#36570·mastodon

Can't deploy locally using docker

Author: lethallybadCreated Oct 23, 2025Updated Sep 16, 2026
Labelsstatus/to triage

Steps to reproduce the problem

i tried using server deployment, the docker-compose.yml and .env.production with updated keys, but postgresql wasn't connecting and puma kept looping. does postgresql values need to be changed? instead at the top of the docker-compose.yml it says i should go here for local deployment https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/blob/main/docs/DEVELOPMENT.md#docker and so i then ran "For local development, install and launch Docker, and run:

docker compose -f .devcontainer/compose.yaml up -d docker compose -f .devcontainer/compose.yaml exec app bin/setup docker compose -f .devcontainer/compose.yaml exec app bin/dev"

this method also didnt work for me, devcontainer-app-1 had no logs. is there an up-to-date method for installing mastodon locally using docker? all of my stuff is running in docker containers and i'd like to do the same here but i can't find any working guides to deploy in docker

Expected behaviour

mastodon successfully deploying

Actual behaviour

mastodon unsuccessfully deploying

Detailed description

No response

Mastodon instance

local

Mastodon version

No response

Environment

Please at least include those informations:

  • Operating system: (eg. Ubuntu 24.04.2)
  • Ruby version: (from ruby --version, eg. v3.4.4)
  • Node.js version: (from node --version, eg. v22.16.0)

Technical details

No response