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The practical pattern is a multistage Docker image for Rails, plus a Compose application that runs the web container alongside PostgreSQL and stores database files in a named volume. In development, Compose can bind-mount your source tree for quick edits; in production, build an immutable image, remove the source mount, inject secrets at runtime, expose the required port, and set a restart policy.
Rails 7.1 and later generate a Dockerfile, .dockerignore, and bin/docker-entrypoint when you create a new application. Docker’s official Ruby on Rails guide documents both that generated setup and a Compose-based development workflow.
What you are building
A containerized Rails deployment normally has two logical services:
- web: the Rails application server, built from your Dockerfile.
- db: PostgreSQL (or another database), with its data stored outside the disposable container filesystem.
Docker Compose describes those services in a YAML file. The file follows the Compose Specification, which defines how to declare a multi-container application, networks, volumes, environment variables, and startup settings.
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Compose creates a private network for the project by default. The web container reaches PostgreSQL by the service name db, not by localhost. Port publishing is only needed for traffic entering from your host or an external load balancer; container-to-container traffic uses the service’s internal port.
Check the Rails application before writing containers
Match the Ruby version
Read .ruby-version and use the same Ruby major and minor version in the base image. A mismatch can change native-extension compilation, Bundler resolution, or the behavior of production gems. If the file says 3.3.4, for example, start from a Ruby 3.3 image that is compatible with your lockfile rather than choosing an unrelated version.
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List the operating-system libraries required by your bundle and database adapter. PostgreSQL’s pg gem needs PostgreSQL client development headers while gems with native C extensions need a compiler and related build tools. Runtime images should contain only the shared libraries needed to execute the compiled gems, not the full compiler toolchain.
Confirm Rails’ container files
For an application generated with Rails 7.1 or newer, check whether these files already exist:
Dockerfile, normally a production-oriented multistage build..dockerignore, which keeps local artifacts such as Git data and temporary files out of the build context.bin/docker-entrypoint, which performs the generated container startup preparation.
The generated Dockerfile is labeled by Docker as designed for production, not development. That is why a development Compose file usually adds a database service, a source-code mount, and a persistent volume.
Use a multistage Dockerfile
A multistage build separates compilation from execution. The build stage installs Bundler dependencies and precompiles assets. The runtime stage copies the resulting application and installed gems into a smaller image. Keeping the stages separate reduces attack surface and avoids shipping build tools that the running server does not need.
The following is a dependency-aware template. Replace the Ruby argument with the version required by your .ruby-version, adjust operating-system packages for your gems, and keep the generated entrypoint if Rails created one.
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ARG RUBY_VERSION=3.3
FROM ruby:${RUBY_VERSION}-slim AS build
WORKDIR /rails
ENV RAILS_ENV=production
BUNDLE_WITHOUT=development:test
BUNDLE_PATH=/usr/local/bundle
RUN apt-get update -qq && apt-get install --no-install-recommends -y
build-essential git pkg-config libpq-dev
&& rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
COPY Gemfile Gemfile.lock ./
RUN bundle install
COPY . .
RUN SECRET_KEY_BASE_DUMMY=1 bin/rails assets:precompile
FROM ruby:${RUBY_VERSION}-slim AS runtime
WORKDIR /rails
ENV RAILS_ENV=production
BUNDLE_WITHOUT=development:test
BUNDLE_PATH=/usr/local/bundle
RUN apt-get update -qq && apt-get install --no-install-recommends -y
libpq5
&& rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
COPY --from=build /usr/local/bundle /usr/local/bundle
COPY --from=build /rails /rails
ENTRYPOINT /rails/bin/docker-entrypoint
EXPOSE 3000
CMD bin/rails server -b 0.0.0.0 -p 3000The exact package names differ for MySQL, image-processing libraries, JavaScript runtimes, or other native dependencies. Install development packages only in build; install the corresponding runtime libraries in runtime. If your application does not precompile assets, remove that command rather than forcing a dummy secret into a build that does not need it.
Keep secrets out of the image
Do not copy config/master.key, production credentials, database passwords, or API tokens into the build context. Add them to .dockerignore where appropriate and pass them when the container starts. A secret baked into an image can remain in layer history even after the source line is removed.
Write a useful .dockerignore
At minimum, exclude the local Git directory, log files, temporary files, test artifacts, and any local environment file containing secrets. Do not exclude files needed by the build, such as Gemfile.lock, Rails source, or asset manifests.
Create a development compose.yaml
Compose service names become DNS names on the project network. In this example, Rails connects to PostgreSQL at host db, port 5432. The named volume keeps database files when the db container is recreated.
services:
web:
build:
context: .
args:
RUBY_VERSION: 3.3
command: bin/rails server -b 0.0.0.0 -p 3000
ports:
- '3000:3000'
volumes:
- .:/rails
environment:
RAILS_ENV: development
DATABASE_URL: postgresql://rails:rails_password@db:5432/rails_development
depends_on:
- db
db:
image: postgres:16
environment:
POSTGRES_USER: rails
POSTGRES_PASSWORD: rails_password
POSTGRES_DB: rails_development
volumes:
- postgres_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data
volumes:
postgres_data:The 3000:3000 mapping makes the app available at http://localhost:3000, the address used in Docker’s Rails example. Rails must listen on 0.0.0.0; binding only to 127.0.0.1 would make the server reachable inside the container but not through the published host port.
