Install the Docker Compose standalone

Table of contents

This page contains instructions on how to install Docker Compose standalone on Linux or Windows Server, from the command line.

Warning

The Docker Compose standalone uses the -compose syntax instead of the current standard syntax compose.
For example, you must type docker-compose up when using Docker Compose standalone, instead of docker compose up.

On Linux

  1. To download and install the Docker Compose standalone, run:

    $ curl -SL https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/download/v2.32.0/docker-compose-linux-x86_64 -o /usr/local/bin/docker-compose

  2. Apply executable permissions to the standalone binary in the target path for the installation.

    $ chmod +x /usr/local/bin/docker-compose

  3. Test and execute Docker Compose commands using docker-compose.

Tip

If the command docker-compose fails after installation, check your path. You can also create a symbolic link to /usr/bin or any other directory in your path. For example:

$ sudo ln -s /usr/local/bin/docker-compose /usr/bin/docker-compose

On Windows Server

Follow these instructions if you are running the Docker daemon directly on Microsoft Windows Server and want to install Docker Compose.

  1. Run PowerShell as an administrator. In order to proceed with the installation, select Yes when asked if you want this app to make changes to your device.

  2. Optional. Ensure TLS1.2 is enabled. GitHub requires TLS1.2 fore secure connections. If you’re using an older version of Windows Server, for example 2016, or suspect that TLS1.2 is not enabled, run the following command in PowerShell:

    [Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [Net.SecurityProtocolType]::Tls12

  3. Download the latest release of Docker Compose (v2.32.0). Run the following command:

     Start-BitsTransfer -Source "https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/download/v2.32.0/docker-compose-windows-x86_64.exe" -Destination $Env:ProgramFiles\Docker\docker-compose.exe

    To install a different version of Docker Compose, substitute v2.32.0 with the version of Compose you want to use.

    Note

    On Windows Server 2019 you can add the Compose executable to $Env:ProgramFiles\Docker. Because this directory is registered in the system PATH, you can run the docker-compose --version command on the subsequent step with no additional configuration.

  4. Test the installation.

    $ docker-compose.exe version
Docker Compose version v2.32.0