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What you need before installing
A Docker WordPress deployment has several prerequisites that are easy to overlook. Confirm them before running any Compose command.
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| Requirement | What to verify |
|---|---|
| VPS operating system | A supported 64-bit Linux distribution. Docker currently lists Ubuntu 22.04, 24.04, and 26.04 among its supported Ubuntu releases; check the exact release on your server before following package instructions. |
| Administrative access | SSH access with an account that can use sudo. |
| DNS | An A and/or AAAA record that points your domain to the VPS address. |
| Storage | Enough capacity for the operating system, Docker images, the database, uploads, backups, and logs. There is no universal minimum because media libraries and traffic vary. |
| Software | Docker Engine, Docker CLI, Buildx, and the Docker Compose CLI plugin installed from Docker’s repository. |
Use a current Docker repository installation rather than the legacy standalone Compose binary. Docker warns that published container ports can bypass rules normally enforced by ufw or firewalld, so plan the firewall and port mappings together.
Install Docker Engine and Compose on Ubuntu
Docker’s package names and repository steps can change, so use the current instructions for your VPS distribution. On Ubuntu, the documented package set is:
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sudo apt update
sudo apt install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin
sudo systemctl status docker
sudo docker run hello-world
sudo docker compose versionThe final command should print the installed Compose plugin version. If docker compose is not recognized, the plugin is missing or the installation came from a different package source. Resolve that before creating the application stack.
Create a private Compose project
Make a directory for the deployment and keep the Compose file and environment file together:
mkdir -p ~/wordpress
cd ~/wordpressCreate .env with unique credentials. Do not commit this file to a public repository or paste it into support forums.
MYSQL_DATABASE=wordpress
MYSQL_USER=wordpress
MYSQL_PASSWORD=replace-with-a-long-random-password
MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=replace-with-a-different-long-random-passwordUse separate, randomly generated values for the application password and the root password. Restrict the file to the deployment account, for example with chmod 600 .env.
Define WordPress and MariaDB in compose.yaml
Create compose.yaml in the same directory:
services:
db:
image: mariadb:10.6
restart: unless-stopped
command: --default-authentication-plugin=mysql_native_password
environment:
MYSQL_DATABASE: ${MYSQL_DATABASE}
MYSQL_USER: ${MYSQL_USER}
MYSQL_PASSWORD: ${MYSQL_PASSWORD}
MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: ${MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD}
volumes:
- db_data:/var/lib/mysql
wordpress:
image: wordpress:apache
restart: unless-stopped
depends_on:
- db
ports:
- "127.0.0.1:8080:80"
environment:
WORDPRESS_DB_HOST: db:3306
WORDPRESS_DB_USER: ${MYSQL_USER}
WORDPRESS_DB_PASSWORD: ${MYSQL_PASSWORD}
WORDPRESS_DB_NAME: ${MYSQL_DATABASE}
volumes:
- wp_data:/var/www/html
volumes:
db_data:
wp_data:How the file works
db: Runs MariaDB and stores its data indb_data, mounted at MariaDB’s data directory,/var/lib/mysql.wordpress: Runs the Apache-based WordPress image and stores the WordPress tree, including themes, plugins, and uploads, inwp_dataat/var/www/html.- Service-name networking: WordPress connects to
db:3306. The namedbis the Compose service name; it is not an external DNS name and does not require a public database port. - Loopback binding:
127.0.0.1:8080:80makes WordPress reachable on the VPS itself but not directly on the public network interface. - Restart policy:
unless-stoppedrestarts services after a reboot or crash until you deliberately stop them.
The sample uses mariadb:10.6 as an example. Select and pin a database tag only after checking compatibility with your WordPress version, existing data, and the image’s support lifecycle. The official Compose examples also demonstrate MySQL 8.0.27; neither database family is universally superior. Existing MySQL data, backup tooling, and team experience should determine the choice.
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Start the stack and complete WordPress setup
- Pull the images:
docker compose pull - Start both services in the background:
docker compose up -d - Check container state:
docker compose ps - Read the latest WordPress messages:
docker compose logs --tail=100 wordpress
Initialization is not instantaneous. The database must create its system tables before WordPress can complete its first connection. A blank or incomplete first response can simply mean that initialization is still running; inspect both service logs and wait before changing credentials.
