compose-farm/docs/configuration.md

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Configuration Reference

Compose Farm uses a YAML configuration file to define hosts and service assignments.

Config File Location

Compose Farm looks for configuration in this order:

1. ./compose-farm.yaml (current directory)
2. ~/.config/compose-farm/compose-farm.yaml

Use -c / --config to specify a custom path:

cf ps -c /path/to/config.yaml

Full Example

# Required: directory containing compose files
compose_dir: /opt/compose

# Optional: Docker network name (default: mynetwork)
network: mynetwork

# Optional: auto-regenerate Traefik config
traefik_file: /opt/traefik/dynamic.d/compose-farm.yml
traefik_service: traefik

# Define Docker hosts
hosts:
  nuc:
    address: 192.168.1.10
    user: docker
  hp:
    address: 192.168.1.11
    user: admin
  local: localhost

# Map services to hosts
services:
  # Single-host services
  plex: nuc
  sonarr: nuc
  radarr: hp
  jellyfin: local

  # Multi-host services
  dozzle: all                    # Run on ALL hosts
  node-exporter: [nuc, hp]       # Run on specific hosts

Settings Reference

compose_dir (required)

Directory containing your compose service folders. Must be the same path on all hosts.

compose_dir: /opt/compose

Directory structure:

/opt/compose/
├── plex/
│   ├── docker-compose.yml    # or compose.yaml
│   └── .env                  # optional environment file
├── sonarr/
│   └── docker-compose.yml
└── ...

Supported compose file names (checked in order):

• compose.yaml
• compose.yml
• docker-compose.yml
• docker-compose.yaml

network

Docker network name for cf init-network.

network: mynetwork  # default

traefik_file

Path to auto-generated Traefik file-provider config. When set, Compose Farm regenerates this file after up, down, restart, and update commands.

traefik_file: /opt/traefik/dynamic.d/compose-farm.yml

traefik_service

Service name running Traefik. Services on the same host are skipped in file-provider config (Traefik's docker provider handles them).

traefik_service: traefik

Hosts Configuration

Basic Host

hosts:
  myserver:
    address: 192.168.1.10

With SSH User

hosts:
  myserver:
    address: 192.168.1.10
    user: docker

If user is omitted, the current user is used.

Localhost

For services running on the same machine where you invoke Compose Farm:

hosts:
  local: localhost

No SSH is used for localhost services.

Multiple Hosts

hosts:
  nuc:
    address: 192.168.1.10
    user: docker
  hp:
    address: 192.168.1.11
    user: admin
  truenas:
    address: 192.168.1.100
  local: localhost

Services Configuration

Single-Host Service

services:
  plex: nuc
  sonarr: nuc
  radarr: hp

Multi-Host Service

For services that need to run on every host (e.g., log shippers, monitoring agents):

services:
  # Run on ALL configured hosts
  dozzle: all
  promtail: all

  # Run on specific hosts
  node-exporter: [nuc, hp, truenas]

Common multi-host services:

• Dozzle - Docker log viewer (needs local socket)
• Promtail/Alloy - Log shipping (needs local socket)
• node-exporter - Host metrics (needs /proc, /sys)
• AutoKuma - Uptime Kuma monitors (needs local socket)

Service Names

Service names must match directory names in compose_dir:

compose_dir: /opt/compose
services:
  plex: nuc      # expects /opt/compose/plex/docker-compose.yml
  my-app: hp     # expects /opt/compose/my-app/docker-compose.yml

State File

Compose Farm tracks deployment state in:

~/.config/compose-farm/state.yaml

This file records:

• Which services are running
• Which host each service runs on
• Last known state

Don't edit manually. Use cf refresh to sync state with reality.

Environment Variables

In Compose Files

Your compose files can use .env files as usual:

/opt/compose/plex/
├── docker-compose.yml
└── .env

Compose Farm runs docker compose which handles .env automatically.

In Traefik Labels

When generating Traefik config, Compose Farm resolves ${VAR} and ${VAR:-default} from:

1. The service's .env file
2. Current environment

Config Commands

Initialize Config

cf config init

Creates a new config file with documented examples.

Validate Config

cf config validate

Checks syntax and schema.

Show Config

cf config show

Displays current config with syntax highlighting.

Edit Config

cf config edit

Opens config in $EDITOR.

Show Config Path

cf config path

Prints the config file location (useful for scripting).

Create Symlink

cf config symlink /path/to/my-config.yaml

Creates a symlink from the default location to your config file.

Validation

Local Validation

Fast validation without SSH:

cf check --local

Checks:

• Config syntax
• Service-to-host mappings
• Compose file existence

Full Validation

cf check

Additional SSH-based checks:

• Host connectivity
• Mount point existence
• Docker network existence
• Traefik label validation

Service-Specific Check

cf check jellyfin

Shows which hosts can run the service (have required mounts/networks).

Example Configurations

Minimal

compose_dir: /opt/compose

hosts:
  server: 192.168.1.10

services:
  myapp: server

Home Lab

compose_dir: /opt/compose

hosts:
  nuc:
    address: 192.168.1.10
    user: docker
  nas:
    address: 192.168.1.100
    user: admin

services:
  # Media
  plex: nuc
  sonarr: nuc
  radarr: nuc

  # Infrastructure
  traefik: nuc
  portainer: nuc

  # Monitoring (on all hosts)
  dozzle: all

Production

compose_dir: /opt/compose
network: production
traefik_file: /opt/traefik/dynamic.d/cf.yml
traefik_service: traefik

hosts:
  web-1:
    address: 10.0.1.10
    user: deploy
  web-2:
    address: 10.0.1.11
    user: deploy
  db:
    address: 10.0.1.20
    user: deploy

services:
  # Load balanced
  api: [web-1, web-2]

  # Single instance
  postgres: db
  redis: db

  # Infrastructure
  traefik: web-1

  # Monitoring
  promtail: all