Setting Up WordPress with Docker Containers: A Step-by-Step Guide
Running WordPress with Docker gives you a consistent development environment without having to install and configure WordPress, PHP, a web server and a database directly on your computer. Instead of installing each component separately, Docker lets you run WordPress and its database in isolated containers. Docker Compose then allows you to define the entire setup in a single configuration file and start everything with one command. In this guide, you will learn how to run WordPress with Docker Compose, connect WordPress to MySQL, persist your website data with Docker volumes, access WordPress locally, manage the containers, troubleshoot common problems and prepare the setup for deployment. What You Need Before Running WordPress with Docker Before creating your WordPress container, make sure you have: You can check whether Docker is installed and running with: Then check Docker Compose: Finally, run: If Docker is running correctly, the command should return a list of running containers. An empty list is also fine if you have not started any containers yet. What Is WordPress Docker? WordPress Docker refers to running WordPress inside a Docker container instead of installing the WordPress software directly on your computer or server. A typical WordPress Docker setup contains at least two services: The WordPress container runs the WordPress application, PHP and the web server included in the selected WordPress image. The MySQL container stores your WordPress database, including posts, pages, users, settings and other application data. Docker Compose connects these services on a private Docker network so that WordPress can communicate with MySQL using the database service name. The official WordPress Docker image supports several variants, including Apache and PHP-FPM-based images. For a straightforward local development environment, the standard WordPress Apache image is usually the simplest place to start. Read Also: Best eCommerce Hosting for WordPress & WooCommerce in 2026 WordPress Docker: How to Get Started With It Download and Run Docker Docker has a lot of different products that, when used together, make a very useful set of tools for software developers. You can get started using the Docker Engine by downloading the free version of the Community Edition: In order to download the engine, you will first need to make a Docker account for yourself. Then, read the information that Docker provides you under the heading “Get started.” Eight distinct versions of Docker available for you to select from. Download Docker Desktop for Windows and make sure your Windows system meets the following requirements if you want to follow along with this demo: In order to download the engine, you will first need to sign in to your Docker account. You will also need to make sure that your computer has a terminal application installed and ready to use. Once your system has been restored to full functionality, open the command line. If you don’t want to install another program, you can simply search for Powershell on Windows. Next, enter ‘docker ps’. If Docker is properly installed, you should see the Docker menu with a whale icon on your desktop’s status bar. Set up a Container With a WordPress Environment Variables There are two ways to approach this step: either make a container and arrange each component one at a time, or do it all at once. Let’s take a look at the second option as it makes sense to do so. We’ll use a program called Docker Compose, which allows you to configure all of the services your container should have all at once. Compose comes pre-installed with Docker Desktop for Mac or Windows: You must use Terminal to run the installation commands if you’re using Linux. Just remember that the Docker Engine is a requirement for Compose. To work on any WordPress development, you must have both installed to make up the entire environment. All of the services of your application are configured by Compose using YAML files. This method of presenting data serialization is user-friendly and compatible with all computer languages. In this instance, the YAML file will configure the essential data for the WordPress database service. Outline the Project Start working on your first WordPress development project after installing Compose and Docker Engine. You must use the “make directory” single command to establish a fresh, empty project directory: mkdir new_wordpress/m The current directory will serve as the development context and will only include the things you actually need, like your docker-compose.yml file. In the subsequent step, we’ll generate the configuration file. Next, use the single command below to navigate to your new directory: cd new_wordpress/ You are now in the directory for your new project and are prepared to start working. Make a YAML Docker-compose file You must now make a fresh docker-compose.yaml file. Your new WordPress installation and the required MySQL database container will be created as a result. Your file will include all of the essential hostnames, db container, ports, and root passwords for both WordPress and your database. Your YAML file should resemble the following: It’s important to note that Docker volumes include persistent data. To properly understand volumes, you may wish to consult the volume documentation. Read Also: Hostinger Web Hosting: A Comprehensive Review Create the Project Directory After configuring the YAML file, you must run the script to fetch all the necessary images and set up your WordPress project. You should issue the following command from within the root directory of the project: Currently, Docker should be “pulling” in the MySQL and WordPress images, as you can see. It’s important to note that the Docker Hub image pages for the MySQL and WordPress application containers include a wealth of useful information. Consider these to be your one-stop reference guide for the container image’s useful commands. It would be wise to save them for later use. Access WordPress Installation Page You must use the port specified in your YAML root file rather than the standard WordPress /install.php script. The final step is to instruct Docker to launch your container. Use the following command within the root folder containing your