How to configure docker-compose.yml for Kafka local development?

Question

I'm trying to setup Kafka in a docker container for local development. My docker-compose.yml looks as follows:

version: '3'
services:
  zookeeper:
    image: wurstmeister/zookeeper
    ports:
      - "2181"
    hostname: zookeeper
  kafka:
    image: wurstmeister/kafka
    command: [start-kafka.sh]
    ports:
      - "9092"
    hostname: kafka
    environment:
      KAFKA_CREATE_TOPICS: "UploadFile:1:1,GetFile:1:1,TrackUpload:1:1,GetEmailContent:1:1" # topic:partition:replicas
      KAFKA_ADVERTISED_HOST_NAME: kafka # docker-machine ip
      KAFKA_ZOOKEEPER_CONNECT: zookeeper:2181
      KAFKA_ADVERTISED_PORT: 9092
    volumes:
      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
    depends_on:
      - "zookeeper"

Unfortunately my node app running on my localhost (not in docker) cannot connect to it. I used the url 'kafka:9092' and even 'localhost:9092'. Nothing works. Any idea what's happening?

Answer 1

Expose the host port 9092 for kafka service & you should be able to connect via "localhost:9092" from the app or host machine.

  ....
  kafka:
    image: wurstmeister/kafka
    command: [start-kafka.sh]
    ports:
      - "9092:9092"
  ....