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Docker Compose can run a complete self-hosted application stack on one VPS. A production deployment normally combines an application container, a private database network, named volumes for state, Compose secrets, health checks, and a reverse proxy that is the only service exposed to the internet. The examples below show a reusable layout and the changes needed for WordPress, Ghost, and Nextcloud.
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What Docker Compose on a VPS actually provides
Compose describes related containers, networks, volumes, secrets, and startup dependencies in YAML. On a VPS, Docker Engine runs that definition continuously, so the same stack can be recreated after a host failure, an image update, or a migration to another Docker host. Docker’s production guidance describes a single server as the easiest way to deploy an application, using a setup similar to development.
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Compose is an orchestrator for one host, not a replacement for backups, firewall rules, monitoring, or a high-availability cluster. It is a good fit when one VPS can handle the application’s workload and you accept that the VPS itself remains a single failure domain.
Prepare the VPS and project directory
Host prerequisites
- Use a supported Linux distribution and install a current Docker Engine with the Compose plugin from Docker’s installation documentation.
- Create a dedicated, non-root deployment directory and use a non-root operational workflow where possible.
- Restrict SSH access and configure the host firewall. For a typical web stack, expose SSH and ports 80 and 443 only.
- Point DNS records at the VPS before requesting certificates. Keep the application’s image tags compatible with its documented support matrix.
- Have external backup storage ready. A backup stored only on the VPS is not protection against loss of that VPS.
Recommended layout
my-app/
compose.yaml
compose.production.yaml
.env.example
secrets/
db_password.txt
backups/
README.mdKeep the real .env file and everything under secrets/ out of version control. Give secret files restrictive permissions and ensure the deployment directory cannot be modified by unrelated users. Commit an .env.example containing variable names but no credentials.
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A reusable production-oriented Compose stack
The following pattern separates public traffic from internal traffic. The proxy joins the front network and publishes HTTP and HTTPS. The application joins both networks so it can receive proxy traffic and reach the database. The database joins only the private back network.
services:
app:
image: example/app:1.2
restart: unless-stopped
networks: [front, back]
environment:
DATABASE_HOST: db
DATABASE_PASSWORD_FILE: /run/secrets/db_password
secrets: [db_password]
depends_on:
db:
condition: service_healthy
volumes:
- app_data:/var/lib/example
db:
image: postgres:16
restart: unless-stopped
networks: [back]
environment:
POSTGRES_DB: app
POSTGRES_USER: app
POSTGRES_PASSWORD_FILE: /run/secrets/db_password
secrets: [db_password]
volumes:
- db_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data
healthcheck:
test: ["CMD-SHELL", "pg_isready -U app -d app"]
interval: 10s
timeout: 5s
retries: 5
proxy:
image: caddy:2
ports:
- "80:80"
- "443:443"
networks: [front]
volumes:
- caddy_data:/data
- caddy_config:/config
volumes:
app_data:
db_data:
caddy_data:
caddy_config:
secrets:
db_password:
file: ./secrets/db_password.txt
networks:
front:
back:
internal: trueReplace the image names, storage paths, health probe, and environment variables with those specified by the target application. The internal: true setting prevents the back network from being used as a directly published network; it does not replace host-level firewall rules.
Why named volumes and secrets matter
Named volumes preserve state
Containers are replaceable. A named volume stores database files, uploads, configuration, or certificates outside the container lifecycle, so recreating a container does not erase that state. Use a separate volume for each major data set and document its purpose.
Back up both the database and file volumes. A database dump gives you a portable logical backup; a volume-level copy can preserve uploaded files and application-specific state. Store copies outside the VPS and perform a restore test rather than assuming a completed backup is usable.
Compose secrets limit credential exposure
Define a secret with a local file and list it only on services that need it. Compose mounts the value under /run/secrets/; applications that support the convention can read a variable such as DATABASE_PASSWORD_FILE. This keeps passwords out of images, command lines, and ordinary environment files. Secret files still require filesystem permissions and should never be committed to a repository.
