Quick answer: Docker Compose production = restart: unless-stopped, .env for secrets, Traefik for SSL, daily volume backups.
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Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is Docker Compose enough for production?
Yes for most projects up to ~50 containers on 1–3 servers. For multi-region/auto-scale: Kubernetes/k3s.
How to secure Docker Compose secrets?
.env file (not in Git), Docker secrets or external vault. Never commit passwords in docker-compose.yml.
Automatic updates?
Watchtower with caution (can deploy breaking changes). Better: CI/CD with tested image tags or manual docker compose pull.
Backups with Docker?
Back up named volumes regularly: docker run --rm -v pgdata:/data -v $(pwd):/backup alpine tar czf /backup/pgdata.tar.gz /data
Which VPS for Compose?
Min 4 GB RAM for 3–5 containers. 8 GB for DB + app + Traefik + monitoring. Frankfurt for DE latency.