Compose & Templates

Manage multi-container applications with Docker Compose and bootstrap projects from the template library.

Manage Docker Compose projects and bootstrap new ones from the built-in template library.

Compose is only available when connected to a Docker runtime. When Dockerman detects Podman, Compose actions and stack templates are automatically hidden.

Compose projects

The Compose page shows each project that Dockerman finds from the com.docker.compose.project label, along with its container count, status, and base path.

Start, stop, and remove a project

Select a project

Pick the Compose project you want to manage.

Start

Dockerman brings all services up and pulls any missing images first.

Stop

Dockerman brings all services down, but keeps the containers.

Remove

Dockerman removes the containers and networks. Volumes stay unless you check Include volumes.

Include volumes removes both anonymous and named volumes defined by the Compose file. Named volumes with other consumers are skipped.

Pull project images

Pull fetches every image referenced by the Compose file without starting any services. Use it before a cold start on a new host.

Edit compose.yaml

Open the Compose YAML editor to edit the file in Monaco with full syntax highlighting, schema validation, and autocompletion for Compose spec fields (services, networks, volumes, configs).

Open the editor

Select a Compose project and click Edit to open its compose.yaml in the built-in Monaco editor.

Edit with validation

As you type, the editor validates against the Compose JSON schema and highlights errors inline. Common fields like image, ports, volumes, and environment offer autocompletion.

Save to disk

Click Save to write the file to its original location on disk. Dockerman runs docker compose config to verify the file before saving. Invalid YAML blocks the save.

Apply changes

Click Apply to run docker compose up -d with the updated file, recreating only the services that changed.

Compose files are saved directly to the project directory on your filesystem. You can version them with git or edit them with any external tool, and Dockerman picks up the changes next time you open the editor.

Convert `docker run` to Compose

Paste a docker run command and Dockerman converts it into a compose.yaml that you can save as a new stack.

Open the converter

Go to the Compose page and click From docker run, or search "run to compose" in Spotlight.

Paste the command

Paste a docker run command (multi-line \ continuation is supported). The right panel shows a live YAML preview that updates as you edit.

Review the output

The converter handles common flags including -p, -v, -e, --name, --restart, --network, --privileged, --cap-add, and --device. Flags that the converter does not recognize are preserved as YAML comments so nothing is lost.

Save as a new stack

Click Save as stack to write the generated compose.yaml to your stacks directory and open it in the YAML editor for further tuning.

The converter covers approximately 80% of docker run flags. Advanced flags like --health-* and --ulimit are preserved as comments. Review the output before deploying.

View logs across services

Use the project-level Logs view to merge logs from every service, color-code them by service, and keep the same search behavior as container logs.

Templates library

Use the Templates library when you want to start from a curated stack instead of a blank Compose file.

Databases

MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis, CouchDB.

Message queues

RabbitMQ, NATS, Kafka.

Observability

Prometheus and Grafana, Loki, Tempo.

Development

phpMyAdmin, pgAdmin, Adminer, MinIO.