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Run phpMyAdmin on Docker

What is phpMyAdmin?​

phpMyAdmin is a widely used web-based administration tool for MySQL and MariaDB: browse tables, run queries, manage users and permissions, and import or export data, all from the browser. It is not an application with its own database; it is a PHP frontend that connects to a database server you already have running.

Why run phpMyAdmin in Docker?​

Docker packages phpMyAdmin (NGINX, PHP-FPM under the hood) into an isolated container that runs the same on every machine. Instead of installing PHP onto your laptop just to run a database GUI, or reaching for a separate native app, you run a disposable container that connects straight to whichever database container is already part of your stack, and vanishes cleanly when you delete it.

The catch: wiring a database admin UI to the right container, network and credentials yourself is fiddly enough that most people skip it. That is exactly what Laradock removes, because it is already done.

Why Laradock is the best fit for phpMyAdmin​

Unlike the other projects in this guide, phpMyAdmin is not something you add to Laradock: Laradock already ships it as a ready-to-use built-in service (see Use phpMyAdmin). There is no install step, no codebase to clone, no config file to write, just a service to switch on:

  • One line to turn on. docker compose up -d phpmyadmin and it is connected to your database container, nothing to wire up yourself.
  • Already pointed at your data. It targets the mysql (or mariadb) service by name and uses the same credentials your app uses, so there is nothing to reconcile.
  • Nothing is hidden and you own everything. No generated files, no magic. The phpmyadmin/compose.yml and its Dockerfile are right there for you to read and edit.
  • Fits whatever else you are running. Laradock is framework-agnostic, so the same phpMyAdmin service works whether the app behind that database is Laravel, WordPress, or plain PHP.

Concretely, Laradock's phpMyAdmin service is pre-wired to the mysql or mariadb container over the internal Docker network, with its port, credentials and upload limits all controlled from .env.

Run phpMyAdmin on Docker with Laradock​

1. Add Laradock to your project​

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

2. Start your database and phpMyAdmin​

phpMyAdmin needs a database to point at. Start both together:

docker compose up -d mysql phpmyadmin

Using MariaDB instead? Start it and set the engine phpMyAdmin should target:

PMA_DB_ENGINE=mariadb
docker compose up -d mariadb phpmyadmin

The full catalog of other services is here.

3. Point phpMyAdmin at the containers​

There is nothing to configure by hand: phpMyAdmin's compose service already targets ${PMA_DB_ENGINE} (default mysql) using PMA_USER, PMA_PASSWORD and PMA_ROOT_PASSWORD from .env. Those default to the same default / secret credentials as the mysql service in mysql/defaults.env; override any of them in Laradock's .env if you changed the database password (it always wins).

4. Open and log in​

docker compose up -d mysql phpmyadmin

Then open http://localhost:8081 (the default PMA_PORT) and log in with server mysql, user default, password secret, or whatever you overrode those to.

Change the PHP version anytime​

phpMyAdmin's own container is built and versioned by Laradock independently of the PHP_VERSION your application uses, so there is nothing to change here for a typical setup. If you do need to rebuild the service after editing phpmyadmin/Dockerfile, the same pattern applies to it as to every other Laradock service:

docker compose build phpmyadmin

Frequently Asked Questions​

Do I need to install phpMyAdmin or PHP to use it with Laradock?​

No. It is already a built-in Laradock service; docker compose up -d phpmyadmin is the entire install step.

Which services should I start to use phpMyAdmin?​

mysql phpmyadmin (or mariadb phpmyadmin with PMA_DB_ENGINE=mariadb set). No web server or workspace container is required just to browse the database.

Can I use phpMyAdmin against a database on a different Laradock project?​

Yes, as long as the two projects share the same Docker network or you point PMA_DB_ENGINE's target at a reachable host. For most setups it is simplest to run phpMyAdmin alongside the database it manages, within the same Laradock instance.

Is Adminer a better fit than phpMyAdmin?​

Both ship as built-in Laradock services and both connect to the same database containers. Adminer is a single lightweight file with a simpler interface; phpMyAdmin has a deeper feature set for complex administration. See Run Adminer on Docker for the same walkthrough with Adminer.

Is this the same setup I would use in production?​

Most teams do not expose phpMyAdmin in production at all, since it is a convenience tool for local and staging work. If you do run it somewhere reachable, put it behind authentication and network restrictions; see Prepare Laradock for Production for the general hardening steps.

Comparing environments? See the full Laradock vs Others breakdown. Ready to start? Getting Started takes about five minutes.