state

Map persistent Docker state before planning backups

A mounted volume is only a location; recovery begins when every important state category has an independent copy and a tested restore path.

Name the state categories

Start with database data, user files, repository storage, attachments, certificates, and service configuration. Each workload has a different combination, so use a state map instead of assuming one volume contains everything important.

Separate rollback from recovery

A host snapshot can help undo a recent change. An independent destination serves a different job: recovering when the primary host or its account boundary is unavailable.

Restore a representative workload

Test enough state to prove that the application can use the restored database and files together. Record missing credentials, paths, and dependency order while the normal system is still available.

Sources and scope

Last reviewed 2026-07-13. This page separates the decision it supports from the facts that still require a platform or model-specific check.

Applies to

Single-host Docker Compose planning and the deployment boundary described by this guide.

Does not cover

A complete application-specific configuration, host administration procedure, or a substitute for upstream documentation for the exact image and release you use.

Docker Compose production guidanceProduction-specific Compose configuration, restarts, ports, logging, and deployment changes.Open source ↗Docker Compose quickstartNamed volumes, environment configuration, and validating rendered Compose configuration.Open source ↗