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Run HTMLy on Docker

What is HTMLy?​

HTMLy is a flat-file blogging platform written in PHP. Instead of a database, every post and page is stored as a plain text file on disk, which keeps the whole stack down to a web server and a PHP runtime. It is aimed at people who want a fast, simple blog without the overhead (and the extra moving part) of running MySQL.

Why run HTMLy in Docker?​

Docker packages the web server and PHP runtime into isolated containers that run the same on every machine. Instead of installing PHP 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 blog can run PHP 8.3 while another runs an older 7.4 setup, on the same computer, with nothing installed globally.

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

Why Laradock is the best fit for HTMLy​

HTMLy has no official Docker image or first-party runtime 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 HTMLy 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 HTMLy install and a brand-new 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 HTMLy it gives you a production-style NGINX + PHP-FPM stack, no database container to babysit, a workspace container with git and Composer installed, and any PHP version behind a single line of config.

Run HTMLy on Docker with Laradock​

1. Add Laradock to your project​

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

(No HTMLy files yet? Clone Laradock first, then download HTMLy from the releases page into your project root.)

2. Pick the services your blog needs​

HTMLy has no database, so it only needs a web server. Start that (it pulls in PHP-FPM automatically) and the workspace shell:

docker compose up -d nginx workspace

The full catalog of every other available service 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 HTMLy at the containers​

There is no hostname to configure, since there is no database. HTMLy reads its settings from config.ini in the project root; rename config.ini.example to config.ini and set your site URL, timezone and title there. Posts and pages live as plain files under content/posts and content/pages, which sit on your host through Laradock's normal volume mount, so you can edit them with any editor while the containers run.

4. Install and run your blog​

Open the installer in your browser to generate the admin account and finish the config, then remove it:

http://localhost/install.php

Follow the on-screen steps, then delete install.php from the project root. (If you do not need a login at all, skip the installer, rename config.ini.example to config.ini yourself, and delete install.php.)

Then open http://localhost. That is a full HTMLy blog 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

HTMLy needs PHP 7.2 or newer; current releases run cleanly on PHP 8.x. The same tool runs an old blog pinned to an older PHP release and a brand-new install side by side, each isolated, none of it installed on your machine.

Frequently Asked Questions​

Do I need to install PHP or a database to run HTMLy with Laradock?​

No. There is no database at all: HTMLy stores posts as flat files. PHP lives entirely inside the containers; you never install it on your host.

Which services should I start for a typical HTMLy blog?​

nginx workspace is all a HTMLy blog needs; the web server pulls in PHP-FPM automatically. There is no database service to add.

Can I run multiple HTMLy blogs 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.