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Run Concrete CMS on Docker

What is Concrete CMS?​

Concrete CMS (formerly concrete5) is an open source CMS best known for in-context editing: content editors work directly on the live page instead of a separate admin form. A Concrete CMS site is a PHP application backed by a MySQL or MariaDB database, served through a web server.

Why run Concrete 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 Concrete 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 Concrete CMS​

Concrete CMS has no official Docker tool of its own, so a ready-made, no-lock-in environment matters even more. Here is why Laradock is the best fit:

  • You are never locked into one ecosystem. Laradock is framework-agnostic. Run Concrete CMS today, add a Laravel API, a WordPress site, or a plain PHP script beside it tomorrow, all in the same environment with the same commands.
  • Far more flexibility. 100+ ready services and any PHP version from 5.6 to 8.5, so an older Concrete install and a current one each get exactly the runtime they need.
  • 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. Our CLI is an optional nicety, never a requirement.

Concretely, for Concrete CMS it gives you a production-style NGINX + PHP-FPM stack, MySQL/MariaDB already wired, and a workspace container with git and Composer installed.

Run Concrete CMS on Docker with Laradock​

1. Add Laradock to your project​

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

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

2. Pick the services your site needs​

Concrete 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 Concrete CMS at the containers​

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

Server: mysql
Username: default
Password: secret
Database: 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 and Composer live, and fetch Concrete CMS:

docker compose exec workspace bash
curl -LO https://www.concretecms.org/download_file/concrete5.zip   # only if you have no 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

Concrete CMS 9 supports PHP 7.4 through 8.x, with PHP 8.0 or newer recommended, and Laradock covers anything from PHP 5.6 to 8.5, so the same tool runs an older 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 Concrete CMS with Laradock?​

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

Which services should I start for a typical Concrete 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 Concrete 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 (VirtioFS helps a lot); 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.