How to install PHP composer inside a docker container

Question

I try to work out a way to create a dev environment using docker and laravel.

I have the following dockerfile:

FROM php:7.1.3-fpm

RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y libmcrypt-dev \
    mysql-client libmagickwand-dev --no-install-recommends \
    && pecl install imagick \
    && docker-php-ext-enable imagick \
&& docker-php-ext-install mcrypt pdo_mysql
&& chmod -R o+rw laravel-master/bootstrap laravel-master/storage

Laravel requires composer to call composer dump-autoload when working with database migration. Therefore, I need composer inside the docker container.

I tried:

RUN curl -sS https://getcomposer.org/installer | php -- \
--install-dir=/usr/bin --filename=composer

But when I call

docker-compose up
docker-compose exec app composer dump-autoload

It throws the following error:

rpc error: code = 13 desc = invalid header field value "oci runtime error: exec failed: container_linux.go:247: starting container process caused \"exec: \\\"composer\\\": executable file not found in $PATH\"\n"

I would be more than happy for advice how I can add composer to the PATH within my dockerfile or what else I can do to surpass this error.

Thanks for your support. Also: this is the github repository if you need to see the docker-compose.yml file or anything else.

Is there a need to reinvent the wheel? Why not use out-of-the-box solutions for docker, PHP and Laravel (like Laradock that covers pretty much everything you need and is easily configurable)? — d3jn
– d3jn, Commented Jul 20, 2018 at 13:30
Alternatively, there is always the possibility to use composer as .phar checked in as part of the repository. — Namoshek
– Namoshek, Commented Jul 20, 2018 at 13:31
Are you sure your container is successfully build? This script already makes composer executable. docker run -it --rm php:7.1.3-fpm bash curl -sS getcomposer.org/installer | php -- \ --install-dir=/usr/bin --filename=composer composer --version Composer version 1.6.5 2018-05-04 11:44:59 So problem is not in the docker or composer itself, probable wrong-config or some issue with docker-compose — AlTak
– AlTak, Commented Jul 20, 2018 at 13:57
@d3jn this is the first time I work with docker and I want to rebuild this laravel + docker walking skeleton to learn from it. Thanks anyway for pointing it Laradock! — Andre
– Andre, Commented Jul 21, 2018 at 8:31
@d3jn of course not, but this is only one possible scenario - try to think of all the people who will arrive at this post because they have a custom image build that also needs composer. Workarounds for specific use cases tend not to be very useful on SO. — Peter Kionga-Kamau
– Peter Kionga-Kamau, Commented Aug 5, 2021 at 0:51

noraj · Accepted Answer · 2023-06-28 08:20:24Z

374

You can perform an in-line Multi-stage build using composer image so you will basically just copy composer binary into the PHP docker image.

In Dockerfile :

COPY --from=composer:latest /usr/bin/composer /usr/local/bin/composer

edited Jun 28, 2023 at 8:20

noraj

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answered Nov 4, 2019 at 13:27

ybenhssaien

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8 Comments

Fuzzy76 Over a year ago

Just be aware that --from is fairly new and won't be available in all environments.

luukvhoudt Over a year ago

Note if you have packages in your composer.json which can only be installed from source then you will also need to install git.

YusufFidan Over a year ago

If you need a specific Version, this works fine, Tank you. I am using this COPY --from=composer:2.1.8 /usr/bin/composer /usr/local/bin/composer

soroush Over a year ago

My problem solved. I just stopped firewalld service on system

Drew S Over a year ago

There's actually an improved version of this method to save some time and memory. It uses a very small Docker image that only contains the composer binary: COPY --from=composer/composer:latest-bin /composer /usr/local/bin/composer See the composer docs for more info: getcomposer.org/doc/00-intro.md#docker-image

|

Marcin Orlowski · Accepted Answer · 2023-01-11 13:42:52Z

179

I can install composer adding this line on my test dockerfile:

# Install Composer
RUN curl -sS https://getcomposer.org/installer | php -- --install-dir=/usr/local/bin --filename=composer

Here is the dockerfile:

FROM php:7.1.3-fpm

RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y libmcrypt-dev \
    mysql-client libmagickwand-dev --no-install-recommends \
    && pecl install imagick \
    && docker-php-ext-enable imagick \
&& docker-php-ext-install mcrypt pdo_mysql

# Install Composer
RUN curl -sS https://getcomposer.org/installer | php -- --install-dir=/usr/local/bin --filename=composer

It works for me, to test if the composer are installed i access to my container bash and execute:

composer --version
Composer version 1.6.5 2018-05-04 11:44:59

edited Jan 11, 2023 at 13:42

Marcin Orlowski

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answered Jul 20, 2018 at 16:04

Brayan Caldera

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4 Comments

Darius.V Over a year ago

Isnt composer --version just returning output from host machine? Or where do you call it?

