Docker Compose is a tool that lets you define and run multi-container Docker applications using a single configuration file. Instead of starting each container manually via the Docker CLI, you can describe all your services (like a web app, database, cache, etc.) in a docker-compose.yml
file and run everything with a single command.
Docker Compose = Project config + Multiple containers + One command to run it all
docker-compose.yml
version: '3.9'
services:
web:
build: .
ports:
- "5000:5000"
volumes:
- .:/code
redis:
image: "redis:alpine"
This file:
Builds and runs a local web app container
Starts a Redis container from the official image
Automatically networks the two containers
docker-compose up # Start all services in the foreground
docker-compose up -d # Start in detached (background) mode
docker-compose down # Stop and remove containers, networks, etc.
✅ Easy setup for multi-service applications
✅ Version-controlled config (great for Git)
✅ Reproducible development environments
✅ Simple startup/shutdown of entire stacks
Local development with multiple services (e.g., web app + DB)
Integration testing with full stack
Simple deployment workflows (e.g., via CI/CD)
Helm is an open-source package manager for Kubernetes, a container orchestration platform. With Helm, applications, services, and configurations can be defined, managed, and installed as Charts. A Helm Chart is essentially a collection of YAML files that describe all the resources and dependencies of an application in Kubernetes.
Helm simplifies the process of deploying and managing complex Kubernetes applications. Instead of manually creating and configuring all Kubernetes resources, you can use a Helm Chart to automate and make the process repeatable. Helm offers features like version control, rollbacks (reverting to previous versions of an application), and an easy way to update or uninstall applications.
Here are some key concepts:
In essence, Helm greatly simplifies the management and deployment of Kubernetes applications.