A sample multi-container application with Docker Compose

Building a modern application that includes a web server, a backend application, and a database requires coordinating several software components effectively. Docker Compose is a tool that simplifies the process of defining and managing Docker multi-container applications. In this article, we will explore how to set up an application that uses Nginx as a reverse proxy for a Node.js application, with MySQL as the backend database.

Architecture Overview

Our application will consist of three main services:

  1. MySQL: the database that stores the application data.
  2. Node.js: the backend application that interacts with the database.
  3. Nginx: the web server that acts as a reverse proxy for the Node.js application, improving security and performance.

Step 1: Project Setup

Create a new directory for the project and create the following subdirectories and files inside it:

  • db: a directory for any MySQL initialization scripts.
  • app: a directory for the application source code Node.js.
  • nginx: a directory for configuring Nginx.
  • docker-compose.yml: the file of Docker Compose configuration.

Step 2: Configuring Docker Compose

The docker-compose.yml file defines the services, networks, and volumes that make up the application. Here is an example of how it could be configured:


version: '3.8'
services:
   db:
     image: mysql:5.7
     volumes:
       - db-data:/var/lib/mysql
     environment:
       MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: example
       MYSQL_DATABASE: mydatabase
     networks:
       - app-network

   apps:
     build: ./app
     depends_on:
       - db
     environment:
       DB_HOST: db
       DB_USER: root
       DB_PASSWORD: example
       DB_NAME: mydatabase
     networks:
       - app-network

   nginx:
     image: nginx:latest
     ports:
       - "80:80"
     volumes:
       - ./nginx:/etc/nginx/conf.d
     depends_on:
       - app
     networks:
       - app-network

volumes:
   db-data:

networks:
   app-network:
     drivers: bridge

Step 3: Configuring the Node.js App

In the app directory, create a simple Node.js server that connects to MySQL and responds to HTTP requests. Use the express module for the server and mysql to connect to MySQL.

Step 4: Configuring Nginx

In the nginx directory, create an Nginx configuration file, default.conf, that configures Nginx as a reverse proxy for your Node.js application. The file must direct requests to the app service.

Step 5: Building and Launching the Application

After configuring all the components, you can build and launch the application with Docker Compose by running:


docker-compose up --build

This command will build the Node.js application image, download the MySQL and Nginx images if they are not already present, and start the containers. The services will now be accessible: Nginx will listen on port 80 of your host, acting as a reverse proxy to the Node.js application, which in turn interacts with the MySQL database.

Conclusion

You have successfully created a multi-container application with Docker Compose, which includes a Node.js server, a MySQL database, and Nginx as a reverse proxy. This configuration offers a solid starting point for developing robust and scalable applications.

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