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Deploy WordPress Easily With the Official Docker Image

Posted on by William Zheng

Ever wished you could launch a WordPress site in minutes—without the hassle of manual setup? You’re not alone. Whether you’re a developer, business owner, or hobbyist, finding a simpler way to get WordPress up and running is a common goal.

That’s where Docker’s WordPress image comes in. This article breaks down exactly how you can use it, step by step, with helpful tips and insights to streamline your website projects.

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How to Use the Official Docker WordPress Image: A Complete Guide

Deploying WordPress with Docker has become the gold standard for modern website development and testing. By using the official Docker WordPress image, you can set up a robust, isolated, and easily manageable WordPress site in just a few steps. Read on for a clear walk-through and practical insights to help you run WordPress with Docker confidently, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced developer.

What Is the Docker WordPress Image?

The official WordPress Docker image is a pre-packaged environment maintained by the WordPress and Docker teams. It includes all the necessary components to run WordPress: Apache, PHP, and everything required to get a WordPress site up and running. This image makes it possible to launch WordPress as a containerized application—meaning it runs in its own isolated environment on your system or server.

Why Choose Docker for WordPress?

  • Consistency: Your website runs the same on all devices, in every environment.
  • Simplicity: Rapid setup and teardown; no need to manually install dependencies.
  • Isolation: Keeps WordPress separate from other apps to avoid conflicts.
  • Portability: Easily move your WordPress site between machines or cloud providers.
  • Auto-updates: Refresh containers to get new releases or security patches.

Step-by-Step: How to Run WordPress Using Docker

Let’s break down the process into clear, manageable steps.

1. Ensure Docker Is Installed

Before anything else, make sure Docker is set up on your system. Docker Desktop is available for Windows and Mac, while Linux users can use Docker Engine.

2. Pull the Official WordPress Image

Open your terminal and run:

docker pull wordpress

This command downloads the latest official WordPress image from Docker Hub.

3. Choose a Database

WordPress needs a database. The most common choice is MySQL or MariaDB, both of which have official Docker images.

Example: Pulling a MySQL Image

docker pull mysql:5.7

4. Create a Docker Network (Optional but Recommended)

Creating a network keeps your WordPress and database containers communicating securely.

docker network create wordpress-network

5. Run the MySQL Container

Start your database container and configure its root and user passwords:

docker run --name wp-mysql --network wordpress-network -e MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=your_root_password -e MYSQL_DATABASE=wordpress -e MYSQL_USER=wordpress -e MYSQL_PASSWORD=your_password -d mysql:5.7

6. Run the WordPress Container

Launch the WordPress container and link it to your database:

docker run --name wordpress --network wordpress-network -e WORDPRESS_DB_HOST=wp-mysql:3306 -e WORDPRESS_DB_USER=wordpress -e WORDPRESS_DB_PASSWORD=your_password -e WORDPRESS_DB_NAME=wordpress -p 8080:80 -d wordpress
  • -p 8080:80 exposes WordPress on port 8080. Visit http://localhost:8080 in your browser.

7. Complete the WordPress Installation

Open your browser and enter http://localhost:8080. You’ll see the familiar WordPress installation screen. Fill in the site title, admin username, and password to finish setup.

Using Docker Compose for Easier Management

While the above commands work well, Docker Compose can simplify the process. With Docker Compose, you define your services in a single docker-compose.yml file.

Sample docker-compose.yml

version: '3.8'

services:
  db:
    image: mysql:5.7
    volumes:
      - db_data:/var/lib/mysql
    restart: always
    environment:
      MYSQL_DATABASE: wordpress
      MYSQL_USER: wordpress
      MYSQL_PASSWORD: your_password
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: your_root_password

  wordpress:
    depends_on:
      - db
    image: wordpress:latest
    ports:
      - "8080:80"
    restart: always
    environment:
      WORDPRESS_DB_HOST: db:3306
      WORDPRESS_DB_USER: wordpress
      WORDPRESS_DB_PASSWORD: your_password
      WORDPRESS_DB_NAME: wordpress
volumes:
  db_data:

To Start Everything

Run:

docker-compose up -d

This command spins up both WordPress and MySQL containers, automatically linking them together.

