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Run SilverStripe on Docker

What is SilverStripe?​

SilverStripe CMS (also written Silverstripe) is an open-source content management system and PHP framework, popular for government and enterprise sites that need a flexible content model rather than a plugin-driven CMS like WordPress. It ships its own ORM (DataObject), a templating layer, and an admin panel out of the box. A SilverStripe site needs a web server, PHP-FPM, and a database, most commonly MySQL or MariaDB; the current major version requires PHP 8.3 or newer.

Why run SilverStripe in Docker?​

Docker packages a web server, PHP-FPM and a database 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 project can run PHP 8.4 while another runs an older SilverStripe site pinned to 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 SilverStripe​

SilverStripe has no official first-party Docker tool; the community has written various Docker setups over the years, but nothing maintained by the SilverStripe team itself ships as the default path. Here is why Laradock is the best fit:

  • You are never locked into one ecosystem. Laradock is framework-agnostic. Run SilverStripe today, and put a Laravel API or a WordPress site 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 SilverStripe 4 site and a current SilverStripe 6 site each get exactly the PHP version 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.

For SilverStripe specifically, Laradock wires a production-style NGINX + PHP-FPM stack, MySQL/MariaDB already set up, and a workspace container with Composer and git installed.

Run SilverStripe on Docker with Laradock​

1. Add Laradock to your project​

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

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

2. Pick the services your site needs​

SilverStripe needs a web server and a database (the web server pulls in PHP-FPM automatically):

docker compose up -d nginx mysql workspace

Prefer MariaDB? Swap the name: docker compose up -d nginx mariadb workspace. The full catalog is here.

3. Point SilverStripe at the containers​

In your project's .env (in the project root, not public/), use the service name as the database host:

SS_DATABASE_CLASS="MySQLDatabase"
SS_DATABASE_SERVER="mysql"
SS_DATABASE_NAME="default"
SS_DATABASE_USERNAME="default"
SS_DATABASE_PASSWORD="secret"
SS_DEFAULT_ADMIN_USERNAME="admin"
SS_DEFAULT_ADMIN_PASSWORD="secret"
SS_ENVIRONMENT_TYPE="dev"

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

4. Install and build your site from the workspace​

Enter the workspace container, where Composer and git live, and set the site up:

docker compose exec workspace bash
composer create-project silverstripe/installer .   # only if you have no project yet
vendor/bin/sake dev/build

Point NGINX's document root at the project's public/ folder, then open http://localhost and log in at /admin with the default admin credentials from your .env. That is a full SilverStripe 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=8.4
docker compose build php-fpm workspace

The current SilverStripe CMS major version requires PHP 8.3, 8.4 or 8.5, while an older SilverStripe 4 site may need PHP 7.4 or 8.1. Laradock covers anything from PHP 5.6 to 8.5, so an old and a current site run side by side, each isolated, none of it installed on your machine.

Frequently Asked Questions​

Do I need to install PHP or Composer to run SilverStripe 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 SilverStripe site?​

nginx mysql workspace covers most sites. Swap mysql for mariadb if you prefer.

Can I run multiple SilverStripe 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.