When to use Docker
Use it for persistent services: vector databases, n8n, Open WebUI, Postgres, Redis, or tools you want to restart the same way tomorrow. For small Python scripts, uv is usually enough.
Minimum Compose
services:
qdrant:
image: qdrant/qdrant:latest
ports:
- "6333:6333"
volumes:
- qdrant_data:/qdrant/storage
volumes:
qdrant_data:docker compose up -d docker compose ps docker compose logs -f qdrant
Common errors
- Port already used: change the left port, for example 6334:6333.
- Data disappears: you are missing a persistent volume.
- Ollama does not connect from Docker: try host.docker.internal on macOS/Windows.
- Strange Linux permissions: check user, docker group, and mounted paths.
Maintenance rule
Every service you will use more than once should have a docker-compose.yml, a short README, and a verification command.