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Use a production override instead of editing the base file
Keep development conveniences in compose.yaml and apply production-only changes in compose.production.yaml. This makes the deployment explicit and lets you render the final configuration before starting containers.
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app:
ports: []
logging:
options:
max-size: "10m"
max-file: "3"
db:
ports: []Run these commands from the project directory:
docker compose -f compose.yaml -f compose.production.yaml config
docker compose -f compose.yaml -f compose.production.yaml up -d
docker compose ps
docker compose logs --tail=100 appThe config command renders the merged file. Inspect image tags, interpolated values, mounts, ports, networks, and secret references before exposing the service publicly. For a targeted rebuild and recreation, build the service and then recreate it without starting unrelated dependencies:
docker compose build web
docker compose up --no-deps -d webUse the actual service name in place of web. Retain the previous image tag and a current database backup before an upgrade so a rollback has both the old software and the old data.
WordPress with MySQL behind a proxy
Docker publishes an official WordPress/MySQL Compose sample that is a useful starting point. For a VPS deployment, put MySQL on the private network, mount a named volume for its data directory, and expose WordPress through the reverse proxy rather than publishing the container’s HTTP port directly.
Production changes to make
- Use a MySQL image version supported by the WordPress image and your plugins.
- Provide the database password through a secret file when the selected image supports the corresponding
*_FILEvariable. - Add a MySQL health check and make WordPress wait for the healthy condition instead of merely waiting for the database process to start.
- Persist the WordPress content directory, including uploads and plugins, in a named volume.
- Publish only the proxy’s 80/443 ports. Keep MySQL’s port and WordPress’s internal port un published on the host.
Validation before calling it production-ready
Create a test post with an image, verify permalink rewrites, confirm scheduled tasks run, and exercise a full restore of both the database dump and the content volume. A successful container start does not prove that uploads, cron, or a restore will work.
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Ghost with MySQL 8 and forwarded HTTPS headers
The official Ghost image specifies MySQL 8, HTTPS, and a reverse proxy that sends X-Forwarded-For, X-Forwarded-Host, and X-Forwarded-Proto: https for production. Ghost should not have its internal port exposed directly to the internet.
Required Compose design
- Run Ghost and MySQL 8 on the private application network, with Ghost also attached to the proxy network.
- Persist Ghost’s content directory in a named volume so themes, images, and other uploaded content survive container replacement.
- Set Ghost’s
urlto the real HTTPS domain, not an internal service name or an HTTP address. - Configure the proxy to preserve the three forwarded headers required by the image documentation.
- Use a MySQL health check and a dependency condition so Ghost does not repeatedly start against an unready database.
After deployment, test canonical redirects, image uploads, the admin interface, and links generated by the editor. Incorrect scheme or host headers commonly produce HTTP links, redirect loops, or broken secure cookies even when the containers appear healthy.
Nextcloud behind a reverse proxy
Nextcloud’s basic container setup does not provide SSL and is intended to run behind a proxy. User files and application data must be stored in Docker volumes, and the database must be persistent as well.
Proxy and trust settings
Configure trusted_proxies with the proxy’s private address or an appropriately narrow private CIDR. Nextcloud requires explicit trusted proxy addresses to prevent clients from spoofing forwarded information. Set the forwarded-proto behavior so Nextcloud recognizes that external requests arrived over HTTPS.
Operational dependencies
- Add Redis when the supported Nextcloud deployment requires it for locking or background work, and keep Redis on the private network.
- Persist the Nextcloud data volume and database volume; neither should be an anonymous container filesystem.
- Test WebDAV, large uploads, browser access through the public hostname, and background jobs.
- Verify that generated links remain HTTPS and that the application does not report an untrusted domain or proxy warning.
