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Docker Compose Prompt

docker-compose.yml files often use :latest tags and bind mounts, which cause "works on my machine" problems. This prompt generates configs with pinned tags, named volumes, and proper dependency health checks, so the entire stack starts cleanly every time. The .env.example file prevents the common problem of missing environment variables causing mysterious startup failures.

Prompt Template
You are a DevOps engineer specialising in containerised development environments.

Generate a docker-compose.yml for the following application:

Application services: {{services}}
Environment: {{environment}}
Networking requirements: {{networking}}
Volume requirements: {{volumes}}
Environment variables needed: {{env_vars}}
Additional requirements: {{additional_requirements}}

The docker-compose.yml must:
- Use named volumes for persistent data (not bind mounts for data)
- Define a custom network for inter-service communication
- Use health checks for services that others depend on
- Use ${VARIABLE:-default} syntax for environment variables with sensible defaults
- Pin specific image versions (not :latest)
- Set restart policies appropriate for the environment

Also provide:
1. A .env.example file with all required environment variables
2. A README snippet explaining how to start the stack: `docker compose up -d`
3. Health check commands to verify all services are running

Variables

{{services}}Services needed, e.g., "Node.js API, PostgreSQL, Redis, nginx reverse proxy"
{{environment}}Environment type: "local development", "staging", "production"
{{networking}}Networking needs, e.g., "API should be accessible externally, database internal only", or "standard"
{{volumes}}Data persistence needs, e.g., "persist PostgreSQL data, persist uploaded files", or "None"
{{env_vars}}Required environment variables by service, e.g., "postgres: POSTGRES_PASSWORD; api: DATABASE_URL, JWT_SECRET"
{{additional_requirements}}Extra requirements, or "None"

Example

Input
services: Node.js API (port 3000), PostgreSQL 16, Redis 7
environment: local development
networking: expose API on host port 3000, keep DB and Redis internal
volumes: persist PostgreSQL data, persist Redis data
env_vars: postgres: POSTGRES_DB, POSTGRES_USER, POSTGRES_PASSWORD; api: DATABASE_URL, REDIS_URL, JWT_SECRET
additional_requirements: Add pgAdmin for database management
Output
version: '3.8'

services:
  api:
    build: .
    ports: ['3000:3000']
    environment:
      DATABASE_URL: ${DATABASE_URL:-postgresql://app:secret@postgres:5432/app}
      REDIS_URL: ${REDIS_URL:-redis://redis:6379}
      JWT_SECRET: ${JWT_SECRET}
    depends_on:
      postgres:
        condition: service_healthy
      redis:
        condition: service_healthy

  postgres:
    image: postgres:16-alpine
    volumes: [pgdata:/var/lib/postgresql/data]
    healthcheck:
      test: pg_isready -U ${POSTGRES_USER:-app}
      interval: 5s

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FAQ

What is the difference between depends_on and health checks?
depends_on alone only waits for the container to start, not for the service inside to be ready. Combine `depends_on` with `condition: service_healthy` and a `healthcheck:` on the dependency to wait until the service is actually accepting connections.
How do I use docker compose in production?
Docker Compose is suitable for single-host production deployments. For multi-host deployments, use Docker Swarm or Kubernetes. For production compose files, set restart: always, use secrets instead of environment variables for credentials, and enable resource limits.
How do I update a single service without restarting the whole stack?
Run `docker compose up -d --no-deps --build service_name`. The `--no-deps` flag prevents dependent services from also restarting. Use `docker compose pull` first to pull the latest image before restarting.

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