Align database.yml with Compose
Use either DATABASE_URL or explicit settings in config/database.yml, but make the host db rather than localhost. A typical development configuration reads the URL from the environment:
development:
url: <%= ENV.fetch('DATABASE_URL') %>
adapter: postgresqlKeep credentials out of committed YAML. For a team, place local values in an untracked environment file or use a secret mechanism supported by your deployment platform.
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Bind mounts versus synchronized source
The .:/rails bind mount makes edits on the host visible immediately, which is convenient for development. It also hides the application files copied into the image at that path. Make sure the host directory contains the complete Rails checkout and that dependencies are available in the container’s bundle path. On systems where bind mounts are slow, use a file-synchronization feature or an image rebuild workflow instead.
Build and start the stack
- From the directory containing
compose.yaml, build and run in the foreground withdocker compose up --build. The build compiles gems and assets before Compose starts the services. - For a background workflow, use
docker compose up --build -d, then inspect status withdocker compose ps. - Open
http://localhost:3000. Rails logs appear in the foreground terminal or can be followed withdocker compose logs -f web. - Supply the Rails credentials key at startup when the application needs encrypted credentials:
RAILS_MASTER_KEY=<value> docker compose up --build. The angle-bracketed text represents your actual key; do not commit it to Compose.
When the database container is still initializing, the web process may start before PostgreSQL accepts connections. A restart or a second migration attempt may be necessary unless you add an explicit health check and startup handling. Compose’s basic depends_on ordering starts db first but does not, by itself, prove that the database is ready to accept SQL.
Run migrations and administrative commands
After PostgreSQL is available, run migrations inside the web container:
docker compose exec web bin/rails db:migrateOther useful commands follow the same pattern:
docker compose exec web bin/rails db:preparecreates or updates the database where supported by your Rails version.docker compose exec web bin/rails consoleopens a Rails console in the running container.docker compose exec web bundle exec rake -Tlists available Rake tasks.docker compose run --rm web bin/rails db:setupruns a one-off task in a temporary web container.
Use exec for a running service so it shares the service’s environment and network. Use run --rm for an isolated task that should be removed after completion.
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Understand persistence and teardown
Containers are replaceable; the named postgres_data volume is the durable part of the development database. Recreating the db service does not erase that volume. Treat docker compose down -v as destructive: the -v option removes project volumes and therefore deletes the local PostgreSQL data unless you have a backup.
Do not use a database volume as a substitute for backups. Production PostgreSQL needs scheduled backups, restore tests, monitoring, upgrades, and access controls in addition to Docker persistence.
Choose the database deliberately
SQLite is easy for a single-process prototype, but a containerized production setup should match the database behavior and operational model you will run in production. PostgreSQL and MySQL provide a client/server database service; each requires the matching adapter, client libraries, credentials, and persistent storage.
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| Option | Container arrangement | When it fits | Important trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| SQLite | Database file in the web container or a mounted volume | Small prototypes, tests, or applications intentionally designed for a single writer | Less production parity when the eventual deployment uses a separate database server; file locking and concurrent writes require care |
| PostgreSQL | Rails web service plus a PostgreSQL service and named data volume | Rails applications that need a conventional production-grade relational database and strong local/production parity | Requires a database service, credentials, migrations, backups, and PostgreSQL client libraries |
| MySQL | Rails web service plus a MySQL service and its own data volume | Teams standardized on MySQL-compatible infrastructure | Requires the MySQL adapter and client development/runtime libraries; SQL behavior can differ from PostgreSQL |
Changing engines later is a data migration project, not merely a Compose image change. Choose the engine that matches the production target and test migrations against that engine.
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Development optimizes for fast feedback; production optimizes for repeatability and controlled change. Docker’s production guidance recommends removing application-code volume bindings, changing ports and environment variables, and specifying a restart policy. The following differences are the ones that matter most:
| Concern | Development Compose | Production Compose |
|---|---|---|
| Application files | Optional host bind mount such as .:/rails |
No source-code bind mount; run the files copied into the built image |
| Rails environment | RAILS_ENV=development, local debugging and reload behavior |
RAILS_ENV=production, compiled assets and production logging |
| Secrets | Untracked local environment values | Runtime secret injection or a secret file managed by the deployment system |
| Ports | Usually host port 3000 to container port 3000 | Expose the host port required by the proxy or platform; do not assume 3000 is externally appropriate |
| Restart behavior | Manual restarts are usually acceptable | Set a policy such as unless-stopped or the policy required by your orchestrator |
| Database | Local named volume for disposable development data | Managed or separately operated database with backups, monitoring, and controlled credentials |
Build a production-oriented Compose file
You can keep one file and override values, or use a separate production file. A separate file makes it harder to accidentally ship a host source mount. This minimal example assumes the image has already been built or is pulled from your registry:
services:
web:
image: registry.example/rails-app:release-2026-10-15
command: bin/rails server -b 0.0.0.0 -p 3000
ports:
- '8080:3000'
environment:
RAILS_ENV: production
DATABASE_URL: ${DATABASE_URL}
RAILS_MASTER_KEY: ${RAILS_MASTER_KEY}
restart: unless-stopped
db:
image: postgres:16
environment:
POSTGRES_USER: ${POSTGRES_USER}
POSTGRES_PASSWORD: ${POSTGRES_PASSWORD}
POSTGRES_DB: ${POSTGRES_DB}
volumes:
- postgres_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data
restart: unless-stopped
volumes:
postgres_data:The image tag is an example release identifier; use the immutable tag or digest policy required by your registry. Keep the production environment file outside source control, restrict its permissions, and ensure the deployment system does not print secret values in logs. If your platform supplies a managed database, remove the db service and point DATABASE_URL at that database instead.
