Compose File Include

--- title: Include description: Learn about include keywords: compose, compose specification, include, compose file reference aliases: - /compose/compose-file/14-include/ weight: 110 --- {{< summary-bar feature_name="Composefile include" >}} A Compose application can declare dependency on another Compose application. This is useful if: - You want to reuse other Compose files. - You need to factor out parts of your application model into separate Compose files so they can be managed separately or shared with others. - Teams need to keep a Compose file reasonably complicated for the limited amount of resources it has to declare for its own sub-domain within a larger deployment. The `include` top-level section is used to define the dependency on another Compose application, or sub-domain. Each path listed in the `include` section is loaded as an individual Compose application model, with its own project directory, in order to resolve relative paths. Once the included Compose application is loaded, all resource definitions are copied into the current Compose application model. Compose displays a warning if resource names conflict and doesn't try to merge them. To enforce this, `include` is evaluated after the Compose file(s) selected to define the Compose application model have been parsed and merged, so that conflicts between Compose files are detected. `include` applies recursively so an included Compose file which declares its own `include` section triggers those other files to be included as well. Any volumes, networks, or other resources pulled in from the included Compose file can be used by the current Compose application for cross-service references. For example: ```yaml include: - my-compose-include.yaml #with serviceB declared services: serviceA: build: . depends_on: - serviceB #use serviceB directly as if it was declared in this Compose file ``` Compose also supports the use of interpolated variables with `include`. It's recommended that you [specify mandatory variables](interpolation.md). For example: ```text include: -${INCLUDE_PATH:?FOO}/compose.yaml ``` ## Short syntax The short syntax only defines paths to other Compose files. The file is loaded with the parent folder as the project directory, and an optional `.env` file that is loaded to define any variables' default values

The `include` top-level section in a Compose file allows you to declare dependencies on other Compose applications. This is useful for reusing Compose files, factoring out parts of an application model, or managing complex deployments. The `include` directive loads other Compose files, resolves relative paths, and copies resource definitions into the current application model. Conflicts are flagged as warnings, and `include` applies recursively. Volumes, networks, and other resources from included files can be used for cross-service references. Compose supports interpolated variables with `include`. The short syntax defines paths to other Compose files with the parent folder as the project directory.