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.

In short:

Docker Compose = Project config + Multiple containers + One command to run it all

Example: 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

Common Commands:

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.

Benefits of Docker Compose:

✅ Easy setup for multi-service applications
✅ Version-controlled config (great for Git)
✅ Reproducible development environments
✅ Simple startup/shutdown of entire stacks

Typical Use Cases:

• Local development with multiple services (e.g., web app + DB)

• Integration testing with full stack

• Simple deployment workflows (e.g., via CI/CD)