Run production migrations deliberately
Do not make every web container run migrations concurrently at startup unless your release process explicitly handles locking and failure recovery. A safer pattern is to deploy the image, run docker compose run --rm web bin/rails db:migrate as a release task, verify success, and then start or roll the web service. Test backward-compatible migrations when old and new application versions overlap during a rollout.
Put TLS and process supervision in the right layer
Rails can serve HTTP inside the container while a reverse proxy, load balancer, or hosting platform terminates TLS and forwards traffic to the published port. Compose does not automatically provide certificates, internet-facing firewall rules, health monitoring, horizontal scaling, or zero-downtime deployment. Add those capabilities separately or use a managed service that supplies them.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Single Compose file or an override?
A single file is convenient for a small project, but environment-specific settings can become difficult to audit. An override keeps the common service definition in compose.yaml and puts production changes in a second file:
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- Base file: build context, common environment names, internal ports, and the development database definition.
- Production override: immutable image, no source bind mount, production environment, external secrets, published port, and restart policy.
Invoke both explicitly, for example docker compose -f compose.yaml -f compose.production.yaml up -d. Whichever layout you choose, inspect the resolved configuration with docker compose config before deploying; this catches accidental mounts, incorrect interpolation, and missing required variables.
Common failures and fixes
“Connection refused” from Rails
Check that the database service is running with docker compose ps, that Rails uses host db, and that the database name, user, and password match. If the log shows a startup race, wait for PostgreSQL readiness and rerun the migration or add a health check plus a readiness-aware startup strategy.
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Verify that the image Ruby version matches .ruby-version and that Gemfile.lock is copied before bundle install. Add the required compiler and development headers to the build stage, then rebuild with docker compose build --no-cache web when a stale layer is masking a dependency change.
The browser cannot reach Rails
Confirm that the server command binds to 0.0.0.0, the container listens on port 3000, and Compose publishes the expected host port. Inspect docker compose logs web for boot failures. A server bound to localhost inside the container is not reachable through the host mapping.
Changes on the host are ignored
In development, verify the bind mount path and remember that it replaces the image’s /rails directory. Rebuild after changing the Dockerfile or Gemfile. If the host filesystem does not provide reliable file events, use polling or a synchronization workflow supported by your development environment.
Assets or credentials fail only in production
Ensure the build stage runs the required asset task, that runtime assets were copied into the final stage, and that RAILS_MASTER_KEY is present at runtime. A dummy build secret can allow precompilation, but it cannot decrypt production credentials; the real key must remain a runtime secret.
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Check whether the service was started with a named volume and whether someone ran docker compose down -v. Restore from a backup if the volume was removed. For production, document backup retention and test restoration instead of relying on a local Docker volume.
Security and reliability checklist
- Pin Ruby, database, and other base-image versions that you test; update them through a controlled rebuild.
- Keep
Gemfile.lockunder version control and rebuild when dependencies change. - Exclude credentials from the build context and inject
RAILS_MASTER_KEYand database secrets only at runtime. - Run the smallest practical runtime image and do not leave compilers or package indexes in it.
- Use a non-development Rails environment in production and remove source-code mounts.
- Persist database data in a managed volume or managed database, and maintain tested backups.
- Set restart behavior, collect container logs, and monitor both web and database health.
- Run migrations as a controlled release step and verify the result before directing traffic to a new version.
- Place TLS termination, firewall rules, and public exposure behind an appropriately managed proxy or platform.
When local Compose is enough
Compose is an excellent local development environment and can run a small deployment on a host you administer. You remain responsible for operating-system updates, image storage, TLS, backups, monitoring, secret distribution, database upgrades, capacity planning, and recovery. A managed service that accepts container or Compose definitions can reduce that operational burden, but you still need to verify its networking model, persistent storage, secret handling, logs, health checks, migration workflow, and scaling behavior before moving a production Rails app.
The portable boundary is the image: build and test the same Rails image locally and in the target environment, while allowing each environment to supply its own database URL, secrets, ports, and restart or scaling policy.
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