How to use the Docker Compose visualizer
1. Paste docker-compose.yml
Copy your Compose file into the editor. The parser reads services, depends_on links, networks, and published ports to build a service graph.
2. Explore dependencies and networks
The diagram groups related services and draws edges for dependencies. Use this view to see which containers must start before others and how services share networks.
3. Validate structure while editing
YAML syntax errors appear with line hints. Fix indentation or key issues, then watch the graph update to reflect the corrected compose definition.
4. Export for runbooks
Download the graph when documenting local development stacks, staging environments, or demo deployments for your team wiki.
Common use cases
Local development stacks
New contributors understand how API, database, cache, and worker containers connect before running docker compose up.
Migration planning
Compare current and target compose files visually when splitting monolithic stacks into smaller services.
Incident response
During outages, map which dependent service failures cascade to upstream health checks failing.
Security zoning reviews
See which services share networks and expose host ports when hardening compose files for production-like environments.
Workshop demonstrations
Teach container orchestration basics by editing depends_on and watching the graph change live.
Frequently asked questions
- Which Compose versions are supported?
- The visualizer accepts typical docker-compose YAML with services and depends_on. Advanced Compose v2 features may render as simplified nodes.
- Is my compose file uploaded?
- No. Parsing and rendering happen locally in your browser.
- Can I visualize multiple compose files at once?
- Paste one file at a time. For multi-file setups, merge relevant services into a single YAML snippet for visualization.
- Does the graph show health checks?
- The diagram emphasizes service dependencies and networks. Health check configuration remains in the YAML editor for reference.