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Run Textpattern on Docker

What is Textpattern?​

Textpattern is a lightweight, open-source CMS focused on clean output and a simple tagging language for templates, popular with writers and small sites that do not need a heavy plugin ecosystem. It is a plain PHP application backed by a MySQL database, served through a web server, with no framework layer or build step in front of it.

Why run Textpattern 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 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 stays on an older version for a legacy install, 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 Textpattern​

Textpattern 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 Textpattern 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 an older Textpattern install and a fresh one 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 Textpattern it gives you a production-style NGINX + PHP-FPM stack, MySQL/MariaDB already wired, and a workspace container with git installed to pull the code down.

Run Textpattern on Docker with Laradock​

1. Add Laradock to your project​

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

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

2. Pick the services your site needs​

Textpattern needs a web server and a database. 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 Textpattern at the containers​

Textpattern ships a textpattern/config-dist.php file; rename it to config.php and the installer fills in the database section for you, using the service name as the host:

MySQL host: mysql
Database name: default
Database user: default
Database password: secret

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).

4. Install and run your site​

Download Textpattern into the workspace container, then finish setup in your browser:

docker compose exec workspace bash
git clone https://github.com/textpattern/textpattern.git .   # only if you have no Textpattern files yet
mv textpattern/config-dist.php textpattern/config.php

Open http://localhost/textpattern/setup/index.php and follow the installer. Then open http://localhost. That is a full Textpattern 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=8.1
docker compose build php-fpm workspace

Textpattern 4.9 runs on PHP 5.6 and newer, with current releases tested against PHP 8.0/8.1, so a legacy install and a brand-new one can run side by side on different PHP versions, each isolated, none of it installed on your machine.

Frequently Asked Questions​

Do I need to install PHP or MySQL to run Textpattern with Laradock?​

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

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

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

Can I run multiple Textpattern 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; 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.