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Put your app, database, and other local services in a project-level workflow instead of starting each one by hand. If your stack already runs in containers, Docker Compose is the most direct place to start: it defines and runs a multi-container application from a Compose configuration. For more service visibility or control, Tilt can organize an existing Compose setup.
Choose the workflow that matches your stack
| Approach | Best fit | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Project script | Your project already uses package scripts for commands. | A script gives the team a consistent entry point, but npm’s documentation does not establish that npm itself supervises multiple long-running processes together. You may need a separate process manager. |
| Docker Compose | Your app and dependencies run as containers. | Compose supports a declared multi-container setup, optional services through profiles, and configuration split across multiple Compose files. Check whether you need file-driven development updates. |
| Tilt with Compose | You want a dashboard, service-level controls, or live updates on top of Compose. | Consider the extra setup and learn Tilt’s start/stop lifecycle before adopting it. |
Docker Compose CLI documentation describes Compose as a way to define and run multi-container applications. The right choice depends on your existing project conventions, whether dependencies are containerized, and how much visibility or per-service control you need; the documentation does not establish a universal winner.
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Use Docker Compose for a containerized app and its dependencies
Keep the app and supporting services in a Compose configuration so one project workflow can bring them up together. Docker’s Node.js development guide demonstrates an application alongside a database and explains how Compose Watch can update running services as files change.
If some services should be optional, use Compose profiles; if the configuration is easier to maintain in layers, Compose can combine multiple files. These let you select which services to start and organize configuration without making developers maintain a separate startup routine for every terminal tab.
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Check compatibility before using Compose Watch
Compose Watch is part of Compose’s development features. The optional develop subsection in the Compose Develop specification requires Docker Compose version 2.22.0 or later, and individual actions may require later versions. Check the minimum version for the specific action you plan to use rather than assuming every development feature works with any Compose installation.
Use package scripts as the project’s command interface
For a JavaScript project, npm run <script> runs a command defined in the package’s scripts object, according to the npm run documentation. A script can make a project command easy to discover and consistent across the team. However, npm’s documented behavior alone does not show that it will manage several services’ lifecycles together. If the app and database need to run concurrently, use a workflow or process manager that explicitly handles multiple long-running processes.
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Add Tilt when you need more control over Compose services
Tilt’s Compose guide explains how to connect an existing Compose file, organize services in a dashboard, control which services run, and add live updates. This can help when a single command is no longer enough and developers need to see or manage individual services during development.
Pay attention to how Tilt stops services: they can remain running after the tilt up process exits. Use tilt down when you want to stop them. The Tilt CLI reference documents its commands and presents Tilt as a tool for local microservice development.
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Decide where dependencies should run
Not every development stack needs every dependency on one machine. Tilt documents three arrangements: all-local, hybrid, and all-remote services. Its guide to choosing clusters can help you think through whether a dependency should run locally, be hosted, or sit in a mix of local and remote infrastructure. Choose based on what the project requires, not simply to avoid opening another tab.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.A practical way to make the switch
- List the services you start manually. Separate the app, required dependencies, and optional tools so you know what the shared workflow needs to start.
- Match the workflow to the existing setup. Use Compose when the stack is containerized; use package scripts as a project command interface when that fits your JavaScript project. Do not assume a script alone supervises concurrent services.
- Decide what should be optional. In Compose, profiles can select optional services, while multiple Compose files can separate configuration layers.
- Verify development-update support. If you want Compose Watch, check the installed Compose version against the relevant feature requirements.
- Add Tilt only for a concrete need. Its dashboard and controls can help with service visibility or live updates; make sure the team also understands that
tilt downstops services that may outlivetilt up.
For exact setup commands and configuration syntax, follow the documentation for the tool and project you use; the workflow depends on how that project defines its services.
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