# Docker Run Wikilayer on a computer with Docker and Compose. The public [Wikilayer Docker repository](https://github.com/wikilayer/docker) contains the image recipe and `compose.yaml`. Compose starts the Wikilayer binary and PostgreSQL 16. The web interface and local MCP endpoint listen on `localhost:38731`; the database gets no port on the host. ## Start with Compose In a POSIX shell (WSL on Windows), prepare the Compose files: ```sh git clone https://github.com/wikilayer/docker.git cd docker printf 'POSTGRES_PASSWORD=%s\n' "$(openssl rand -hex 24)" > .env ``` If you also run Wikilayer with [Homebrew](page:59533) on this Mac, stop that service first; both installations use port 38731: ```sh brew services stop wikilayer/tap/wikilayer ``` Start the containers: ```sh docker compose up -d ``` ## Open and connect Open the local web interface at `http://localhost:38731`, then [connect a local agent](page:59569) and try the [first steps](page:59339). ## Check and stop From the cloned `docker` directory, check that both services are running and print the server version: ```sh docker compose ps docker compose exec -T wikilayer wikilayer version ``` To stop the containers without deleting their data: ```sh docker compose stop ``` If you also use the Homebrew installation on this Mac, you can start it again after Docker stops: ```sh brew services start wikilayer/tap/wikilayer ``` ## Update and keep your data To update, set `WIKILAYER_VERSION` in `.env` to a published tag or leave it unset for `latest`, then run: ```sh docker compose pull docker compose up -d ``` Compose keeps the database and uploads in named volumes. `docker compose down` retains them; `docker compose down -v` deletes them. Back up both volumes before upgrades, and take a PostgreSQL dump before changing PostgreSQL's major version. --- ## Links here - [Homebrew](page:59533) - [Move from Wikilayer.org](page:59343) - [Self-hosted](page:59317) --- [All pages](https://wikilayer.org/smee-again/wikilayer-howto/en/index.md)