Docker Compose is ideal for Raspberry Pi homelabs, but many setups become fragile because of ad-hoc service definitions and weak data persistence planning.

1. Service classification

Group services by role:

  • core infrastructure (DNS, MQTT, reverse proxy)
  • stateful data services (databases)
  • stateless app services
  • observability stack

This classification helps prioritize restart policy and backup scope.

2. Compose file structure

Use clear, modular structure:

  • one base compose file
  • optional override files per environment
  • shared .env with documented variables

Keep secrets out of committed plain text.

3. Storage strategy

On Pi, storage planning matters more than container count:

  • bind mounts for persistent data with clear directories
  • SSD preferred for write-heavy services
  • explicit backup targets per volume

Do not let critical data sit in anonymous volumes.

4. Restart and health checks

Set restart policies deliberately and include health checks where possible. A running container is not equal to healthy service.

Health checks improve orchestrated dependency startup.

5. Update workflow

A safe update routine:

  1. backup stateful volumes
  2. pull images
  3. recreate one service group at a time
  4. verify metrics and logs

Bulk updates without verification windows increase outage risk.

6. Network segmentation

Use dedicated Docker networks:

  • frontend for reverse-proxy access
  • backend for internal service communication
  • restricted networks for sensitive components

Expose only required ports to host.

7. Resource controls

Pi resources are limited. Use sensible CPU and memory limits to prevent one noisy service from degrading everything else.

Monitor OOM events and adjust limits based on observed load.

8. Recovery drills

Practice rebuild from clean host:

  • restore compose files
  • restore persistent volumes
  • start stack in documented order
  • validate service endpoints

A homelab is stable only if recovery is repeatable.

Final note

Compose on Raspberry Pi works extremely well when treated as an operations system, not a pile of containers. Structured updates, storage discipline, and health checks are the core.