Benefits of Running WordPress with Docker

  • Rapid Deployment: Set up or tear down entire WordPress environments in seconds.
  • Version Control: Test different PHP, MySQL, and WordPress versions without altering your main system.
  • Reproducibility: Share your exact setup with colleagues or move it between laptop and production without surprises.
  • Easy Backups & Restore: Persistent storage makes copying data or entire environments easy.

Challenges and Solutions

Even with all its advantages, working with Dockerized WordPress can present challenges. Here’s how to tackle common issues:

1. Data Persistence

Problem: By default, containers don’t save changes if you delete them.

Solution: Use Docker volumes. For example:

  • Database data: Map /var/lib/mysql to a named volume.
  • WordPress files (uploads, plugins): Map /var/www/html/wp-content to a local folder or volume.

2. Performance on Windows/Mac

Problem: File system performance in containers can be slower than native installs.

Solution: Use named volumes or bind mounts, and minimize host-container file syncing where possible.

3. Security Best Practices

  • Always use strong, unique passwords for database and admin accounts.
  • Don’t expose your database port (3306) directly to the public internet; keep containers network-isolated.
  • Use environment variables for sensitive information rather than hard coding them.

4. Updating Images

Problem: You risk running outdated WordPress or plugins if you don’t refresh your containers.

Solution: Regularly update images with docker pull wordpress, then redeploy and monitor changes.

Practical Tips and Best Practices

  • Back Up Regularly: Use scheduled tasks to back up your database and files.
  • Environment Variables: Store secrets securely and avoid exposing them in public repos.
  • Custom Configuration: Add a wp-config.php or custom PHP settings via volumes for advanced setups.
  • Plugin and Theme Storage: Keep custom plugins and themes on a mounted volume, so you don’t lose them on container updates.
  • Staging Environments: Create multiple Docker Compose files for development, staging, and production.

Cost-Saving Tips

While Docker itself is free and open source, consider the following to optimize costs when hosting Dockerized WordPress:

  • Use a single server to host multiple isolated WordPress sites with Docker.
  • Scale up only when traffic demands. Scale containers horizontally if needed.
  • Consider using cloud-hosted database services to offload resource-heavy components.
  • For hobby projects, run Dockerized WordPress on your local machine—no hosting costs at all.
  • If shipping data or backing up sites, use compressed backups to minimize storage and bandwidth expenses.

Conclusion

Running WordPress with Docker drastically simplifies setup, management, and deployment, giving you a repeatable, portable, and reliable workflow. Whether you’re launching a test blog, building client sites, or managing production workloads, the official Docker WordPress image puts you in control. By following best practices and staying mindful of security and persistence, you can enjoy all the benefits of Docker—with minimal hassle.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the official WordPress Docker image, and why should I use it?
The official WordPress Docker image is a pre-configured package that includes all necessary components to run WordPress (PHP, Apache, etc.) inside a container. Using it ensures consistency, simplifies setup, and avoids conflicts with other local software.

2. Can I use my custom themes and plugins with Dockerized WordPress?
Yes! You can map the wp-content directory from your host to the container. This way, any themes or plugins you add are preserved and can be edited directly.

3. How do I keep my WordPress Docker site data safe?
Always use Docker volumes to persist data. For example, map your MySQL data and WordPress uploads to named volumes or outside folders. Also, schedule regular backups of your database and files.

4. Is Dockerized WordPress suitable for production websites?
Absolutely. Many use Docker in production for its isolation and ease of scaling. Just ensure volumes are mapped for persistence, apply security best practices, and monitor performance—production often requires more advanced configuration.

5. Can I run multiple WordPress sites using Docker on one server?
Yes, you can spin up as many WordPress containers as you want, each linked to its own database. Use unique ports for web access or proxies to manage multiple sites easily.

Containerize your WordPress project confidently—Docker makes it simpler, faster, and more flexible than ever before!

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