Setting up WordPress, phpMyAdmin, and MySQL with Docker Compose

Using Docker Compose simplifies setting up a local development stack for WordPress, phpMyAdmin, and MySQL. This guide explains how to configure the services using the provided docker-compose.yml file.

Here are a few prerequisites before we begin:

• Install Docker: Ensure Docker and Docker Compose are installed and running on your system. You can download and install Docker from here.
• Prepare the Workspace: Create a directory for your project (e.g., wordpress-docker) and place the docker-compose.yml file there.

Docker Compose YAML Breakdown

The provided docker-compose.yml file sets up:

• WordPress container for the front-end UI.
• MySQL container for the database.
• phpMyAdmin container for database management. Can be substituted for your preffered database management tool.

Here’s the code snippet for your docker-compose.yml file:

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services:
  wordpress:
    image: wordpress:latest
    container_name: WordpressUI
    restart: always
    ports:
      - 8080:80
    volumes:
      - ./wp-data:/var/www/html
    environment:
      WORDPRESS_DB_HOST: db:3306
      WORDPRESS_DB_USER: your-username
      WORDPRESS_DB_PASSWORD: your-unique-username
      WORDPRESS_DB_NAME: your-database-name
    networks:
      - development

  db:
    image: mysql:latest
    container_name: Mysqldb
    ports:
      - 3306:3306
    volumes:
      - ./mysql-data:/var/lib/mysql
    restart: always
    environment:
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: your-root-password
      MYSQL_DATABASE: your-database-name
      MYSQL_USER: your-username
      MYSQL_PASSWORD: your-unique-username
    networks:
      - development

  phpmyadmin:
    image: phpmyadmin/phpmyadmin:latest
    container_name: PHPmyAdmin
    restart: always
    depends_on:
      - db
    environment:
      PMA_HOST: db
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: your-root-password
    ports:
      - "8081:80"
    networks:
      - development

networks:
  development:

volumes:
  data:

Step-by-Step Setup

mkdir -p wp-data mysql-data

docker-compose up -d

Code Insights

1. WordPress Configuration:

• Connects to the MySQL container via the hostname db.
• Stores its data in ./wp-data.

2. MySQL Configuration:

• Database credentials are defined in the environment section.
• Uses ./mysql-data for persistent storage.

3. phpMyAdmin Configuration:

• Connects to the MySQL container using PMA_HOST: db.
• Exposes the interface on port 8081.

Troubleshooting

Depending on your configuration you may incounter a few common issues. Here is how to resolve them:

• Port Conflicts: If ports 8080 or 8081 are in use, modify them in the ports section.
• Database Errors: Ensure the MYSQL_* environment variables are consistent across WordPress and MySQL services.

Enhancements

• Security: Use strong passwords and encrypt sensitive data.
• Backups: Schedule backups for wp-data and mysql-data directories.
• Scaling: Use Docker Swarm or Kubernetes for horizontal scaling.

This setup provides a seamless environment to develop, manage, and experiment with WordPress, MySQL, and phpMyAdmin locally. Utilizing Docker Compose, you can deploy, manage, and troubleshoot this stack with minimal effort.