Laradock vs the Official WordPress Docker Setup

Unlike Laravel with Sail, WordPress has no single official Docker environment. Instead you have three common paths: the WordPress core team's wp-env, the community-maintained official wordpress Docker image wired up with a hand-written docker-compose.yml, and vendor images like Bitnami WordPress. This page compares those with Laradock.

wp-env is a zero-config, plugin/theme-development tool. The official image is a bare building block you wire yourself. Laradock is a full, pre-wired environment with real NGINX/MySQL/Redis and 100+ optional services. This page sets WordPress up on each.

TL;DR: use wp-env if you build plugins or themes and want a throwaway WordPress in one command. Wire the official image yourself if your stack is tiny and you enjoy writing compose files. Pick Laradock when you want a production-style stack (real web server, Redis object cache, any PHP version), run more than WordPress, or want the same environment to reach production.

Setting up with wp-env

wp-env is a Node package that spins up WordPress + MySQL in Docker with no configuration:

npm -g install @wordpress/env
cd my-plugin
wp-env start

WordPress comes up at http://localhost:8888, with your plugin/theme folder mapped in. Configure via a .wp-env.json (PHP version, WordPress version, mapped plugins/themes). It is purpose-built for development of WordPress extensions, not for running a real site: no NGINX (PHP built-in server), no Redis, no mail catcher, and the service list is fixed.

Setting up with the official WordPress image

You write the compose file yourself:

services:
  db:
    image: mysql:8.0
    environment:
      MYSQL_DATABASE: wordpress
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: secret
  wordpress:
    image: wordpress:php8.3-apache
    ports: ["8080:80"]
    environment:
      WORDPRESS_DB_HOST: db
      WORDPRESS_DB_PASSWORD: secret
    depends_on: [db]

docker compose up -d and you are live at http://localhost:8080. Full control, but everything beyond WordPress + one database (Redis, a real NGINX config, WP-CLI, a mail catcher, HTTPS) is yours to add and maintain.

The same thing with Laradock

cd my-site
git clone https://github.com/laradock/laradock.git
cd laradock

Laradock CLI

./laradock start nginx mysql redis workspace
./laradock workspace

Docker Compose

cp .env.example .env
docker compose up -d nginx mysql redis workspace
docker compose exec workspace bash

The workspace container ships WP-CLI, so wp core download, wp config create, and wp core install all work inside it. You get a real NGINX in front, Redis for object caching, and any PHP version from 5.6 to 8.5. Full walkthrough: Run WordPress on Docker.

Side by side

	wp-env	Official image	Laradock
Install	Node + @wordpress/env	Nothing (write compose)	Nothing (git clone)
Config	.wp-env.json	Your docker-compose.yml	per-service folders + one .env
Web server	PHP built-in server	Apache (image default)	Real NGINX / Apache / Caddy
Object cache (Redis)	❌	Add it yourself	✅ one word
WP-CLI	✅ (wp-env run cli)	Add a wordpress:cli service	✅ in workspace
Other services	None (fixed)	Whatever you wire	100+ (search, queues, mail, monitoring)
PHP versions	Recent only	Image tags	5.6 - 8.5
Runs non-WordPress projects	❌	You'd rewrite the compose	✅ any PHP project
Production path	❌ dev tool	Roll your own	./laradock ship → server / Kubernetes / cloud

Choose wp-env if...

• You develop WordPress plugins, themes, or contribute to core, and want a disposable instance in one command.
• You do not need a production-like stack, just WordPress running against your code.

Choose the official image if...

• Your needs are minimal (WordPress + one database) and you like owning a short compose file.
• You do not mind wiring Redis, NGINX, WP-CLI, and mail yourself as the project grows.

Choose Laradock if...

• You want a production-style local stack: real NGINX, Redis object caching, HTTPS via Caddy/Traefik.
• You run WordPress and other PHP projects and want one environment for all of them.
• You need a specific or legacy PHP version WordPress must run on.
• You want the same containers to reach production with ./laradock ship, not just live on your laptop.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does WordPress have an official Docker setup?

Not one, but two building blocks: the WordPress core team publishes wp-env (aimed at extension/core development) and maintains the official wordpress image on Docker Hub (a bare runtime you wire into a compose file). Neither is a full local-development environment the way Laradock is.

Is wp-env good for running a real WordPress site?

No. wp-env is designed for developing plugins, themes, and WordPress core, so it deliberately omits a production-style web server, Redis, and mail. For a site that resembles production, use the official image with your own services, or Laradock.

Can I add Redis object caching?

With wp-env and the official image you add it yourself. With Laradock, Redis is one word in the start command (./laradock start redis), and the workspace container has WP-CLI to install the object-cache drop-in.

See the full landscape, including native GUI tools: Laradock vs Local WP and Laradock vs Others. Ready to try it? Run WordPress on Docker takes about five minutes.