Docker Networking - nginx: [emerg] host not found

Question

I have recently started migrating to Docker 1.9 and Docker-Compose 1.5's networking features to replace using links.

So far with links there were no problems with nginx connecting to my php5-fpm fastcgi server located in a different server in one group via docker-compose. Newly though when I run docker-compose --x-networking up my php-fpm, mongo and nginx containers boot up, however nginx quits straight away with [emerg] 1#1: host not found in upstream "waapi_php_1" in /etc/nginx/conf.d/default.conf:16

However, if I run the docker-compose command again while the php and mongo containers are running (nginx exited), nginx starts and works fine from then on.

This is my docker-compose.yml file:

nginx:
  image: nginx
  ports:
    - "42080:80"
  volumes:
    - ./config/docker/nginx/default.conf:/etc/nginx/conf.d/default.conf:ro

php:
  build: config/docker/php
  ports:
    - "42022:22"
  volumes:
    - .:/var/www/html
  env_file: config/docker/php/.env.development

mongo:
  image: mongo
  ports:
    - "42017:27017"
  volumes:
    - /var/mongodata/wa-api:/data/db
  command: --smallfiles

This is my default.conf for nginx:

server {
    listen  80;

    root /var/www/test;

    error_log /dev/stdout debug;
    access_log /dev/stdout;

    location / {
        # try to serve file directly, fallback to app.php
        try_files $uri /index.php$is_args$args;
    }

    location ~ ^/.+\.php(/|$) {
        # Referencing the php service host (Docker)
        fastcgi_pass waapi_php_1:9000;

        fastcgi_split_path_info ^(.+\.php)(/.*)$;
        include fastcgi_params;

        # We must reference the document_root of the external server ourselves here.
        fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME /var/www/html/public$fastcgi_script_name;

        fastcgi_param HTTPS off;
    }
}

How can I get nginx to work with only a single docker-compose call?

Answer 1

This is how I get it over, the best way I can think of.

ADD root /

RUN cp /etc/hosts /etc/hosts.tmp && \
    echo -e "\
127.0.0.1 code_gogs_1 \n\
127.0.0.1 pm_zentao_1 \n\
127.0.0.1 ci_drone_1 \n\
    " >> /etc/hosts && \
    nginx -t && \
# mv: can't rename '/etc/hosts.tmp': Resource busy
# mv /etc/hosts.tmp /etc/hosts
    cat /etc/hosts.tmp > /etc/hosts && \
    rm /etc/hosts.tmp

Answer 2

have the same problem until there was in a docker-compose.yml two networks defined: backend and frontend. When running all containers on same default network everything works fine.

Answer 3

Had the same problem and solved it. Please add the following line to docker-compose.yml nginx section:

links:
  - php:waapi_php_1

Host in nginx config fastcgi_pass section should be linked inside docker-compose.yml nginx configuration.

Answer 4

If you are so lost for read the last comment. I have reached another solution.

The main problem is the way that you named the services names.

In this case, if in your docker-compose.yml, the service for php are called "api" or something like that, you must ensure that in the file nginx.conf the line that begins with fastcgi_pass have the same name as the php service. i.e fastcgi_pass api:9000;

Answer 5

I believe Nginx dont take in account Docker resolver (127.0.0.11), so please, can you try adding:

resolver 127.0.0.11

in your nginx configuration file?

Answer 6

My Workaround (after much trial and error):

• In order to get around this issue, I had to get the full name of the 'upstream' Docker container, found by running docker network inspect my-special-docker-network and getting the full name property of the upstream container as such:

  "Containers": {
       "39ad8199184f34585b556d7480dd47de965bc7b38ac03fc0746992f39afac338": {
            "Name": "my_upstream_container_name_1_2478f2b3aca0",
  

• Then used this in the NGINX my-network.local.conf file in the location block of the proxy_pass property: (Note the addition of the GUID to the container name):

  location / {
      proxy_pass http://my_upsteam_container_name_1_2478f2b3aca0:3000;
  

As opposed to the previously working, but now broken:

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://my_upstream_container_name_1:3000

Most likely cause is a recent change to Docker Compose, in their default naming scheme for containers, as listed here.

This seems to be happening for me and my team at work, with latest versions of the Docker nginx image:

• I've opened issues with them on the docker/compose GitHub here