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Run Mezzio on Docker

What is Mezzio?​

Mezzio is a PSR-15 middleware microframework from the Laminas Project (the successor to Zend Framework). It is known for its minimal, middleware-first architecture: you pick your own router, dependency injection container, template renderer and error handler at install time. Mezzio itself has no built-in database layer; a real app pairs it with a web server, PHP, and whichever database library you add (laminas-db or Doctrine are common), typically against MySQL or PostgreSQL.

Why run Mezzio 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 a database 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 project can run PHP 8.3 while another runs 8.1, 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 Mezzio​

Unlike Laravel, Mezzio has no official Docker tool 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 Mezzio today, add a Laravel service, 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 a lean Mezzio middleware service and a heavier app 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 Mezzio it gives you a production-style NGINX + PHP-FPM stack, MySQL/PostgreSQL already wired, and a workspace container with Composer and git installed.

Run Mezzio on Docker with Laradock​

1. Add Laradock to your project​

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

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

2. Pick the services your app needs​

Most Mezzio apps need 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 PostgreSQL instead? Swap the name: docker compose up -d nginx postgres 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 Mezzio at the containers​

Mezzio does not use a .env file by default; environment-specific settings go in config/autoload/local.php (already gitignored by the skeleton). If you added laminas-db, that file looks like:

return [
    'db' => [
        'driver'   => 'Pdo_Mysql',
        'hostname' => 'mysql',
        'database' => 'default',
        'username' => 'default',
        'password' => 'secret',
    ],
];

The default database, user and password live in mysql/defaults.env; override any of them by adding the line to Laradock's .env (it always wins).

4. Install and run your app​

Enter the workspace container, where Composer and git live:

docker compose exec workspace bash
composer create-project mezzio/mezzio-skeleton .   # only if you have no Mezzio files yet

The installer asks a few interactive questions (router, container, template renderer, error handler); the defaults work fine if you are not sure. Then open http://localhost. That is a full Mezzio app 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=8.2
docker compose build php-fpm workspace

Mezzio requires PHP 8.1 or newer, so pick a version at or above that; each project can pin its own, isolated, none of it installed on your machine.

Frequently Asked Questions​

Do I need to install PHP or Composer to run Mezzio with Laradock?​

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

Which services should I start for a typical Mezzio app?​

nginx mysql workspace covers most apps. Swap mysql for postgres if you prefer.

Can I run multiple Mezzio apps 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.