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Run Moodle on Docker

What is Moodle?​

Moodle is the most widely used open-source learning management system (LMS), running courses, quizzes, grading and certification for schools, universities and companies worldwide. It is a PHP application backed by a database (MySQL/MariaDB or PostgreSQL), served through a web server, and it needs a writable moodledata directory outside the web root plus a recurring cron job to process notifications, backups and scheduled tasks.

Why run Moodle in Docker?​

Docker packages each of those pieces (NGINX, PHP-FPM, MySQL, Redis) into isolated containers that run the same on every machine. Instead of installing PHP and MySQL onto your laptop, where versions collide between sites and "works on my machine" starts, you run disposable containers that mirror production and vanish cleanly when you delete them. One Moodle site can run the latest PHP required by Moodle 5.x while another stays on an older PHP version for a Moodle 4.x install with legacy plugins, 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 Moodle​

Moodle HQ maintains moodle-docker, but it is explicitly built for Moodle core developers and automated testing (Behat, CI), not for running a real site; the third-party Bitnami image many guides point to is no longer freely available either. That leaves a gap for anyone who just wants to run a Moodle site locally, which is exactly where Laradock fits:

  • You are never locked into one ecosystem. Laradock is framework-agnostic. Run Moodle 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 an older Moodle 4.x course platform and a fresh Moodle 5.x install 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 Moodle it gives you a production-style NGINX + PHP-FPM stack, MySQL/MariaDB/PostgreSQL and Redis already wired, and a workspace container with git, Composer and PHP's CLI (for the installer and cron) installed.

Run Moodle on Docker with Laradock​

1. Add Laradock to your project​

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

(No Moodle files yet? Clone Laradock first, then download the Moodle package from the workspace container in the next steps.)

2. Pick the services your site needs​

Moodle needs a web server and a database; Redis is optional but recommended once a course platform has real traffic (session and application caching). The web server pulls in PHP-FPM automatically:

docker compose up -d nginx mysql redis workspace

Prefer PostgreSQL? Swap the name: docker compose up -d nginx postgres redis 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 Moodle at the containers​

In your config.php, use the service names as hostnames:

$CFG->dbtype    = 'mysqli';
$CFG->dbhost    = 'mysql';
$CFG->dbname    = 'default';
$CFG->dbuser    = 'default';
$CFG->dbpass    = 'secret';
$CFG->wwwroot   = 'http://localhost';
$CFG->dataroot  = '/var/www/moodledata';

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). Make sure moodledata lives outside your web root and is writable by the container.

4. Install and run your site​

Enter the workspace container and run the CLI installer (or open the browser wizard instead, once the files are in place):

docker compose exec workspace bash
php admin/cli/install.php --wwwroot=http://localhost --dbtype=mysqli \
  --dbhost=mysql --dbname=default --dbuser=default --dbpass=secret \
  --fullname="My Site" --shortname="mysite" --adminpass=secretpass \
  [email protected] --agree-license --non-interactive

Flag names can change between Moodle versions; run php admin/cli/install.php --help to confirm the current list. Then open http://localhost. That is a full Moodle LMS running on Docker. Don't forget to schedule php admin/cli/cron.php to run every minute (via your host's cron calling docker compose exec -T workspace ...), the same way production Moodle sites do.

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

Moodle's current major release requires PHP 8.2 or newer (8.3 and 8.4 are also supported), while older Moodle 4.x sites can run on PHP 7.4+; Laradock covers anything from PHP 5.6 to 8.5, so the same tool runs a legacy course platform 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 MySQL to run Moodle with Laradock?​

No. Everything lives inside the containers. PHP, its required extensions (including sodium, which recent Moodle versions need), and the database server are all provided; you never install them on your host.

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

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

Can I run multiple Moodle 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 for Moodle's large codebase); 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.