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Run Vtiger on Docker

What is Vtiger?​

Vtiger CRM is an open source customer relationship management platform covering sales, support and inventory in one self-hosted application, with a large module ecosystem built up over close to two decades. It is a PHP application backed by a MySQL database with the InnoDB storage engine, served through a web server, installed through a browser-based setup wizard, and known like other full-featured PHP CRMs for wanting a healthy amount of PHP memory to run comfortably.

Why run Vtiger 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 Vtiger instance can run on an older PHP version to match an older module, while another project runs the latest PHP, on the same computer, with nothing installed globally.

The catch: wiring those containers together yourself (base images, PHP extensions, networking, permissions, and the generous memory and upload limits Vtiger expects) is a week of fiddly Docker work. That is exactly what Laradock removes.

Why Laradock is the best fit for Vtiger​

Vtiger has no official Docker image of its own beyond community-maintained ones, 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 Vtiger today, add a Laravel API, a WordPress marketing 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, versus a single-purpose image with a narrow set of tags, useful given how many Vtiger modules still assume older PHP.
  • 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, including the PHP memory and execution-time settings Vtiger needs.
  • 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 Vtiger it gives you a production-style NGINX + PHP-FPM stack, MySQL already wired, and a workspace container with the file tools you need to unpack the Vtiger archive.

Run Vtiger on Docker with Laradock​

1. Add Laradock to your project​

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

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

2. Pick the services your instance needs​

Vtiger needs a web server and a MySQL database. The web server pulls in PHP-FPM automatically:

docker compose up -d nginx mysql workspace

The full catalog of other services 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 Vtiger at the containers​

Vtiger's installer asks for these values in the browser; use the service name as the database host:

Database Server: mysql
Database Name: default
Database Username: default
Database Password: secret

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). Vtiger also expects a raised PHP memory limit and upload size for imports and PDF generation; edit memory_limit (at least 256M, 512M is more comfortable) and upload_max_filesize in the php-fpm/php8.2.ini file matching your PHP_VERSION before installing.

4. Install and run your instance​

Enter the workspace container, place the Vtiger files in your project's web root (download the archive from vtiger.com and extract it if you have not already):

docker compose exec workspace bash

Then open http://localhost and follow Vtiger's install wizard: it checks PHP extensions (GD, IMAP, cURL, OpenSSL among them) and memory settings, asks for the database details from the step above, and creates the admin account.

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
docker compose build php-fpm workspace

Current Vtiger releases are built and tested against PHP 8.2 and 8.3, while a number of older installs and modules still run on PHP 7.x; Laradock covers anything from PHP 5.6 to 8.5, so the same tool runs a legacy Vtiger instance and a brand-new one 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 Vtiger with Laradock?​

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

Which services should I start for a typical Vtiger instance?​

nginx mysql workspace covers it: web server, database, and a shell.

Why does Vtiger need a raised PHP memory limit?​

Vtiger's module builder, imports, exports and PDF generation are memory-hungry compared to a typical PHP app; the project's own docs call for at least 256MB, with 512MB recommended for smooth day-to-day use. Laradock's PHP config is a plain php.ini per version, so raising it is a one-line change and a container rebuild.

Can I run multiple Vtiger instances 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, which is useful given how many older Vtiger installs are still pinned to legacy PHP.

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.