Docker Compose PHP Nginx MySQL Example

A starter local stack for PHP apps that need Nginx and MySQL. Review paths, ports and secrets before production.

docker-compose.yml 
services:
  app:
    image: php:8.3-fpm
    volumes:
      - ./app:/var/www/html
  nginx:
    image: nginx:alpine
    ports:
      - "8080:80"
    volumes:
      - ./app:/var/www/html
      - ./nginx.conf:/etc/nginx/conf.d/default.conf
    depends_on:
      - app
  mysql:
    image: mysql:8
    environment:
      MYSQL_DATABASE: app
      MYSQL_USER: app
      MYSQL_PASSWORD: app_local_password
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: root_local_password
    volumes:
      - mysql_data:/var/lib/mysql
volumes:
  mysql_data:

How to use this example

  1. Create app and nginx.conf paths before starting the stack.
  2. Run docker compose up -d.
  3. Check docker compose logs -f if any service exits.

Notes

  • Starter passwords are for local development only.
  • Use named volumes for database persistence.

Related tools and fixes

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 Nginx Nginx Config Validator Helper

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 Docker Docker Compose Port Already Allocated Fix

A port allocation error means Docker cannot bind the host port requested in docker-compose.yml. Find what owns the port before changing random service config.

 Nginx Nginx Redirect Loop Fix

Redirect loops happen when two layers keep sending the browser back and forth. The fix is to locate the layer producing each Location header.

Last updated: May 18, 2026