Build the test environment as a Compose project that contains your game service, test runner, database, queue, and any other dependencies. In CI, render the final configuration, assign the job a unique Compose project name, start dependencies with health checks, run the tests, collect logs and reports, and tear the project down even when a test fails. Profiles or a CI override file let you reuse the same definition without making development and CI identical.
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What a Docker Compose CI environment does
Continuous integration (CI) should test the game build against the same kinds of services it uses outside the test job: a database for player profiles and inventory, a cache or queue for matchmaking, and internal APIs for authentication, telemetry, or commerce. Docker Compose lets you describe those containers in YAML, connect them on a private network, and create and destroy the whole environment as one project.
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Docker documents Compose as suitable for production, staging, development, testing, and CI workflows. It also describes the basic testing pattern as creating an isolated environment, running the suite, and destroying that environment afterward. The isolation is only reliable when you add the CI-specific controls in this guide: unique project names, readiness checks, deterministic configuration, and cleanup.
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Choose the services your tests actually need
Start with a small dependency graph. Put the application under test, the test runner, and stateful dependencies in compose.yaml. Add a service only when a test requires it; unnecessary containers increase startup time and create more failure modes.
A practical game-backend layout
api: the game API or service being tested.test: a disposable container containing the test framework and its command.db: a clean database for each CI project.redis: a cache, session store, or queue substitute when the game uses one.migrate: an optional one-shot service that applies schema migrations before tests run.
Keep service names stable. Within the Compose network, the hostname is the service name, so the API should connect to db:5432 rather than to localhost. The test runner should call the API by its service name as well. This removes host-port assumptions and allows the same definition to run on a laptop or a CI worker.
Example base Compose file
services:
db:
image: postgres:16
environment:
POSTGRES_DB: game_test
POSTGRES_USER: game
POSTGRES_PASSWORD_FILE: /run/secrets/db_password
secrets:
- db_password
healthcheck:
test: ["CMD-SHELL", "pg_isready -U game -d game_test"]
interval: 5s
timeout: 5s
retries: 12
start_period: 10s
redis:
image: redis:7-alpine
healthcheck:
test: ["CMD", "redis-cli", "ping"]
interval: 5s
timeout: 3s
retries: 12
api:
build:
context: .
target: test
environment:
DATABASE_URL: postgres://game@db:5432/game_test
REDIS_URL: redis://redis:6379
depends_on:
db:
condition: service_healthy
redis:
condition: service_healthy
migrate:
build:
context: .
target: test
command: ./scripts/migrate.sh
environment:
DATABASE_URL: postgres://game@db:5432/game_test
depends_on:
db:
condition: service_healthy
restart: "no"
test:
build:
context: .
target: test
profiles: ["test"]
environment:
DATABASE_URL: postgres://game@db:5432/game_test
REDIS_URL: redis://redis:6379
API_URL: http://api:8080
depends_on:
migrate:
condition: service_completed_successfully
api:
condition: service_started
command: ./scripts/run-tests.sh
secrets:
db_password:
file: ./.ci/db_passwordThe image tags in this example are pinned rather than left at latest. Pinning makes a database or cache upgrade an intentional change in the repository. Use the versions your game supports; the important property is that the tag and the application dependencies are reviewed together.
The secret file is an example of Compose’s secret mechanism. In CI, create the file from the provider’s protected secret store before starting Compose, restrict its permissions, and delete it during cleanup. Do not commit it. If your database image or application does not support a file-based secret, use the platform’s documented secret integration rather than placing a password in a normal environment variable.
Profiles and override files: when to use each
A single Compose file can describe several environments. Docker profiles group optional services or settings, so a developer can run the normal stack while CI enables a test runner or migration job. A second file is better when CI needs different ports, volumes, environment values, restart policies, or build targets.
| Approach | Best for | Command pattern | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Profiles | Optional services such as test runners, seeders, or debugging tools | docker compose --profile test up -d |
Keeps one file, but profile selection must be explicit in every CI command. |
| Layered override | CI-only ports, volumes, environment, resource limits, or restart behavior | docker compose -f compose.yaml -f compose.ci.yaml up -d |
Separates concerns, but the merged result must be inspected. |
| Separate complete files | Truly different architectures or incompatible service definitions | docker compose -f compose.ci.yaml up -d |
Simple per environment, but duplicated definitions can drift. |
Prefer profiles or additive overrides before maintaining two complete stacks. For example, keep the database and API in the base file, then put CI’s tmpfs volume, test command, and disabled restart policy in compose.ci.yaml:
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services:
db:
volumes:
- type: tmpfs
target: /var/lib/postgresql/data
api:
restart: "no"
test:
profiles: ["test"]Compose merges files in the order supplied. Later files change or add to values from earlier files, so always inspect the resolved configuration before running the job.
