Re-using environment variables in docker-compose.yml

Is it possible to re-use environment variables that are shared among multiple containers?

The idea is to avoid duplication, as illustrated in this example:

version: '2'


services:


db:
image: example/db
ports:
- "8443:8443"
container_name: db
hostname: db
environment:
- USER_NAME = admin
- USER_PASSWORD = admin


svc:
image: example/svc
depends_on:
- db
ports:
- "9443:9443"
container_name: svc
hostname: svc
environment:
- DB_URL = https://db:8443
- DB_USER_NAME = admin
- DB_USER_PASSWORD = admin
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You can reference local environment variables from within a docker-compose file. Assuming what you're wanting to do is make USER_NAME the same as DB_USER_NAME:

docker-compose.yml

version: '2'


services:
db:
image: example/db
ports:
- "8443:8443"
container_name: db
hostname: db
environment:
- USER_NAME = ${USERNAME}
- USER_PASSWORD = ${PASSWORD}


svc:
image: example/svc
depends_on:
- db
ports:
- "9443:9443"
container_name: svc
hostname: svc
environment:
- DB_URL = https://db:8443
- DB_USER_NAME = ${USERNAME}
- DB_USER_PASSWORD = ${PASSWORD}

Then, run docker-compose like:

$ USERNAME="admin" PASSWORD="admin" docker-compose up

Alternately, for something more permanent, and easier to type on a recurring basis:

$ printf '%s\n%s\n' 'export USERNAME="admin"' 'export PASSWORD="admin"' >> ~/.bash_profile
$ source ~/.bash_profile
$ docker-compose up

You can use the extends directive (available in compose 1.x and 2.x) to have multiple containers inherit the environment configuration from an underlying service description. For example, put the following in a file named base.yml:

version: '2'


services:
base:
environment:
DB_URL: https://db:8443
DB_USER_NAME: admin
DB_USER_PASSWORD: admin

Then in your docker-compose.yml:

version: '2'


services:
container1:
image: alpine
command: sh -c "env; sleep 900"
extends:
file: base.yml
service: base


container2:
image: alpine
command: sh -c "env; sleep 900"
extends:
file: base.yml
service: base
environment:
ANOTHERVAR: this is a test

Then inside of container1, you will see:

DB_URL=https://db:8443
DB_USER_NAME=admin
DB_USER_PASSWORD=admin

And inside of container2 you will see:

DB_URL=https://db:8443
DB_USER_NAME=admin
DB_USER_PASSWORD=admin
ANOTHERVAR=this is a test

You can obviously use extends for things other than the environment directive; it's a great way to avoid duplication when using docker-compose.

The extends option can be nice but it's not supported in 3.x compose files. Other ways to go are:

  1. Extension fields (compose file 3.4+)

    If you can use 3.4+ compose files, extension fields are probably the best option:

    docker-compose.yml

     version: '3.4'
    
    
    x-common-variables: &common-variables
    VARIABLE: some_value
    ANOTHER_VARIABLE: another_value
    
    
    services:
    some_service:
    image: someimage
    environment: *common-variables
    
    
    another_service:
    image: anotherimage
    environment:
    <<: *common-variables
    NON_COMMON_VARIABLE: 'non_common_value'
    
  2. env_file directive

    docker-compose.yml

     version: '3.2'
    
    
    services:
    some_service:
    image: someimage
    env_file:
    - 'variables.env'
    
    
    another_service:
    image: anotherimage
    env_file:
    - 'variables.env'
    

    variables.env

     VARIABLE=some_value
    ANOTHER_VARIABLE=another_value
    
  3. .env file in project root (or variables at actual compose environment)

    Variables from .env file can be referenced in service configuration:

    docker-compose.yml

     version: '3.2'
    
    
    services:
    some_service:
    image: someimage
    environment:
    - VARIABLE
    
    
    another_service:
    image: anotherimage
    environment:
    - VARIABLE
    - ANOTHER_VARIABLE
    

    .env

     VARIABLE=some_value
    ANOTHER_VARIABLE=another_value