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Run Flarum on Docker

What is Flarum?​

Flarum is a modern, fast forum platform built around a single extension system, everything from the core discussion view to third-party features is an extension, all installed and updated through Composer. It is a PHP application backed by a MySQL or MariaDB database, served through a web server, and it needs Composer available on the server for both the initial install and every extension you add later.

Why run Flarum 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, Composer 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 Flarum install can run the newer PHP its latest release requires while another project stays on an older version, 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 Flarum​

Flarum has no official Docker image of its own, only community-maintained ones, 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 your Flarum forum today, add a Laravel API, a WordPress marketing 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 a Flarum 1.x install and the newer PHP-8.3-only Flarum 2.0 can 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 Flarum it gives you a production-style NGINX + PHP-FPM stack, MySQL/MariaDB already wired, and a workspace container with Composer and git already installed, exactly what Flarum's own install docs assume you have.

Run Flarum on Docker with Laradock​

1. Add Laradock to your project​

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

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

2. Pick the services your forum needs​

Flarum 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 Flarum at the containers​

Flarum's installer writes a config.php for you, but this is the shape of it once installed; use the service name as the database host:

'database' => [
    'driver'   => 'mysql',
    'host'     => 'mysql',
    'database' => 'default',
    'username' => 'default',
    'password' => 'secret',
    'prefix'   => '',
],

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 forum​

Enter the workspace container, use Composer to fetch Flarum, then finish the setup in the browser:

docker compose exec workspace bash
composer create-project flarum/flarum . --stability=beta

Then open http://localhost and follow Flarum's install wizard: it validates your PHP extensions, asks for the database details from the step above, and creates the administrator account (some Flarum versions also expose this as php flarum install for a CLI-driven setup). That is a full Flarum forum 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

Flarum's 1.x line needs PHP 8.1 or newer, while Flarum 2.0 requires PHP 8.3+; Laradock covers anything from PHP 5.6 to 8.5, so the same tool runs an older Flarum 1.x forum and a Flarum 2.0 install side by side, each isolated, none of it installed on your machine.

Frequently Asked Questions​

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

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

Which services should I start for a typical Flarum forum?​

nginx mysql workspace covers most forums: web server, database, and a shell with Composer for installing and updating extensions. Swap mysql for mariadb if you prefer.

Can I run multiple Flarum forums 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.