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How to Set Up Nautobot with Docker Compose

Step-by-step guide to deploying Nautobot using Docker Compose

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#nautobot#docker#network-automation

How to Set Up Nautobot with Docker Compose

This guide walks you through setting up and running a Nautobot instance using Docker Compose.

Prerequisites

Make sure the following tools are installed on your system:

Setup Steps

1. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/nautobot/nautobot-docker-compose.git
github.com
nautobot/nautobot-docker-compose

Nautobot Docker Image to run containers locally.

Python★ 71

2. Navigate to the Project Directory

cd nautobot-docker-compose

3. Set Up the Poetry Environment

poetry shell
poetry lock
poetry install

4. Prepare Environment Files

cp environments/local.example.env environments/local.env
cp environments/creds.example.env environments/creds.env

5. Configure Environment Variables

Edit the environment files according to your setup:

vi environments/local.env
vi environments/creds.env
Tip

Use strong, unique credentials and never commit sensitive files to version control.

6. Secure Environment Files

Restrict file permissions:

chmod 0600 environments/local.env environments/creds.env

7. Build and run the Containers

invoke build
invoke start

8. Verify Running Containers

docker container ls
CONTAINER ID   IMAGE                           COMMAND                  CREATED         STATUS                   PORTS                                                                                  NAMES
143f10daa229   networktocode/nautobot:latest   "nautobot-server rqw…"   2 minutes ago   Up 2 minutes (healthy)                                                                                          nautobot-docker-compose_celery_worker_1
bb29124d7acb   networktocode/nautobot:latest   "/docker-entrypoint.…"   2 minutes ago   Up 2 minutes (healthy)   0.0.0.0:8080->8080/tcp, :::8080->8080/tcp, 0.0.0.0:8443->8443/tcp, :::8443->8443/tcp   nautobot-docker-compose_nautobot_1
ad57ac1749b3   redis:alpine                    "docker-entrypoint.s…"   2 minutes ago   Up 2 minutes             6379/tcp                                                                               nautobot-docker-compose_redis_1
5ab83264e6fe   postgres:10                     "docker-entrypoint.s…"   2 minutes ago   Up 2 minutes             5432/tcp                                                                               nautobot-docker-compose_postgres_1

9. Create a Superuser

Run the following command and follow the prompts:

invoke createsuperuser
Username: administrator
Email address:
Password:
Password (again):
Superuser created successfully.

10. Access the Web Interface

Open your browser and navigate to:

http://localhost:8080/

Troubleshooting

  • If containers fail to start, check logs:
docker compose logs -f
  • If you encounter permission issues:
sudo chown -R $USER:$USER .