@tank/docker-compose-cheatsheet

Docker Compose healthchecks and startup ordering are configured using the healthcheck and depends_on fields in your compose YAML. You can define custom test commands, intervals, and retries, then use depends_on with condition: service_healthy to ensure services start only when dependencies pass their healthcheck.

In a Docker Compose service definition, the build key instructs Compose to construct an image from a specified Dockerfile context, whereas the image key pulls a pre-built image from a registry. You use build for local development changes and image for deploying ready-to-use container images.

Docker Compose profiles let you group services and start selective environments by assigning a profiles key to services in your compose YAML. Running Compose with the --profile flag starts only the services matching that profile, allowing you to isolate optional or environment-specific stacks.

The best way to reset a broken Docker Compose stack is running docker compose down with the -v flag to remove containers, networks, and named volumes. This clears conflicting state and persistent data, allowing you to cleanly rebuild and restart your local development environment.

To run one-off commands or get shell access in a Docker Compose container, use docker compose exec followed by the service name and your desired command. Adding /bin/sh or /bin/bash opens an interactive shell inside the running service for direct troubleshooting.

Yes, Docker Compose supports persistent data and custom networks through top-level volumes and networks keys in the compose YAML. You define named volumes and bridge networks, then reference them in service definitions to maintain data state and control service communication.