Docker Compose

Docker Compose is a tool to centrally manage the deployment of multiple Docker containers. It is an important tool for any application that requires multiple microservices, as it allows each service to be efficient in a separately managed container.

Docker containers are used to run applications in an isolated environment. Nowadays, it is very common to see applications running in containers because of the many benefits it brings such as a scalabale micro-services architecture, portability and environment isolation. However, it is often not as easy as running a single container. In fact, most applications can have many containers that come together and act as one cohesive service made up of many moving parts. The management of multiple containers introduces another level of complexity, specially when considering the life cycle of a container: creation, starting, pausing, stopping, restarting and removal.

Managing all of this at the time of deployment could become a cumbersome task. Docker Compose offers a lot of value specially due to its declarative nature where it allows the user to only define the desired state of the environment. A complete configuration for multiple containers can be defined in a single YAML file which can then be executed with a single command instead of entering several commands in the terminal. Thus, Docker Compose is a valuable tool in the deployment and maintenance of microservice architectures.