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Run Backdrop CMS on Docker

What is Backdrop CMS?​

Backdrop CMS is a fork of Drupal 7, built for small-to-medium sites and organizations that want Drupal 7's familiar module and theme system with modern updates like built-in configuration management, without the larger learning curve of Drupal 8 and later. A Backdrop CMS site is a PHP application backed by a MySQL or MariaDB database, served through a web server.

Why run Backdrop CMS in Docker?​

Docker packages each of those pieces (NGINX, PHP-FPM, MySQL) into isolated containers that run the same on every machine. Instead of installing PHP and MySQL onto your laptop, where versions collide between sites and "works on my machine" starts, you run disposable containers that mirror production and vanish cleanly when you delete them. One site can run PHP 8.2 while an older Backdrop install runs 7.4, on the same computer, with nothing installed globally.

The catch: wiring those containers together yourself (base images, PHP extensions, networking, permissions) is a week of fiddly Docker work. That is exactly what Laradock removes.

Why Laradock is the best fit for Backdrop CMS​

Backdrop CMS ships its own official Docker image on Docker Hub, so, unlike most PHP projects, it does not strictly need Laradock. It is still the best fit, and here is why:

  • You are never locked into one ecosystem. Laradock is framework-agnostic. The day you add a Laravel API, a WordPress site, or a plain PHP script beside your Backdrop install, it runs in the same environment with the same commands. A single-purpose image cannot do that.
  • Far more flexibility. 100+ ready services and any PHP version from 5.6 to 8.5, versus the narrower set of tags the official image maintains.
  • Nothing is hidden and you own everything. No generated files, no magic, no wrapper binary between you and Docker. Every Dockerfile and compose file is right there for you to read and edit.
  • Nothing new to learn. What you use is plain docker compose, knowledge that transfers straight to production and to every other project. Our CLI is an optional nicety, never a requirement.

For Backdrop CMS specifically, Laradock wires a production-style NGINX + PHP-FPM stack and MySQL/MariaDB already available, plus a workspace container with git installed for anything you need to script around the site.

Run Backdrop CMS on Docker with Laradock​

1. Add Laradock to your project​

cd my-backdrop-site
git clone https://github.com/laradock/laradock.git
cd laradock && cp .env.example .env

(No Backdrop files yet? Clone Laradock first, then download Backdrop from the workspace container in the next steps.)

2. Pick the services your site needs​

Backdrop CMS needs a web server and a database. The web server pulls in PHP-FPM automatically:

docker compose up -d nginx mysql workspace

Prefer MariaDB? Swap the name: docker compose up -d nginx mariadb workspace. The full catalog is here.

Prefer to be asked? The optional CLI walks you through the choices: ./laradock setup, then ./laradock up. It prints every real command it runs.

3. Point Backdrop CMS at the containers​

Backdrop's installer asks for the database connection in the browser wizard; use the service name as the host:

Database host: mysql
Database username: default
Database password: secret
Database name: default

The default database, user and password live in Laradock's mysql/defaults.env; override any of them by adding the line to Laradock's .env (it always wins).

4. Install and run your site​

Enter the workspace container, where git lives, and fetch Backdrop:

docker compose exec workspace bash
curl -LO https://backdropcms.org/download-latest   # only if you have no Backdrop files yet

Extract the archive into your project's public folder, then open http://localhost and finish the installer in the browser using the database details from the step above.

Change the PHP version anytime​

This is where a native install hurts and Laradock shines. Set the version in Laradock's .env and rebuild:

PHP_VERSION=8.1
docker compose build php-fpm workspace

Backdrop CMS requires PHP 7.1 or newer and is compatible up through PHP 8.3, and Laradock covers anything from PHP 5.6 to 8.5, so the same tool runs an older Backdrop site and a current one side by side, each isolated, none of it installed on your machine.

Frequently Asked Questions​

Do I need to install PHP or MySQL to run Backdrop CMS with Laradock?​

No. Everything lives inside the containers. git is in the workspace container; you never install PHP or MySQL on your host.

Which services should I start for a typical Backdrop CMS site?​

nginx mysql workspace covers most sites: web server, database, and a shell. Swap mysql for mariadb if you prefer.

Can I run multiple Backdrop CMS sites on different PHP versions?​

Yes. Give each its own Laradock with a unique COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME and DATA_PATH_HOST, set a different PHP_VERSION in each, and they run independently on the same machine.

Does this work the same on macOS, Windows and Linux?​

Yes. Laradock runs anywhere Docker runs. On macOS/Windows, file-sync speed depends on Docker Desktop; it is a Docker Desktop trait, not specific to Laradock.

Is this the same Docker setup I would use in production?​

The containers are production-style (real NGINX + PHP-FPM), so it is far closer to production than a native install. See Prepare Laradock for Production for the hardening steps.

Comparing environments? See the full Laradock vs Others breakdown. Ready to start? Getting Started takes about five minutes.