Episode 13: Docker Compose Advanced (Scaling & Multi-Env Setup)

In this episode, we’ll push Docker Compose beyond the basics and explore advanced use cases for real-world projects.

🔹 Topics Covered:

1. Scaling Services

• Using docker-compose up --scale to run multiple instances of a service.
• Load balancing between containers.

1. Multiple Environment Files

• Managing .env.dev, .env.prod, .env.staging for different setups.
• Switching environments easily with overrides.

1. Compose Override Files

• Using docker-compose.override.yml for local development tweaks.
• Keeping production and dev configs clean.

1. Networking in Compose

• Custom networks for microservices.
• Communication across multiple Compose projects.

1. Best Practices

• Avoid hardcoding values → use env variables.
• Keep secrets outside Compose files.

🔹 Hands-On Example:

• Create a docker-compose.yml for a Node.js + Redis app.
• Scale Redis instances and see load balancing in action.
• Use different .env files for dev and prod.

🔹 Quick Commands:

# Scale a service
 docker-compose up --scale web=3

# Use a specific env file
 docker-compose --env-file .env.prod up

# Run with override
 docker-compose -f docker-compose.yml -f docker-compose.prod.yml up -d

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