How the three examples differ
| Application | Database and dependencies | Persistent data and backup | Public exposure | HTTPS/proxy details | Readiness and upgrades |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WordPress | MySQL; verify image and plugin compatibility | MySQL data plus WordPress content/uploads; database dump and volume backup | Proxy only; MySQL and internal WordPress port private | Proxy terminates TLS and forwards requests to WordPress | MySQL health check; test uploads, rewrites, cron, and restore before upgrades |
| Ghost | MySQL 8 is required for production | Ghost content volume plus MySQL data; back up both | Proxy only; do not publish Ghost’s internal port | HTTPS URL and X-Forwarded-For, X-Forwarded-Host, X-Forwarded-Proto: https |
Database health check; retain the prior image tag and backup for rollback |
| Nextcloud | Database; Redis may be required by the supported deployment | Nextcloud data and database volumes; use database dumps plus file backups | Proxy, database, and Redis remain on private networks | Configure trusted proxy addresses and forwarded HTTPS behavior | Test WebDAV, large uploads, background jobs, and proxy settings after changes |
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Expose only what the internet needs
Bind host ports deliberately. In a normal web deployment, the reverse proxy owns 80 and 443; application, database, cache, and administration ports stay un published. Compose service-to-service DNS uses names such as db, so an application does not need the database port exposed on the VPS.
Review every ports: entry in the rendered configuration. A port added for local development can unintentionally bypass authentication, TLS, and proxy headers when copied to production. Use private networks for east-west traffic and host firewall rules for north-south traffic.
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- Read the application and image release notes, including database-version and migration requirements.
- Take a fresh database dump and back up changed file volumes.
- Change one service or image tag at a time; do not silently replace a pinned tag with
latest. - Render the merged files with
docker compose ... configand check mounts, ports, secrets, and networks. - Recreate the selected service and inspect
docker compose psand its logs. - Run application-level checks: login, uploads, links, background jobs, and any protocol-specific test such as WebDAV.
- If the release fails, restore the previous image tag and database backup according to the application’s migration guidance rather than deleting volumes.
Monitor disk growth, certificate renewal, container restart counts, health-check failures, and log volume. Configure bounded container logs, as shown in the production override, and arrange external alerting if the VPS is business-critical.
Common failure modes
The app starts before the database is ready
A running database process may still be initializing. Add a real health check and use depends_on with condition: service_healthy. Confirm that the probe uses the correct database name and user.
Data disappears after recreation
Inspect the rendered mounts and confirm that the application and database write to named volumes. Copying a container or relying on its writable layer does not create a recoverable backup.
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Credentials are visible in configuration
Move passwords to Compose secret files, remove them from committed YAML and images, rotate any value that was exposed, and verify which services actually receive the secret.
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Check the proxy’s forwarded host and proto headers, the application’s canonical URL, and the trusted-proxy setting where applicable. Test from the public hostname rather than only from an internal container network.
A container is healthy but the site is unreachable
Check DNS, the VPS firewall, host port bindings, proxy logs, certificate state, and whether another process already occupies 80 or 443. A Compose health check usually tests the container locally; it does not prove that external traffic reaches it.
VPS launch checklist
- Supported Linux, current Docker Engine, and Compose plugin installed.
- Dedicated non-root project directory with restrictive permissions.
- DNS pointed to the VPS and only required firewall ports open.
- Image tags pinned after checking application support requirements.
- Secrets stored in protected files outside version control.
- Production override rendered and inspected with
docker compose config. - Named volumes created for every database and application data set.
- Health checks passing before public DNS is enabled.
- External database and file backups completed, with a restore test.
- Rollback image tags, release notes, log limits, certificate monitoring, and disk alerts documented.
The Bottom Line
A secure Compose VPS deployment is mostly about boundaries: keep state in named volumes, credentials in secrets, databases on private networks, and public traffic at one maintained reverse proxy. Validate the merged configuration and a real restore before treating the stack as production.
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