WordPress Development Environment with Docker

A containerized local WordPress development setup using Docker Compose. It includes automated permission management and integrated database administration tools for easier project setup and management.

Based on @richardevcom’s tutorial.

🚀 Features

• Multi-container architecture with WordPress, MariaDB, and phpMyAdmin
• Automated file permission handling for WordPress uploads and plugins
• Environment-based configuration for secure credential management
• Database initialization support with SQL dump integration
• Development-optimized with accessible local ports and volume mounting

🛠 Technical Stack

• WordPress: PHP 8.2 with Apache
• Database: MariaDB 12.0.2
• Containerization: Docker & Docker Compose
• Web Server: Apache HTTP Server

Development Tools

• phpMyAdmin: Database administration interface (optional)

📋 Prerequisites

• Docker Engine 20.10+
• Docker Compose 2.0+
• At least 2GB available RAM

⚡ Quick Start

1. Clone and navigate to project

   git clone https://github.com/hnthap/wordpress-docker
   cd wordpress-docker

2. Configure environment variables

   cp .env.example .env
   # .env.example uses simple passwords suitable for development.
   # Change passwords in .env for production.

3. Launch the application

   docker-compose up -d

4. Access the services

   • WordPress: http://localhost:8080
   • phpMyAdmin (optional): http://localhost:8180

🏗 Architecture Overview

┌─────────────┐    ┌──────────────┐    
│  WordPress  ├────┤    MariaDB   │    
│   :8080     │    │  (internal)  │    
└─────────────┘    └───────┬──────┘    
                           │
                   ┌───────┴──────┐
                   │  phpMyAdmin  │
                   │    :8180     │
                   │  (optional)  │
                   └──────────────┘

Key Design Decisions:

• Minimal Dependencies: WordPress only depends on the database service it actually needs
• Custom Dockerfile: Implements automated permission fixing to resolve common WordPress file access issues
• Volume Mounting: Persistent data storage for both WordPress content and database
• Optional Tooling: phpMyAdmin included as a development convenience, not a core dependency
• Environment Isolation: Sensitive configuration separated from codebase

📁 Project Structure

wordpress-docker/
├── docker-compose.yaml # Multi-service orchestration
├── Dockerfile          # Custom WordPress image with permission fixes
├── .env                # Environment configuration (not in repo)
├── .env.example        # Environment template file
├── wp-content/         # WordPress content (themes, plugins, uploads)
├── db_data/            # MariaDB data persistence
├── dump.sql            # Database initialization script (currently empty)
└── README.md           # This documentation

🔧 Configuration

Environment Variables (.env)

WORDPRESS_DB_USER=root
WORDPRESS_DB_PASSWORD=password

MYSQL_USER=root
MYSQL_PASSWORD=password
MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=password

Custom Docker Image Features

The custom Dockerfile extends the official WordPress image with:

• Permission Management: Automatic file ownership and permission correction
• Startup Script: Custom entrypoint that ensures proper WordPress file access
• Security Hardening: Proper file permissions (755 for directories, 644 for files)

🔍 Development Workflow

1. File Changes: Edit files in ./wp-content/ - changes reflect immediately
2. Database Access: Use phpMyAdmin at localhost:8180 for database management (or connect directly to MariaDB)
3. Logs: Monitor with docker-compose logs -f [service-name]
4. Restart Services: docker-compose restart [service-name]

Note: phpMyAdmin is included as a development convenience but can be removed from docker-compose.yaml if not needed, as WordPress doesn't depend on it.

🚀 Production Considerations

For production deployment, consider:

• Implement health checks for all services
• Add SSL/TLS termination
• Configure backup strategies for database and content
• Implement proper secrets management
• Add monitoring and logging solutions
• Set up reverse proxy with Nginx

🐛 Troubleshooting

WordPress Installation Issues

• Verify database connection in wp-config.php
• Check file permissions in wp-content directory
• Ensure all containers are running: docker-compose ps

📚 Learning Resources

This project demonstrates proficiency in:

• Containerization: Custom Docker image creation and composition
• Web Development: PHP-based application deployment
• Database Management: Relational database integration
• DevOps Practices: Environment configuration and service orchestration

🤝 Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch: git checkout -b <feature-name>
3. Commit changes: git commit -m "Add feature description"
4. Push to branch: git push origin <feature-name>
5. Submit a pull request

---

Built with ❤️ using Docker, WordPress, and industry-standard containerization practices