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Run ProcessWire on Docker

What is ProcessWire?​

ProcessWire is an open-source CMS and web application framework built around a flexible, field-based content model and a powerful selector API for querying pages. Unlike most other CMS platforms in this series, it is not flat-file: a real ProcessWire site is a PHP application backed by a MySQL (or MariaDB) database, served through a web server, with a browser-based installer that does most of the setup for you.

Why run ProcessWire 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 MySQL 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 site can run PHP 8.3 while another runs an older 7.4 module stack, 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 ProcessWire​

ProcessWire has no official Docker image 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 ProcessWire today, add a Laravel API, 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 legacy module and a modern 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 ProcessWire it gives you a production-style NGINX + PHP-FPM stack, MySQL/MariaDB already wired, a workspace container with Composer and git installed, and any PHP version behind a single line of config.

Run ProcessWire on Docker with Laradock​

1. Add Laradock to your project​

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

(No ProcessWire files yet? Clone Laradock first, then download ProcessWire into your project root from the workspace container in the next steps.)

2. Pick the services your site needs​

ProcessWire needs 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 MariaDB over MySQL? Swap the name: docker compose up -d nginx mariadb 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 ProcessWire at the containers​

ProcessWire's browser installer writes site/config.php for you, asking for a database host, name, user and password along the way. Use the service name as the host, and the default database, user and password from mysql/defaults.env:

DB Host: mysql
DB Name: default
DB User: default
DB Pass: secret

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 to fetch ProcessWire, then run the installer from your browser:

docker compose exec workspace bash
composer create-project processwire/processwire my-processwire-site
http://localhost/

The installer checks requirements, creates the database tables, and walks you through setting the admin account. Then open http://localhost. That is a full ProcessWire site 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=8.3
docker compose build php-fpm workspace

ProcessWire runs on PHP 7.2+, with PHP 8.x recommended for current releases, so the same tool runs a legacy site and a brand-new build 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 ProcessWire with Laradock?​

No. Everything lives inside the containers. PHP, Composer and MySQL are all provided; you never install them on your host.

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

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

Can I run multiple ProcessWire 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); 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.