What is a health check in Docker Compose?

What is a health check in Docker Compose?

A health check in Docker Compose is a way to determine if a service is running correctly. It allows you to define commands that Docker will run to check the health of your containers.

How do I set up a health check in my Docker Compose file?

You can set up a health check by adding a 'healthcheck' section in your service definition. For example:

services:
  my_service:
    image: my_image
    healthcheck:
      test: [ 'CMD', 'curl', '-f', 'http://localhost/health' ]
      interval: 30s
      timeout: 10s
      retries: 3

What happens if a health check fails?

If a health check fails, Docker will mark the container as unhealthy. This can trigger restart policies or alert you to issues with the service.

Can I customize the health check command?

Yes, you can customize the health check command to suit your application's needs. Just ensure it accurately reflects the health status.