For a temporary direct test, change the port mapping to 8080:80, recreate the stack, and visit http://VPS_IP:8080. This exposes the port publicly, so use it only briefly and remove the public binding when testing is finished. The safer production mapping keeps the address on loopback for the reverse proxy.
When the installer appears, choose the language, site title, administrator account, and administrator password. Set the site address to the final HTTPS domain rather than a localhost or temporary IP address. That prevents generated links, redirects, and canonical URLs from retaining the test address.
Put the site behind DNS, HTTPS, and a reverse proxy
Point the domain to the VPS
Create the required A record for IPv4 and, if the server is configured for IPv6, an AAAA record. Wait for the records to resolve to the VPS before requesting a certificate. Keep the Compose service on 127.0.0.1:8080; the proxy will be the only public application entry point.
Configure the edge proxy
Use Nginx, Caddy, Traefik, or another trusted reverse proxy to accept requests for the domain and forward them to 127.0.0.1:8080. Configure it to:
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- Listen for HTTP and redirect it to HTTPS.
- Terminate TLS and renew the certificate through the proxy’s supported ACME workflow.
- Forward the original host and client protocol so WordPress can generate correct URLs.
- Allow request bodies large enough for the media uploads you expect.
- Send traffic only to the loopback-bound WordPress port.
After HTTPS works, revisit the WordPress settings and confirm both the WordPress Address and Site Address use the final https:// URL. If the site was initially installed at an IP address, change the URLs carefully; an incorrect replacement can produce redirect loops or mixed-content warnings.
Do not expose an FPM container directly
If you choose an image such as wordpress:<tag>-fpm instead of the Apache image, the proxy must speak FastCGI and pass requests to the PHP-FPM process. FastCGI is not an HTTP service and must not be exposed directly to the Internet. The official image guidance also requires the proxy’s script paths to match the FPM image layout: use /usr/src/wordpress rather than assuming the Apache image’s /var/www/html path in every proxy directive. An Apache image is usually simpler when you do not already operate a FastCGI-capable proxy.
Lock down the VPS and containers
- Publish only the ports you need. A typical public server permits SSH, HTTP, and HTTPS; the database should remain un published.
- Remember that Docker-published ports can bypass some
ufw/firewalldfiltering. Review Docker’s packet-filtering behavior and verify access from an external network. - Never map
3306to the VPS public interface for this stack. WordPress reaches MariaDB through the private Compose network atdb:3306. - Keep
.envreadable only by the deployment account and rotate credentials if they are disclosed. - Use pinned image tags in version control rather than silently tracking an unreviewed moving tag in production.
- Schedule Docker Engine and image updates, review release notes, and rebuild or redeploy regularly for security fixes.
- Configure log rotation or a logging driver with rotation. Docker’s default
json-filelogs can grow until the VPS runs out of disk space.
Understand persistence before changing containers
Named volumes are the persistence boundary in this design:
| Volume | Container path | What it contains |
|---|---|---|
db_data |
/var/lib/mysql |
MariaDB system tables and WordPress database data. |
wp_data |
/var/www/html |
WordPress core files, uploaded media, plugins, themes, and configuration generated in the document root. |
docker compose down removes containers and the Compose network but preserves these volumes. Recreating containers with docker compose up -d therefore keeps the site. By contrast, docker compose down --volumes also deletes the database and WordPress volumes. Treat that command as destructive and never use it as routine cleanup on a live site.
Compose may prefix volume names with the project directory, so list them before copying or restoring data:
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docker volume lsBack up the database and WordPress files
A VPS snapshot alone is not a substitute for application-level backups. Back up both the logical database and the WordPress files, store the resulting files outside the live volumes and preferably off the VPS, and perform a restore rehearsal.
Export the database
mkdir -p backups
docker compose exec -T db sh -c 'mariadb-dump -u root -p"$MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD" "$MYSQL_DATABASE"' > backups/wordpress.sqlThis creates a SQL dump of the database named by MYSQL_DATABASE. Protect the dump because it can contain users, settings, post content, and other sensitive information.
