Using docker-compose to launch instances

Our recommendation is that users launch Draftable API Self-hosted containers via Docker Compose, as it is the most reliable and configurable method of container deployment. This article will guide you to the correct procedure to launch instances using docker-compose.

docker-compose

Docker Compose is a tool that was developed to help define and share multi-container applications. With Docker Compose, you can create a YAML file to define all the services and settings of a Draftable Self-hosted instance, and then with a single command launch everything up or deactivate a instance.

Read more about Docker Compose here: https://docs.docker.com/compose/

For more configurations and settings using Docker Compose, please refer to the docker compose configuration guide.

Before you start

If using a local windows 10 machine for testing purposes, ensure that you have installed Docker desktop (Community Edition or Enterprise Edition). If however you are using a Linux based server however, please ensure that you have the latest docker engine installed and docker-compose also installed on that operating system. 

Launching a new instance via docker-compose

1. Retrieve the latest Draftable API Self-hosted release.

   • This can be done via the terminal on the local machine with the following command:
     docker pull draftable/apish:latest
2. Create a YAML file titled “docker-compose.yml” on your local machine.
   

3. Populate the YAML file with your Self-hosted configuration. Basic configuration is as follows; comments are in bold. You can copy paste this configuration into your own docker-compose file for testing purposes. Alternatively, here is a link to the same file.

   version: '3.5'
   services:
       apish: #Name of the service being used
       environment:    #Enviroment settings for the appliance
            DRAFTABLE_APISH_NGINX: |-          
       image: draftable/apish     #Select which image is to be used on your appliance
          ports:
             - 80:80/tcp         # HTTP port settings
             - 0.0.0.0:8440:443/tcp      # HTTPS port settings
       volumes:        #Configure which volumes will be used for your appliance
            - draftable-apish:/srv/draftable
            - /sys/fs/cgroup:/sys/fs/cgroup   
   volumes: #Configuration for volumes used, settings should match above
     draftable-apish:
   
4. Go to your terminal and navigate to directory which hosts the location of your docker-compose YAML file. 

   
5. Start building your instance by invoking the command:

   • docker-compose up

   

   Your instance will now be running, and to start using it navigate to the instance in a browser based on your port configurations. If you are setting up your instance for the first time, please refer to this article here.

Making changes to your YAML 

If you ever need to make changes to your instance, you can simply edit the “docker-compose.yml” file, then restart the server. The restart process is as follows. 

docker-compose down

docker-compose up

Example setting up Docker Compose directory (using Windows)

1. Create a directory on your system where you will wish to host the docker-compose YAML file (docker-compose.yml). In the below example I am using a windows 10 and am creating a new location to host my YAML file called “API_Self_Hosted_Test”.

   
2. Create and configure the docker compose file, this file will be all the parameters that dictate the configuration of your instance. Remember you must name your file as “docker-compose.yml” otherwise docker-compose will not function correctly.