How to install WordPress with Docker

Docker is a set of platform-as-a-service products that use operating-system-level virtualization to deliver software in packages called containers. Docker, inc. was founded by Solomon Hykes and Sebastien Pahl during the Y Combinator Summer 2010 startup incubator group and launched in 2011

By using the docker you can modernize your applications, accelerate innovation and Securely build, share and run modern applications anywhere.

Install Docker

Download the docker software from Docker official site for the operating system you are using and install it.

Define the project

Create an empty project directory.

You can name the directory something easy for you to remember. This directory is the context for your application image. The directory should only contain resources to build that image.

This project directory contains a docker-compose.yml file which is complete in itself for a good starter wordpress project.

Tip: You can use either a .yml or .yaml extension for this file. They both work.
Change into your project directory.

For example, if you named your directory my_wordpress:

cd my_wordpress/

1
2

cd my_wordpress/
Create a docker-compose.yml file that starts your WordPress blog and a separate MySQL instance with a volume mount for data persistence:

version: '3.3'

services:
   db:
     image: mysql:5.7
     volumes:
       - db_data:/var/lib/mysql
     restart: always
     environment:
       MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: somewordpress
       MYSQL_DATABASE: wordpress
       MYSQL_USER: wordpress
       MYSQL_PASSWORD: wordpress

   wordpress:
     depends_on:
       - db
     image: wordpress:latest
     ports:
       - "8000:80"
     restart: always
     environment:
       WORDPRESS_DB_HOST: db:3306
       WORDPRESS_DB_USER: wordpress
       WORDPRESS_DB_PASSWORD: wordpress
       WORDPRESS_DB_NAME: wordpress
volumes:
    db_data: {}

version: '3.3'

services:

db:

image: mysql:5.7

volumes:

- db_data:/var/lib/mysql

restart: always

environment:

MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: somewordpress

MYSQL_DATABASE: wordpress

MYSQL_USER: wordpress

MYSQL_PASSWORD: wordpress

wordpress:

depends_on:

- db

image: wordpress:latest

ports:

- "8000:80"

restart: always

environment:

WORDPRESS_DB_HOST: db:3306

WORDPRESS_DB_USER: wordpress

WORDPRESS_DB_PASSWORD: wordpress

WORDPRESS_DB_NAME: wordpress

volumes:

db_data: {}

Build the project

Now, run docker-compose up -d from your project directory.

This runs docker-compose up in detached mode, pulls the needed Docker images, and starts the WordPress and database containers.

Install WordPress via your Browser

Once the docker process finish, then open http://MACHINE_VM_IP:8000 in a web browser.

If you are using Docker Desktop for Mac or Docker Desktop for Windows, you can use http://localhost as the IP address, and open http://localhost:8000 in a web browser.

wordpress-welcome screen

Shutdown and cleanup

The command docker-compose down removes the containers and default network, but preserves your WordPress database.

If you like FreeWebMentor and you would like to contribute, you can write an article and mail your article to [email protected] Your article will appear on the FreeWebMentor main page and help other developers.