Brayan Caldera Over a year ago

you need to run the image generated with docker run -dit my-image command, after that you need to execute docker exec -it container-id sh, and with this command you can access to the container terminal, when you are on the container terminal you can execute the composer --version command to validate that this is installed on your container

Mihai MATEI Over a year ago

Since Composer 2.0 is out and many projects still need the 1.x version, you can also pass --version to the installer for a specific Composer version as such:

RUN curl -sS https://getcomposer.org/installer | php -- --install-dir=/usr/local/bin --filename=composer --version=1.10.22

rkeet Over a year ago

Better to get it like so: COPY --from=composer:latest /usr/bin/composer /usr/local/bin/composer, from this answer

hannes_rd · Accepted Answer · 2021-07-31 08:02:36Z

8

This is how i do it with Laravel 8.4 in 2021 to deploy it to CloudRun in Google Cloud:

Dockerfile

#Get Composer
FROM composer:2.0 as vendor

WORKDIR /app

COPY database/ database/
COPY composer.json composer.json
COPY composer.lock composer.lock

RUN composer install \
    --no-interaction \
    --no-plugins \
    --no-scripts \
    --no-dev \
    --prefer-dist

COPY . .
RUN composer dump-autoload

// some more custom steps like

FROM node:14.9 as frontend
...
FROM php:7.4-fpm
...

// Copy Composer dependencies

# Copy Composer dependencies
COPY --from=vendor app/vendor/ ./vendor/
COPY . .

// Some more custom steps

...

End of my Dockerfile to launch app with cleared optimized cache

# Run Laravel commands
RUN php artisan optimize:clear

CMD php artisan serve --host=0.0.0.0 --port=8080

EXPOSE 8080

answered Jul 31, 2021 at 8:02

hannes_rd

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2 Comments

HoseinGhanbari Over a year ago

be aware that it's not recommended using artisan serve for production.

Jerry Over a year ago

I had to add --ignore-platform-reqs since the Composer image didn't have all the requirements like php version that are in my composer.json

FULL STACK DEV · Accepted Answer · 2018-07-20 13:40:22Z

6

Create an executable of your composer file using

RUN curl -sS https://getcomposer.org/installer | php -- \
--install-dir=/usr/bin --filename=composer && chmod +x /usr/bin/composer

answered Jul 20, 2018 at 13:40

FULL STACK DEV

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2 Comments

Andre Over a year ago

Unfortunately, still the same error code. Do you have an idea what could possibly be still missing?

mdrobny Over a year ago

Adding && chmod +x /usr/bin/composer fixed the composer: not found error for me

Mhammed Talhaouy · Accepted Answer · 2022-04-17 14:25:55Z

5

use composer in dockerfile using curl

RUN curl -sS https://getcomposer.org/installer | php -- --install-dir=/usr/local/bin --filename=composer

Dockerfile

FROM 8.1.4-fpm

RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
    git \
    curl \
    zip \
    unzip

RUN curl -sS https://getcomposer.org/installer | php -- --install-dir=/usr/local/bin --filename=composer

WORKDIR /var/www

answered Apr 17, 2022 at 14:25

Mhammed Talhaouy

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Comments

Kostya Kalitvyansky · Accepted Answer · 2023-05-25 02:18:49Z

4

Use actual docs:

Dockerfile:

# Install composer
RUN php -r "copy('https://getcomposer.org/installer', 'composer-setup.php');" \
    && php composer-setup.php \
    && php -r "unlink('composer-setup.php');" \
    && mv composer.phar /usr/local/bin/composer

answered May 25, 2023 at 2:18

Kostya Kalitvyansky

411 bronze badge

Comments

mutas · Accepted Answer · 2018-07-20 13:40:00Z

1

We have basicly the same command running with the difference,

--install-dir=/usr/local/bin

Alternatively, you should add the composer bin files path to the $PATH variable.

export PATH=$PATH":/usr/bin"

answered Jul 20, 2018 at 13:40

mutas

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Comments

Pankaj Salunkhe · Accepted Answer · 2020-09-03 17:50:25Z

0

I'd just like to suggest another way.

Dockerfile:

RUN php -r "readfile('http://getcomposer.org/installer');" | php -- --install-dir=/usr/bin/ --filename=composer

answered Sep 3, 2020 at 17:50

Pankaj Salunkhe

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Comments

Leonel Kahameni · Accepted Answer · 2021-06-15 23:52:40Z

0

FROM php:7.3-fpm-alpine
RUN docker-php-ext-install pdo pdo_mysql
RUN docker-php-ext-install mysqli && docker-php-ext-enable mysqli

RUN php -r "readfile('http://getcomposer.org/installer');" | php -- --install-dir=/usr/bin/ --filename=composer
RUN apk update
RUN apk upgrade
RUN apk add bash
RUN alias composer='php /usr/bin/composer'

answered Jun 15, 2021 at 23:52

Leonel Kahameni

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Comments

Nico · Accepted Answer · 2024-11-19 11:01:30Z

You can also use docker-php-extension-installer: Installing composer:

You can also install composer, and you also can specify a major version of it, or a full version.

Examples:
# Install the latest version install-php-extensions @composer
# Install the latest 1.x version install-php-extensions @composer-1
# Install a specific version install-php-extensions @composer-2.0.2

With php:8.1-fpm image:

FROM 8.1.4-fpm

RUN curl -sSLf \
    -o /usr/local/bin/install-php-extensions \
    https://github.com/mlocati/docker-php-extension-installer/releases/latest/download/install-php-extensions && \
    chmod +x /usr/local/bin/install-php-extensions
RUN install-php-extensions @composer

Originally, this is a recommended way to install PHP extensions from the official PHP images (How to use this image > How to install more PHP extensions > PHP Core Extensions):

If you are having difficulty figuring out which Debian or Alpine packages need to be installed before docker-php-ext-install, then have a look at the install-php-extensions project⁠.

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