Docker Compose Tip #22: Using secrets in Compose files

Stop hardcoding passwords! Docker Compose secrets provide a secure way to handle sensitive data. Basic secret setup Define secrets and use them in services: secrets: db_password: file: ./secrets/db_password.txt api_key: file: ./secrets/api_key.txt services: app: image: myapp:latest secrets: - db_password - api_key environment: DB_PASSWORD_FILE: /run/secrets/db_password API_KEY_FILE: /run/secrets/api_key Secrets appear as files in /run/secrets/ inside containers. Reading secrets in your app Node.js example: ...

February 3, 2026 · 2 min · 270 words · Guillaume Lours