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Run Contao on Docker

What is Contao?​

Contao is an open-source CMS built on Symfony, aimed at editors and agencies that need a structured, accessibility-focused site builder rather than a blogging tool. A Contao site is a PHP application backed by a MySQL (or MariaDB) database, served through a web server, installed either via the Contao Manager (a web-based graphical installer) or via Composer from the command line.

Why run Contao 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 projects and "works on my machine" starts, you run disposable containers that mirror production and vanish cleanly when you delete them. One site can run the PHP version the current Contao release needs while another project stays on an older one, 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 Contao​

Contao ships the Contao Manager, a self-contained PHP file that drives Composer for you, but it is not a Docker tool and does not solve the underlying web server, PHP or database setup. A ready-made, no-lock-in environment still matters. Here is why Laradock is the best fit:

  • You are never locked into one ecosystem. Laradock is framework-agnostic. Run Contao 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 Contao 4 install and a current Contao 5 build 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 Contao it gives you a production-style NGINX + PHP-FPM stack, MySQL/MariaDB already wired, a workspace container with Composer and git installed, and any PHP version behind a single line of config.

Run Contao on Docker with Laradock​

1. Add Laradock to your project​

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

(No Contao project yet? Clone Laradock first, then create one from the workspace container in the next steps.)

2. Pick the services your site needs​

Contao needs a web server and a database. Start exactly those (the web server pulls in PHP-FPM automatically):

docker compose up -d nginx mysql workspace

Prefer MariaDB over MySQL? 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 Contao at the containers​

Contao reads its database connection from DATABASE_URL in the project's .env. Use the service name as the host, and the default database, user and password from mysql/defaults.env:

DATABASE_URL=mysql://default:secret@mysql:3306/default?serverVersion=8.0

Override any of those values by adding the line to Laradock's .env instead (it always wins).

4. Install and run your site​

Enter the workspace container, create the project with Composer, and install it from the command line:

docker compose exec workspace bash
composer create-project contao/managed-edition my-contao-site
cd my-contao-site
vendor/bin/contao-console contao:migrate
vendor/bin/contao-console contao:user:create

contao:migrate sets up the database schema and contao:user:create creates your first back end administrator. Then open http://localhost for the front end and http://localhost/contao for the back end. That is a full Contao site running on Docker.

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=8.3
docker compose build php-fpm workspace

Current Contao (5.7) requires PHP 8.3 or newer, so the same tool runs it alongside an older Contao 4 project pinned to PHP 7.4, each isolated, none of it installed on your machine.

Frequently Asked Questions​

Do I need to install PHP, Composer or MySQL to run Contao with Laradock?​

No. Everything lives inside the containers. Composer, git and MySQL are all provided; you never install them on your host.

Which services should I start for a typical Contao site?​

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

Can I run multiple Contao 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.