Render and validate the configuration before starting
Variable interpolation, profiles, and multiple files can produce a different configuration from the YAML you are looking at. Run docker compose config in CI and save its output as a diagnostic artifact when practical:
docker compose
-f compose.yaml
-f compose.ci.yaml
--profile test
configThe command parses, resolves, and renders the canonical configuration. It catches an unset variable, an invalid merge, or a service that is not attached to the profile you intended to run. Review the rendered output for accidental host ports, a production database hostname, unpinned images, and secrets that have been expanded into plain text. Do not publish the rendered file if it contains credentials.
Make readiness explicit, not implied
depends_on controls startup order. It does not, by itself, mean that a database has finished recovery, accepted connections, or completed initialization. A container can be running while its service is still unavailable.
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depends_on:
db:
condition: service_healthyFor a migration step, use condition: service_completed_successfully so the test runner starts only after the migration container exits with status zero. Keep the migration command idempotent: rerunning it should not corrupt an existing schema. If the application performs its own startup migrations, have the health check test the post-migration endpoint instead of merely checking that the process is listening.
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What a useful health check tests
- Database: a native readiness command such as
pg_isready, not just an open TCP port. - Cache or queue: a protocol-level ping that confirms the service accepts commands.
- API: a lightweight endpoint that proves configuration and dependency initialization are complete.
- External API mock: a local health endpoint for the mock service, avoiding a dependency on the public internet.
Health checks should have a finite interval, timeout, retry count, and startup grace period. A check that retries forever can leave a CI worker occupied until the provider’s global timeout; one that is too aggressive can fail a healthy service during image extraction.
Prevent concurrent CI jobs from colliding
Compose groups containers, networks, and volumes under a project name. If every job uses the default directory-derived name, two builds can attempt to share names or a network. Docker specifically recommends a unique project name on a CI server to prevent interference between builds.
Derive the name from the CI system’s unique run identifier and pass it on every Compose command:
export COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME="ci-${BUILD_ID}"
docker compose --profile test up --build -d
docker compose --profile test run --rm test
docker compose logs --no-color > compose.log
docker compose down --volumes --remove-orphansAlternatively, use the command-line flag:
docker compose -p "ci-${BUILD_ID}" --profile test up --build -dUse a value that contains only characters accepted by Compose project naming rules. Do not reuse a pull-request number if multiple reruns can execute simultaneously; use a run or job identifier. Include --remove-orphans during teardown so a service removed from the file cannot remain attached to that project.
Run the isolated test lifecycle
The reliable sequence is start, test, collect diagnostics, and tear down. Put teardown in a CI cleanup or finally block so it runs after both success and failure.
- Create protected configuration. Write the database password or other secret to the temporary path expected by Compose. Export non-secret values such as the build number and test flags.
- Validate the merged file. Run
docker compose configwith the same files, profiles, and project variables used by the real commands. - Build and start dependencies. Run
docker compose --profile test up --build -d. Omit--buildonly when the images are already built from the exact commit being tested. - Wait for readiness. Let health-check conditions gate migrations and tests. If a dependency is not represented by a health check, add a bounded polling script rather than an arbitrary long sleep.
- Run the suite. Use
docker compose --profile test run --rm testfor a one-off test container. Usedocker compose execwhen the test command must run inside an already-running service. - Collect evidence. Save
docker compose logs --no-color, the test report, coverage output, and relevant application logs before removing containers. - Destroy the project. Run
docker compose down --volumes --remove-orphans. Volumes are important: without removing them, a supposedly clean database can survive into a later job on the same worker.
docker compose run --rm creates a temporary container for a command and removes it when that command exits. docker compose exec attaches to an existing container, which is useful for a debugging command but less deterministic for the primary test invocation.
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Example GitHub Actions job
The same shell sequence works in most CI systems. This example shows the important controls in a GitHub Actions job; adapt the secret syntax and artifact steps to your provider.
name: integration-tests
on:
pull_request:
push:
jobs:
compose-test:
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
env:
COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME: ci-${{ github.run_id }}-${{ github.run_attempt }}
steps:
- uses: actions/checkout@v4
- name: Create CI secret file
shell: bash
run: |
mkdir -p .ci
umask 077
printf '%s' '${{ secrets.TEST_DB_PASSWORD }}' > .ci/db_password
- name: Validate Compose configuration
run: docker compose --profile test config
- name: Build and start services
run: docker compose --profile test up --build -d
- name: Run tests
run: docker compose --profile test run --rm test
- name: Collect Compose logs
if: always()
run: docker compose logs --no-color > compose.log || true
- name: Upload diagnostics
if: always()
uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
with:
name: compose-diagnostics
path: |
compose.log
test-results/
- name: Tear down
if: always()
run: docker compose down --volumes --remove-orphans
- name: Remove temporary secret
if: always()
run: rm -f .ci/db_passwordThe workflow uses the run ID and attempt number so a retry does not reuse a previous project. Keep the test command’s exit status: the test step should fail the job when the suite fails. Diagnostic commands use || true only when their own failure must not hide the original test failure.
