Setting Up Central Databases with Docker

26 March, 2025 - Rijswijk, Netherlands

In this post, I’ll share my experience setting up central databases using Docker. I’ve chosen to centralize certain databases while keeping others application-specific. Here’s my setup and reasoning.

Database Selection

I’ve centralized the following databases:

• PostgreSQL (with pgWeb and pgAdmin)
• MariaDB (with phpMyAdmin)
• RethinkDB
• CouchDB

Note: I deliberately excluded MongoDB from this central setup. Each application should manage its own MongoDB instance for better isolation and performance.

PostgreSQL Setup

PostgreSQL is my primary relational database, equipped with two management interfaces: pgWeb for quick queries and pgAdmin for comprehensive database management.

# version: '3.8'
networks:
  proxy:
    external: true

services:
  postgres:
    image: postgres:alpine
    container_name: postgres
    restart: always
    environment:
      POSTGRES_USER: pgweb
      POSTGRES_PASSWORD: pgweb
      POSTGRES_DB: pgweb
    # ports:
    #   - "5432:5432"  # PostgreSQL default port
    volumes:
      - postgres_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data

  pgweb:
    image: sosedoff/pgweb:latest
    container_name: pgweb
    networks:
      - default
      - proxy
    restart: always
    environment:
      PGWEB_DATABASE_URL: postgres://pgweb:pgweb@postgres:5432/pgweb?sslmode=disable
    # ports:
    #   - "8081:8081"  # pgWeb interface
    depends_on:
      - postgres

  pgadmin:
    image: dpage/pgadmin4:9.1.0
    container_name: pgadmin
    networks:
      - default
      - proxy
    restart: always
    environment:
      PGADMIN_DEFAULT_EMAIL: [email protected]
      PGADMIN_DEFAULT_PASSWORD: pgweb
      PGADMIN_SERVER_NAME: MyPostgresServer
      PGADMIN_SERVER_HOST: pgweb
      PGADMIN_SERVER_PORT: 5432
      PGADMIN_SERVER_USERNAME: pgweb
      PGADMIN_SERVER_PASSWORD: pgweb
    # ports:
    #   - "80:80"  # pgAdmin interface
    depends_on:
      - postgres
    volumes:
      - pgadmin_data:/var/lib/pgadmin

volumes:
  postgres_data:
  pgadmin_data:

Accessing PostgreSQL Management Interfaces

1. pgWeb:

   • Access at http://pgweb.localhost:8081
   • Lightweight interface for quick queries
   • No login required

2. pgAdmin:

   • Access at http://pgadmin.localhost
   • Full-featured database management
   • Login with configured email and password

MariaDB Setup

MariaDB serves as an alternative relational database, particularly useful for applications that prefer MySQL compatibility.

# version: '3.8'
networks:
  proxy:
    external: true

services:
  mariadb:
    image: mariadb:latest
    container_name: mariadb
    restart: unless-stopped
    environment:
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: my_password
      MYSQL_USER: your_username
      MYSQL_PASSWORD: your_password
    # ports:
    #   - "3306:3306"  # MariaDB default port
    volumes:
      - mariadb_data:/var/lib/mysql

  phpmyadmin:
    image: phpmyadmin/phpmyadmin:latest
    container_name: phpmyadmin
    networks:
      - default
      - proxy
    restart: unless-stopped
    environment:
      PMA_HOST: mariadb
      PMA_USER: your_username
      PMA_PASSWORD: your_password
    # ports:
    #   - "8080:80"  # phpMyAdmin interface
    depends_on:
      - mariadb

volumes:
  mariadb_data:

Accessing MariaDB Management Interface

• phpMyAdmin:
  • Access at http://phpmyadmin.localhost
  • Login with configured username and password

RethinkDB Setup

RethinkDB is set up for real-time applications requiring live updates and change feeds.

# version: '3.8'
networks:
  default:
    external: true
    name: proxy

services:
  rethinkdb:
    image: rethinkdb:latest
    container_name: rethinkdb
    restart: unless-stopped
    # ports:
    #   - "8080:8080"  # RethinkDB web interface
    #   - "28015:28015"  # RethinkDB client drivers
    #   - "29015:29015"  # RethinkDB intra-cluster
    volumes:
      - rethinkdb_data:/data

volumes:
  rethinkdb_data:

Accessing RethinkDB

• Web interface available at http://rethinkdb.localhost:8080
• Client drivers connect on port 28015
• Intra-cluster communication on port 29015

CouchDB Setup

CouchDB is configured for document-based storage with built-in replication capabilities.

# version: '3.8'
networks:
  default:
    external: true
    name: proxy

services:
  couchdb:
    image: couchdb:latest
    container_name: couchdb
    restart: unless-stopped
    # ports:
    #   - "5984:5984"  # CouchDB HTTP API
    environment:
      COUCHDB_USER: admin
    volumes:
      - couchdb_data:/opt/couchdb/data

volumes:
  couchdb_data:

Accessing CouchDB

• Fauxton Interface:
  • Access at http://couchdb.localhost:5984/_utils/
  • Login with configured admin credentials

Why Not MongoDB?

I’ve deliberately excluded MongoDB from this central setup for several reasons:

1. Application-Specific Requirements:

   • Different applications often need different MongoDB versions
   • Performance tuning varies by application
   • Schema design is typically application-specific

2. Resource Management:

   • MongoDB can be resource-intensive
   • Separate instances allow better resource allocation
   • Easier to scale individual applications

3. Security Considerations:

   • Each application can have its own security context
   • Reduced risk of cross-application data exposure
   • Simpler access control management

Best Practices

1. Network Security:

   • All services are connected to the proxy network
   • External ports are only exposed when necessary
   • Management interfaces are protected behind Nginx Proxy Manager

2. Data Persistence:

   • All databases use named volumes for data storage
   • Regular backups are recommended
   • Volume management is handled through Docker

3. Access Control:

   • Each service has its own user credentials
   • Management interfaces are protected
   • Network access is controlled through the proxy

Conclusion

This setup provides a robust foundation for managing multiple database types while maintaining security and performance. The combination of different database types allows for flexibility in choosing the right tool for each application’s needs.

Remember to:

• Regularly backup your data
• Monitor database performance
• Keep your Docker images updated
• Review security settings periodically

---

Note: This setup can be extended with additional features like monitoring, backup automation, and high availability configurations as needed.