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Define and run multi-container applications with Docker

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README.md

# Table of Contents
- [Docker Compose](#docker-compose)
- [Where to get Docker Compose](#where-to-get-docker-compose)
    + [Windows and macOS](#windows-and-macos)
    + [Linux](#linux)
- [Quick Start](#quick-start)
- [Contributing](#contributing)
- [Legacy](#legacy)

# Docker Compose

[![GitHub release](https://img.shields.io/github/v/release/docker/compose.svg?style=flat-square)](https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/latest)
[![PkgGoDev](https://img.shields.io/badge/go.dev-docs-007d9c?style=flat-square&logo=go&logoColor=white)](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/docker/compose/v5)
[![Build Status](https://img.shields.io/github/actions/workflow/status/docker/compose/ci.yml?label=ci&logo=github&style=flat-square)](https://github.com/docker/compose/actions?query=workflow%3Aci)
[![Codecov](https://codecov.io/gh/docker/compose/branch/main/graph/badge.svg?token=HP3K4Y4ctu)](https://codecov.io/gh/docker/compose)
[![OpenSSF Scorecard](https://api.securityscorecards.dev/projects/github.com/docker/compose/badge)](https://api.securityscorecards.dev/projects/github.com/docker/compose)
![Docker Compose](logo.png?raw=true "Docker Compose Logo")

Docker Compose is a tool for running multi-container applications on Docker
defined using the [Compose file format](https://compose-spec.io).
A Compose file is used to define how one or more containers that make up
your application are configured.
Once you have a Compose file, you can create and start your application with a
single command: `docker compose up`.

> **Note**: About Docker Swarm
> Docker Swarm used to rely on the legacy compose file format but did not adopt the compose specification
> so is missing some of the recent enhancements in the compose syntax. After 
> [acquisition by Mirantis](https://www.mirantis.com/software/swarm/) swarm isn't maintained by Docker Inc, and
> as such some Docker Compose features aren't accessible to swarm users.

# Where to get Docker Compose

### Windows and macOS

Docker Compose is included in
[Docker Desktop](https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop/)
for Windows and macOS.

### Linux

You can download Docker Compose binaries from the
[release page](https://github.com/docker/compose/releases) on this repository.

Rename the relevant binary for your OS to `docker-compose` and copy it to `$HOME/.docker/cli-plugins`

Or copy it into one of these folders to install it system-wide:

* `/usr/local/lib/docker/cli-plugins` OR `/usr/local/libexec/docker/cli-plugins`
* `/usr/lib/docker/cli-plugins` OR `/usr/libexec/docker/cli-plugins`

(might require making the downloaded file executable with `chmod +x`)

Quick Start
-----------

Using Docker Compose is a three-step process:
1. Define your app's environment with a `Dockerfile` so it can be
   reproduced anywhere.
2. Define the services that make up your app in `compose.yaml` so
   they can be run together in an isolated environment.
3. Lastly, run `docker compose up` and Compose will start and run your entire
   app.

A Compose file looks like this:

```yaml
services:
  web:
    build: .
    ports:
      - "5000:5000"
    volumes:
      - .:/code
  redis:
    image: redis
```

Contributing
------------

Want to help develop Docker Compose? Check out our
[contributing documentation](CONTRIBUTING.md).

If you find an issue, please report it on the
[issue tracker](https://github.com/docker/compose/issues/new/choose).

Legacy
-------------

The Python version of Compose is available under the `v1` [branch](https://github.com/docker/compose/tree/v1).

Repository info

Default branch: main
Latest version: v5.6.0
Created: 2013-12-09
Last activity: 2026-10-13
License: Apache-2.0
Open issues: 107
Watchers: 721

Topics

docker docker-compose go golang orchestration

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