What happens if a required port is already in use when deploying a Compose template?

Zenithal shows a warning if any of the required ports conflict with existing containers or services. Check that the ports are free before deploying.

Should I change the default passwords in Docker Compose templates?

Yes. Secret passwords in templates use default placeholder values (e.g., 'wordpress_pass'). Always change these to strong passwords before deploying.

Where are Compose template files saved on disk?

Templates deploy to a new directory under your chosen save location. A .env file is created automatically with your customized values, and the docker-compose.yml is generated.

Can I modify a Compose template after deploying it?

Yes. You can modify the generated docker-compose.yml after deployment by opening it in the Compose Builder within Zenithal.

Back to Tutorials

Deploy from Compose Templates

Launch pre-built multi-service stacks from the Compose template library.

Prerequisites

Docker is running
Docker Compose is installed
For the full template library, a Pro subscription is required

Scenario 1: Deploy WordPress + MySQL + phpMyAdmin

Click Compose in the sidebar
Click Templates in the toolbar
Browse the Web category
Select WordPress + MySQL + phpMyAdmin
The template details show:
- Services: wordpress, mysql, phpmyadmin
- Required Ports: 8080, 8081
- Estimated Memory: 1GB
Customize environment variables:
- MYSQL_DATABASE: wordpress (default)
- MYSQL_USER: wordpress (default)
- MYSQL_PASSWORD: change from wordpress_pass to a strong password
- MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: change from root_pass to a strong password
Click Deploy
All three services start — WordPress at http://localhost:8080, phpMyAdmin at http://localhost:8081

Scenario 2: Deploy ELK Stack

Compose → Templates → Monitoring category
Select ELK Stack
Services: elasticsearch, logstash, kibana
Required Ports: 9200, 9300, 5044, 5000, 9600, 5601
Estimated Memory: 4GB
No customizable env vars for this template
Click Deploy
Access Kibana at http://localhost:5601, Elasticsearch at http://localhost:9200

Scenario 3: Deploy Node.js + MongoDB + Redis

Compose → Templates → Development category
Select Node.js + MongoDB + Redis
Services: node-app, mongodb, redis, mongo-express
Required Ports: 3000, 27017, 6379, 8081
Estimated Memory: 1GB
Customize:
- MONGO_DATABASE: myapp (default)
- MONGO_EXPRESS_USER: admin (default)
- MONGO_EXPRESS_PASSWORD: change from admin_pass
Click Deploy
Access:
- Node.js app: http://localhost:3000
- Mongo Express: http://localhost:8081

Available Compose Templates

Category	Templates
Web	WordPress+MySQL+phpMyAdmin, Ghost+MySQL, Nginx Reverse Proxy, Plausible Analytics, Supabase, Keycloak+PostgreSQL, Mattermost+PostgreSQL
Development	Node.js+MongoDB+Redis, Python+PostgreSQL+Celery, Go+MySQL+RabbitMQ, MERN Stack, Laravel+MySQL+Redis, Django+PostgreSQL+Celery, Rust+PostgreSQL+Redis, Spring Boot+PostgreSQL+RabbitMQ
Monitoring	Prometheus+Grafana, ELK Stack, Uptime Kuma+Grafana, Loki+Grafana+Promtail
Databases	PostgreSQL+pgAdmin, MongoDB+Mongo Express, Redis+Redis Commander, ClickHouse+Tabix
Messaging	RabbitMQ, Kafka Redpanda+UI
Storage	MinIO S3, Gitea+PostgreSQL, Ollama+Open WebUI

What You'll See

The template picker shows categories with icons and service counts
Each template card displays the service list, required ports, and estimated memory
Customizable env vars are pre-filled with sensible defaults — secret fields show a lock icon
After deploying, the project appears in the Compose sidebar with all services listed

Tips

Check that the required ports are not already in use before deploying — Zenithal shows a warning if ports conflict
Secret passwords in templates use default values (e.g., wordpress_pass) — always change these before deploying
Templates deploy to a new directory under your chosen save location
The .env file is created automatically with your customized values
You can modify the generated docker-compose.yml after deployment by opening it in the Compose Builder