For larger projects, Docker’s official GitHub Actions pattern builds and exports an image, tests it, and then performs a multi-platform build and push. The initial build’s internal cache can be reused by the later build. A Compose-based job can follow the same idea: build the test image once, run Compose against that image, and configure the build action’s cache so dependency layers are reused between runs. Cache keys must include the relevant lockfile or Dockerfile inputs; otherwise stale dependencies can make a test appear reproducible when it is not.
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Use an environment file or explicit variables for non-sensitive settings such as API_URL, feature flags, log levels, and a test shard number. Keep CI values separate from a developer’s local .env file so a laptop credential cannot leak into a build.
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Passwords, signing keys, tokens, and private certificates belong in a secret mechanism. Ordinary environment variables can be exposed through process inspection, container metadata, debug output, or an accidentally published configuration dump. Compose secrets mounted at /run/secrets avoid putting the value directly in the service environment; the application must be written to read the file.
Seed deterministic test data inside the job. A migration container can create the schema, and a separate seed command can insert known players, inventory, and matchmaking fixtures. Do not point integration tests at a shared development database: tests that delete rows, advance clocks, or change feature flags will interfere with other builds and produce non-reproducible failures.
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Reproducibility and speed
Reproducibility comes from controlling every input that can change the result:
- Pin base images and dependency versions; update them in a reviewed change.
- Commit the Compose files, Dockerfiles, lockfiles, migration scripts, and seed fixtures.
- Render the final configuration with
docker compose configin the job. - Set the timezone and locale explicitly when tests compare formatted dates or sort text.
- Use a fixed random seed for tests that support one, while retaining a way to reproduce a failed seed.
- Keep the database and cache ephemeral unless a specific test verifies persistence or upgrade behavior.
Speed up the job without weakening isolation. Order Dockerfile layers so operating-system packages and language dependencies are cached before frequently changing source code. Reuse CI build cache between runs, but rebuild when the lockfile, base image, or Dockerfile changes. Parallel test shards can each use a different project name and database; never make them share a Compose project merely to save startup time.
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Diagnostics that make failures actionable
When a test fails, preserve enough context to distinguish an application assertion from an environment problem. Collect:
- the rendered Compose configuration with secrets removed;
- service logs from the API, database, cache, migration, and test containers;
- the test runner’s XML or JSON report and coverage files;
- container status and health information from
docker compose ps; - the commit, image digest, Compose version, and build identifier.
Run docker compose ps before teardown when a service is unhealthy. A container that exited immediately often indicates an invalid command, missing variable, or failed migration. A container that is running but unhealthy points to a readiness command, credentials, network address, or initialization problem. Save logs before down; after removal, the most useful evidence is gone.
Common failures and fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Tests start, then database connections fail | Startup order was mistaken for readiness | Add a database health check and gate the dependent service with service_healthy; verify credentials and the service hostname. |
| Migration and tests race each other | Both commands start after the database but not after migration completion | Run migration as a one-shot service and make the test service depend on service_completed_successfully. |
| Two jobs report missing containers or connect to the wrong database | They share the default project name | Set COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME or -p from a unique run identifier on every command. |
| A later job sees rows from an earlier job | Volumes were left behind | Use down --volumes --remove-orphans in an always-run cleanup step. |
| CI uses a development port or volume | The override was not supplied or merged as expected | Run docker compose -f ... config and inspect the resolved ports, mounts, profiles, and environment. |
| The test image contains old code | A cached layer or previously built local image was reused | Build from the checked-out commit, review cache inputs, and use up --build when the image must be rebuilt. |
| Logs are missing after a failure | Teardown ran before collection | Collect logs and reports in an always-run step before calling down. |
| A secret appears in an artifact | It was passed as a normal variable or printed rendered configuration | Use a secret mount, redact configuration output, and remove temporary files after the job. |
Security and cleanup boundaries
Run only the services needed for tests, expose no host ports unless a test requires host access, and bind development-only administration tools to loopback when they are enabled locally. CI containers should not contain production credentials or production network routes. Treat a pull-request build as untrusted code: limit the permissions of its CI token and avoid mounting the host Docker socket into application containers unless the build design explicitly requires it.
Cleanup has two boundaries. First, remove the Compose project and its anonymous or named volumes. Second, remove generated secret files and test artifacts that contain credentials. On shared workers, also verify that failed jobs cannot leave networks, containers, or volumes under an old project name.
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Decide whether your Compose design is ready
- Isolation: every job has a unique project name and always-run teardown.
- Readiness: stateful services have health checks, and migrations complete before tests begin.
- Reuse: profiles or an additive CI file change only what CI needs.
- Reproducibility: images and dependencies are pinned, and the resolved configuration is rendered.
- Diagnostics: logs, health status, test reports, and coverage are retained on failure.
- Security: secrets use a secret mechanism, are not committed, and are removed after the job.
- Performance: build layers and CI caches are reused without sharing mutable databases between jobs.
If all seven checks pass, the Compose project is doing more than launching containers: it is defining a repeatable contract for the game’s integration tests. Developers can run the same lifecycle locally, while CI adds only the isolation, credentials, caching, and artifact handling required by an automated worker.
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