### CPU-Only (All Platforms)

Works on macOS (M1/M2/M3/M4 and Intel), Windows, and Linux:

```bash
curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/LearningCircuit/local-deep-research/main/docker-compose.yml && docker compose up -d
```

### With NVIDIA GPU (Linux Only)

For hardware-accelerated inference:

```bash
curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/LearningCircuit/local-deep-research/main/docker-compose.yml && \
curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/LearningCircuit/local-deep-research/main/docker-compose.gpu.override.yml && \
docker compose -f docker-compose.yml -f docker-compose.gpu.override.yml up -d
```

**Prerequisites for GPU:** Install the [NVIDIA Container Toolkit](https://docs.nvidia.com/datacenter/cloud-native/container-toolkit/install-guide.html) first. See the [README](../README.md#option-2a-gpu-add-nvidia-gpu-acceleration-linux-only) for detailed instructions.

Open http://localhost:5000 after ~30 seconds.

## Using a Different Model

Specify a model with the `LDR_LLM_MODEL` environment variable:

```bash
LDR_LLM_MODEL=gemma3:4b docker compose up -d
```

The model will be automatically pulled if not already available.

## Configuration Options

### docker-compose.yml

The base configuration includes:

| Service | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| `local-deep-research` | The main web application (port 5000) |
| `ollama` | Local LLM inference engine |
| `searxng` | Privacy-focused meta search engine |

### Key Environment Variables

Most settings can be configured through the web UI at http://localhost:5000/settings. Environment variables **override** UI settings and lock them.

> **⚠️ Warning:** Setting environment variables causes a hard override—the setting becomes read-only in the UI and cannot be changed until the environment variable is removed. For settings you may want to adjust later, use the web UI instead. Environment variables are best suited for deployment-specific values like `LDR_DATA_DIR` or API keys.

| Variable | Description |
|----------|-------------|
| `LDR_WEB_HOST` | Bind address (default: `0.0.0.0` for Docker) |
| `LDR_WEB_PORT` | Internal port (default: `5000`) |
| `LDR_DATA_DIR` | Data directory (default: `/data`) |
| `LDR_APP_ALLOW_REGISTRATIONS` | Allow new user registration (default: `true`). Set to `false` for public deployments after creating your initial account. |
| `LDR_LLM_PROVIDER` | LLM provider (`ollama`, `openai`, `anthropic`, etc.) |
| `LDR_LLM_MODEL` | Model name (e.g., `gemma3:12b`) |

### Changing the External Port

Use Docker's port mapping instead of environment variables:

```yaml
ports:
  - "8080:5000"  # Expose on port 8080 instead of 5000
```

### Volume Mounts

| Volume | Purpose |
|--------|---------|
| `ldr_data` | Application data |
| `ldr_scripts` | Startup scripts |
| `ldr_rag_cache` | RAG index cache |
| `ollama_data` | Downloaded models |
| `searxng_data` | Search engine config |

### Local Document Collections

Mount directories to search your own documents:

```yaml
volumes:
  - ./local_collections/personal_notes:/local_collections/personal_notes/
  - ./local_collections/project_docs:/local_collections/project_docs/
  - /path/to/your/papers:/local_collections/research_papers/:ro
```

The `:ro` suffix makes mounts read-only for safety.

## Advanced: Cookie Cutter Configuration

For more customization, use Cookie Cutter to generate a tailored docker-compose file:

```bash
# Install cookiecutter
pip install --user cookiecutter

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/LearningCircuit/local-deep-research.git
cd local-deep-research

# Generate custom configuration
cookiecutter cookiecutter-docker/
```

Cookie Cutter will prompt you for:

| Option | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| `config_name` | Name for your configuration |
| `host_port` | Port to expose (default: 5000) |
| `host_ip` | IP to bind (default: 0.0.0.0) |
| `host_network` | Use host networking |
| `enable_gpu` | Enable NVIDIA GPU support |
| `enable_searxng` | Include SearXNG service |

Then start with:

```bash
docker compose -f docker-compose.default.yml up -d
```

## Using External LLM Providers

### OpenRouter (100+ Models)

```yaml
environment:
  - LDR_LLM_PROVIDER=openai_endpoint
  - LDR_LLM_OPENAI_ENDPOINT_URL=https://openrouter.ai/api/v1
  - LDR_LLM_OPENAI_ENDPOINT_API_KEY=<your-api-key>
  - LDR_LLM_MODEL=anthropic/claude-3.5-sonnet
```

### LM Studio (Running on Host)

```yaml
environment:
  - LDR_LLM_PROVIDER=lmstudio
  - LDR_LLM_LMSTUDIO_URL=http://host.docker.internal:1234/v1
  - LDR_LLM_MODEL=<your-loaded-model>
```

## Common Commands

```bash
# Start services
docker compose up -d

# Start with GPU support
docker compose -f docker-compose.yml -f docker-compose.gpu.override.yml up -d

# View logs
docker compose logs -f

# Stop services
docker compose down

# Update to latest version
docker compose pull && docker compose up -d

# Remove all data (fresh start)
docker compose down -v
```

## Troubleshooting

### Container won't start
- Check logs: `docker compose logs local-deep-research`
- Ensure port 5000 is available

### Ollama model not loading
- Check Ollama logs: `docker compose logs ollama`
- Verify model name in `LDR_LLM_MODEL` environment variable
- Ensure sufficient disk space for model download

### GPU not detected
- Verify NVIDIA drivers: `nvidia-smi`
- Check container toolkit: `docker run --rm --gpus all nvidia/cuda:11.0-base nvidia-smi`

## Related Documentation

- [README - Full Installation Guide](../README.md#-installation-options)
- [Environment Configuration](env_configuration.md)
- [SearXNG Setup](SearXNG-Setup.md)
- [Unraid Deployment](deployment/unraid.md)