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Run October CMS on Docker

What is October CMS?​

October CMS is a self-hosted CMS built on top of the Laravel framework, aimed at developers who want a plugin-driven, drag-and-drop page builder without giving up Laravel's tooling underneath. An October CMS site is a PHP application that needs a web server, a PHP runtime, and a database (MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL or SQLite are all supported), and it benefits from Redis for cache and queues on busier sites.

Why run October CMS 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 site can run PHP 8.3 while another October 2.x site pins to 8.0, 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 October CMS​

October CMS has no official Docker tool 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 October CMS today, add a plain Laravel API, a WordPress site, or a Symfony service 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 October 2.x site and a current October 4.x site 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 October CMS it gives you a production-style NGINX + PHP-FPM stack, MySQL/PostgreSQL ready to connect (and Redis one command away when you want cache and queues), and a workspace container with Composer, Node, npm and git installed, so php artisan commands work exactly like they would in any Laravel app.

Run October CMS on Docker with Laradock​

1. Add Laradock to your project​

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

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

2. Pick the services your site needs​

October CMS needs a web server and a database. Start exactly those (the web server pulls in PHP-FPM automatically):

./laradock start nginx mysql workspace

Prefer PostgreSQL? Swap the name: ./laradock start nginx postgres workspace (or 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 start. It prints every real command it runs.

Do I need Redis? Not to get running. Out of the box October CMS uses file-based cache and a synchronous queue, so a fresh site runs perfectly on nginx mysql workspace. Redis only helps once you switch the cache and queue drivers to it. See Add Redis for cache and queues below when you actually want it.

3. Point October CMS at the containers​

In your project's .env, use the service name as the database host:

DB_HOST=mysql

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 site​

Enter the workspace container, where Composer, Node and git live, and run the installer:

./laradock workspace
composer create-project october/october my-october-site   # only if you have no project yet
php artisan october:install

october:install walks you through the database connection, application URL and admin account. Then open http://localhost. That is a full October CMS site running on Docker.

Add Redis for cache and queues (optional)​

Redis is not required, but on a busier site it is a fast in-memory store for October's cache and queued jobs. Wiring it up is two steps:

  1. Start the Redis container alongside the rest:
./laradock start redis
  1. Point October at it in your project's .env, using the service name as the host and switching the drivers over:
REDIS_HOST=redis
CACHE_STORE=redis
QUEUE_CONNECTION=redis

October CMS is Laravel underneath, so the Redis client is already built in; no extension or plugin to install. Until you set those driver lines the Redis container just sits idle, which is why the required stack above leaves it out.

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
./laradock rebuild php-fpm workspace

October CMS v4 requires PHP 8.2 or newer, and v3 supports PHP 8.0.3 and up; Laradock covers anything from PHP 5.6 to 8.5, so the same tool runs an older v2 site and a current v4 site side by side, each isolated, none of it installed on your machine.

Take your site live​

When your site is ready, the same Laradock stack becomes your deployment. You build one hardened image of your app and ship it to the host of your choice:

./laradock ship

Then pick a target and follow its short guide, a single server, a managed platform, or Kubernetes: Deploy to Production lists every provider (Fly.io, Render, Railway, DigitalOcean, AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, Kamal, Kubernetes) with a ready config file for each. There is no per-provider magic to learn; a Docker image runs the same everywhere.

Frequently Asked Questions​

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

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

Which services should I start for a typical October CMS site?​

nginx mysql workspace is all October CMS requires: web server, database, and a shell. Swap mysql for postgres if you prefer. Add redis only when you switch the cache and queue drivers to it (see Add Redis for cache and queues); a fresh site uses file cache and runs fine without it.

Can I run multiple October CMS 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 vendor/-heavy sites); 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 artisan serve or 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.