Run WordPress in Docker

Running WordPress in Docker offers a stable and repeatable local development setup. It eliminates environment-specific issues and simplifies service management. Using Docker alongside Visual Studio Code improves usability, especially for local development and customization.

Requirements

Ensure the following components are installed:

• Docker Desktop (Windows/macOS) or Docker Engine (Linux)
• Visual Studio Code with the Docker extension

Setup

Begin by creating a dedicated project folder.

1. Open Visual Studio Code.
2. Open a terminal in VS Code.
3. Create a new directory for your project and navigate into it:

mkdir wordpress
cd wordpress

Docker

Inside the project directory, create a docker-compose.yml file to define the services for WordPress and its dependencies.

1. In Visual Studio Code, create a new file named docker-compose.yml.
2. Add the following content to the file:

services:
  db:
    image: mysql:9.3
    volumes:
      - ./data/mysql:/var/lib/mysql
    restart: always
    environment:
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: password
      MYSQL_DATABASE: wordpress
      MYSQL_USER: wordpress
      MYSQL_PASSWORD: wordpress
    networks:
      - wpsite
 
  phpmyadmin:
    depends_on:
      - db
    image: phpmyadmin:latest
    restart: always
    ports:
      - '8080:80'
    environment:
      PMA_HOST: db
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: password
    networks:
      - wpsite
 
  wordpress:
    depends_on:
      - db
    image: wordpress:latest
    ports:
      - '8000:80'
    restart: always
    volumes:
      - wordpress_data:/var/www/html
      - ./wp-content:/var/www/html/wp-content:cached
    environment:
      WORDPRESS_DB_HOST: db:3306
      WORDPRESS_DB_USER: wordpress
      WORDPRESS_DB_PASSWORD: wordpress
    networks:
      - wpsite
 
volumes:
  wordpress_data:
 
networks:
  wpsite:

Services

• db: MySQL 9.3 container with persistent storage
• phpmyadmin: Web interface for database management at http://localhost:8080
• wordpress: WordPress container accessible at http://localhost:8000, with local wp-content mapping

Startup

To launch your WordPress environment:

docker-compose up -d

This starts the containers in detached mode. The initial setup can take a few minutes as Docker downloads the necessary images.

Visit http://localhost:8000 in your browser to complete the WordPress installation (language, site name, user credentials).

Container

On the first run, complete the WordPress installation in your browser by choosing a language and entering site credentials.

Management

Use the following commands for container control:

Stop

docker-compose down

This stops and removes containers but retains volume data.

Restart

docker-compose up -d

Customisation

To develop or install custom themes and plugins:

1. Navigate to the wp-content/themes or wp-content/plugins directory in your project folder.
2. Add or modify files directly.
3. Changes reflect immediately in your running site.

Editing

Use Visual Studio Code to modify your WordPress setup:

• Open the project directory in VS Code.
• Edit themes, plugins, or core files.
• Save changes to see them reflected in the browser.

Docker simplifies local WordPress development by providing a containerized, consistent environment. When paired with Visual Studio Code, it allows efficient file management, rapid customization, and reliable performance across different systems.