Is it better to stop a container before it runs?

General
,
1

Hello,
Consider a runner with the following configuration:

stages:
  - build
  - deploy
cache:
  paths:
    - node_modules/
build-portal:
  stage: build
  script:
    ...

deploy-portal:
  stage: deploy
  script:
    - cd /home/Projects/
    - docker compose up -d portal

Wouldn’t it be better to run the docker compose down -d portal command before running the docker compose up -d portal command? Something like the following:

deploy-portal:
  stage: deploy
  script:
    - cd /home/Projects/
    - docker compose down -d portal
    - docker compose up -d portal

Thank you.

1 Like
2

What’s a runner? By default when using docker compose up, if something changed in the compose file, Docker will automatically stop the container an start a new container with the updated configuration.

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3

Hello,
Thank you so much for your reply.
I mean GitLab Runner. When a change is made to the website code, the runner updates the changes, but since the old website is already running in Docker, will the docker compose up -d portal command show the new website?

4

It depends on your compose file. If params within change, it will restart.

If the image changes und you use latest tag, you need docker compose up -d --pull to always use the latest image. I think also compose has an option like pull: always.

5

Hello,
Thanks again.
No, I haven’t included an option in my compose file to restart the container:

services:
  portal:
    container_name: Portal
    build:
      context: /home/Projects/
      dockerfile: Dockerfile
    ports:
      - "127.0.0.1:3000:3000"

Do I need to do that?

6

Yes, but docker compose down -d portal is incorrect; -d isn’t valid with down. Use:

deploy-portal:
  stage: deploy
  script:
    - cd /home/Projects/
    - docker compose down portal
    - docker compose up -d portal

This ensures the old container stops before starting a new one. :rocket:

1 Like
7

Hi,
Thank you so much for your reply.
You right. The correct command is as follows:

- docker compose down -v portal
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8

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