What would be a good docker webdev workflow?

Question

1. If you need database persistance indepent of your CMS container, you can use one container for MySQL and one container for your CMS. In such case, you can have your MySQL container still running and your can redeploy your CMS as often as you want independently.

   For development - the another option is to map mysql data directories from your host/development machine using data volumes. This way you can manage data files for mysql (in docker) using git (on host) and "reload" initial state anytime you want (before starting mysql container).

2. Yes, I think you should have a separate container for db.

3. I am using just basic script:

   #!/bin/bash
   
   $JOB1 = (docker run ... /usr/sbin/mysqld)
   $JOB2 = (docker run ... /usr/sbin/apache2)
   echo MySql=$JOB1, Apache=$JOB2
   

4. Yes, you can use data-volumes -v switch. I would use this for development. You can use read-only mounting, so no changes will be made to this directory if you want (your app should store data somewhere else anyway).

   docker run -v=/home/user/dev/cmsdir:/var/www/cmsdir:ro image /usr/sbin/apache2
   

   Anyway, for final deployment, I would build and image using dockerfile with ADD /home/user/dev/cmsdir /var/www/cmsdir

5. I don't know :-)

You want to use docker-compose. Follow the tutorial here. Very simple. Seems to tick all your boxes.

https://docs.docker.com/compose/

I understand this post is over a year old at this time, but I have recently asked myself very similar questions and have several great answers to your questions.

1. You can setup a MySQL docker instance and have data persist on a stateless data container, aka the data container does not need to be actively running

2. Yes I would recommend having a separate instance for your web server and database. This is the power of Docker.

3. Check out this repo I have been building. Basically it is as simple as make build & make run and you can have a web server and database container running locally.

4. You use the -v argument when running the container for the first time, this will link a specific folder on the container to the host running the container.

5. I think your ideas are great and it is currently possible to achieve all that you are asking.

Here is a turn key solution achieving all of the needs you have listed.

I've put together an easy to use docker compose setup that should match your development workflow requirements.

https://github.com/ehyland/docker-silverstripe-dev

Main Features

• Persistent DB
• Your choice of HHVM + NGINX or Apache2 + PHP5
• Debug and set breakpoints with xDebug

The README.md should be clear enough to get you started.