Docker-Compose persistent data MySQL

Question

I can't seem to get MySQL data to persist if I run $ docker-compose down with the following .yml

version: '2'
services:
  # other services

  data:
    container_name: flask_data
    image: mysql:latest
    volumes:
      - /var/lib/mysql
    command: "true"

  mysql:
    container_name: flask_mysql
    restart: always
    image: mysql:latest
    environment:
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: 'test_pass' # TODO: Change this
      MYSQL_USER: 'test'
      MYSQL_PASS: 'pass'
    volumes_from:
      - data
    ports:
      - "3306:3306"

My understanding is that in my data container using volumes: - /var/lib/mysql maps it to my local machines directory where mysql stores data to the container and because of this mapping the data should persist even if the containers are destroyed. And the mysql container is just a client interface into the db and can see the local directory because of volumes_from: - data

Attempted this answer and it did not work. Docker-Compose Persistent Data Trouble

EDIT

Changed my .yml as shown below and created a the dir ./data but now when I run docker-compose up --build the mysql container wont start throws error saying

  data:
    container_name: flask_data
    image: mysql:latest
    volumes:
      - ./data:/var/lib/mysql
    command: "true"

  mysql:
    container_name: flask_mysql
    restart: always
    image: mysql:latest
    environment:
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: 'test_pass' # TODO: Change this
      MYSQL_USER: 'test'
      MYSQL_PASS: 'pass'
    volumes_from:
      - data
    ports:
      - "3306:3306"


flask_mysql | mysqld: Can't create/write to file '/var/lib/mysql/is_writable' (Errcode: 13 - Permission denied)
flask_mysql | 2016-08-26T22:29:21.182144Z 0 [Warning] TIMESTAMP with implicit DEFAULT value is deprecated. Please use --explicit_defaults_for_timestamp server option (see documentation for more details).
flask_mysql | 2016-08-26T22:29:21.185392Z 0 [ERROR] --initialize specified but the data directory exists and is not writable. Aborting.

Answer 1

Actually this is the path and you should mention a valid path for this to work. If your data directory is in current directory then instead of my-data you should mention ./my-data, otherwise it will give you that error in mysql and mariadb also.

volumes:
 ./my-data:/var/lib/mysql

Answer 2

There are 3 ways:

First way

You need specify the directory to store mysql data on your host machine. You can then remove the data container. Your mysql data will be saved on you local filesystem.

Mysql container definition must look like this:

mysql:
  container_name: flask_mysql
  restart: always
  image: mysql:latest
  environment:
    MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: 'test_pass' # TODO: Change this
    MYSQL_USER: 'test'
    MYSQL_PASS: 'pass'
volumes:
 - /opt/mysql_data:/var/lib/mysql
ports:
  - "3306:3306"

Second way

Would be to commit the data container before typing docker-compose down:

docker commit my_data_container
docker-compose down

Third way

Also you can use docker-compose stop instead of docker-compose down (then you don't need to commit the container)

Answer 3

The data container is a superfluous workaround. Data-volumes would do the trick for you. Alter your docker-compose.yml to:

version: '2'
services:
  mysql:
    container_name: flask_mysql
    restart: always
    image: mysql:latest
    environment:
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: 'test_pass' # TODO: Change this
      MYSQL_USER: 'test'
      MYSQL_PASS: 'pass'
    volumes:
      - my-datavolume:/var/lib/mysql
volumes:
  my-datavolume:

Docker will create the volume for you in the /var/lib/docker/volumes folder. This volume persist as long as you are not typing docker-compose down -v

Answer 4

You have to create a separate volume for mysql data.

So it will look like this:

volumes_from:
  - data
volumes:
  - ./mysql-data:/var/lib/mysql

And no, /var/lib/mysql is a path inside your mysql container and has nothing to do with a path on your host machine. Your host machine may even have no mysql at all. So the goal is to persist an internal folder from a mysql container.