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Stop writes briefly for a consistent file snapshot, then archive the named volume. Replace the volume name with the project-prefixed name shown by docker volume ls:
docker compose stop wordpress
docker run --rm
-v wordpress_wp_data:/data
-v "$PWD/backups":/backup
alpine tar czf /backup/wp_data.tgz -C /data .
docker compose start wordpressIf the actual volume is named differently, substitute that name in the -v option. Keep the SQL dump and file archive together for the same backup point. A restore is only trustworthy when you have actually imported the SQL and started a disposable copy of the files successfully.
Update WordPress, images, and the operating system safely
- Record the current image tags and keep the Compose file under version control.
- Take a fresh database dump and file backup.
- Read release notes for the WordPress image, database image, and Docker Engine. Check compatibility before changing a major database tag.
- Change the pinned tags deliberately, then pull the new images:
docker compose pull - Recreate the services:
docker compose up -d - Check state and logs:
docker compose ps docker compose logs --tail=100 db wordpress - Open the site, log in, test a page, upload, plugin, and administrator action, and monitor disk usage.
Keep the previous Compose file and image tags available as a rollback path. A rollback may still require restoring the database if the upgrade performed an irreversible schema migration, which is why the pre-upgrade backup is essential.
Troubleshoot the most common failures
WordPress cannot connect to the database
Check that WORDPRESS_DB_HOST is exactly db:3306, that the database service is named db, and that the three application credentials in .env match the values used when MariaDB was first initialized. Then inspect both logs:
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docker compose ps
docker compose logs db wordpressChanging database environment variables after a volume already contains an initialized database does not retroactively change the database users or passwords. Make the credentials agree with the existing data, or perform a planned password change inside MariaDB.
The first page is blank or incomplete
Wait for initialization and inspect the WordPress and database logs. A first request made while MariaDB is creating its tables can fail even though the stack becomes healthy moments later.
The domain redirects to localhost or an IP address
Set both WordPress URL fields to the final HTTPS domain and check the proxy’s forwarded host and protocol headers. Clear browser and proxy caches after correcting the values.
HTTPS works but uploads fail
Check the proxy’s request-body limit, the available disk space, and permissions within the WordPress volume. Also verify that PHP limits in the selected image are sufficient for the file sizes you intend to upload.
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A plugin needs a missing PHP extension
The official WordPress image cannot include every possible PHP library. Build a derived image that installs the required extension, pin the resulting image, and test it before deploying to the live service. Do not modify a running container manually and expect the change to survive recreation.
The VPS disk fills unexpectedly
Check Docker images, named volumes, backups, and container logs. Configure log rotation, move backups off the VPS, prune only resources you have verified are unused, and monitor the filesystem before it reaches 100 percent.
Apache versus FPM, and MariaDB versus MySQL
| Decision | Apache-based WordPress image | FPM-based WordPress image |
|---|---|---|
| Proxy requirement | HTTP reverse proxy forwards to the container’s web server. | Reverse proxy must support FastCGI and pass the correct script paths. |
| Exposure risk | Expose only through the HTTP proxy or loopback binding. | Never expose the FastCGI endpoint directly; it is not a safe public protocol. |
| Operational complexity | Lower for a first VPS deployment. | More moving parts, potentially appropriate when you already operate FastCGI and need that architecture. |
| Database choice | Evaluate |
|---|---|
| MariaDB | Compatibility with your WordPress data, selected image tag, support lifecycle, dump/restore tools, and team familiarity. |
| MySQL | Compatibility with existing databases and plugins, image support lifecycle, backup tooling, and operational experience. |
The Compose pattern is the same either way: one private database service, one WordPress service, environment-based connection settings, and separate persistent volumes. Choose the database that best matches the data and maintenance skills you already have rather than assuming one is always faster or safer.
Quick Recap
Operational checklist
- Docker Engine, CLI, Buildx, and the Compose plugin report working versions.
- The Compose file uses pinned, reviewed image tags.
- The database has no public port mapping.
- WordPress is bound to loopback and reached externally through the reverse proxy.
- DNS resolves to the VPS and HTTP redirects to HTTPS.
- The WordPress and Site Address values use the final HTTPS domain.
.envcontains unique secrets and is not committed.- Named volumes are present and
docker compose down --volumesis treated as destructive. - Database and file backups are stored off the VPS.
- A restore rehearsal has succeeded.
- Log rotation, disk monitoring, update review, and rollback procedures are in place.
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