Compose profiles for selective services in Docker - Step-by-Step Execution

Process Flow - Compose profiles for selective services

Define services in docker-compose.yml

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Assign profiles to services

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Run docker-compose with profiles

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Only services in active profiles start

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Other services remain stopped

This flow shows how services are defined with profiles and how running with specific profiles starts only those services.

Execution Sample

Docker

services:
  web:
    image: nginx
    profiles: ["frontend"]
  db:
    image: postgres
    profiles: ["backend"]

Defines two services with different profiles: 'web' in 'frontend' and 'db' in 'backend'.

Process Table

Step	Command	Active Profiles	Services Started	Services Skipped
1	docker-compose up --profile frontend	frontend	web	db
2	docker-compose up --profile backend	backend	db	web
3	docker-compose up --profile frontend --profile backend	frontend, backend	web, db	none
4	docker-compose up	none (default)	none (services with profiles)	web, db

💡 Execution stops after services start according to active profiles or default behavior.

Status Tracker

Variable	Start	After Step 1	After Step 2	After Step 3	After Step 4
Active Profiles	none	frontend	backend	frontend, backend	none
Services Started	none	web	db	web, db	none (no unprofiled services)

Key Moments - 2 Insights

Why does 'docker-compose up' without profiles start no services here?

Because both services have profiles assigned, and no default profile is active, so no service matches to start (see execution_table row 4).

Can multiple profiles be active at once?

Yes, as shown in execution_table row 3, running with multiple profiles starts all services assigned to any of those profiles.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution table, which services start when running 'docker-compose up --profile backend'?

A db only

B web only

C web and db

D none

💡 Hint

Check execution_table row 2 under 'Services Started'

At which step do both 'web' and 'db' services start together?

A Step 1

B Step 2

C Step 3

D Step 4

💡 Hint

See execution_table row 3 for services started with multiple profiles

If the 'db' service had no profile, what would happen at step 4 when running 'docker-compose up'?

A Only 'web' starts

B 'db' starts, 'web' does not

C Both 'web' and 'db' start

D No services start

💡 Hint

Services without profiles start by default when no profile is specified (see explanation in key_moments)

Concept Snapshot

Compose profiles let you group services.
Assign profiles in docker-compose.yml under each service.
Run with --profile to start only those services.
Multiple profiles can be active together.
Services without profiles start only if no profile is specified.

Full Transcript

In Docker Compose, you can assign profiles to services to control which ones start. When you run 'docker-compose up' with a profile, only services in that profile start. If you run with multiple profiles, all services in those profiles start. Services without profiles start only if you run without any profile specified. This helps run selective services easily.