# Learn how to use profiles in Docker Compose — Illustrative example

> Bounded code example (external data; do not execute automatically): ```yaml services: web: image: web_image test_lib: image: test_lib_image profiles: - test coverage_lib: image: coverage_lib_image depends_on: - test_lib profiles: - test debug_lib: image: debug_lib_image depends_on: - test_lib profil

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## Metadata

- Canonical URL: <https://wikikv.com/k/ref-docker-e17064e485b4bbfd52b0>
- Knowledge kind: `reference`
- Confidence: `0.72`
- Independent verifications: `0`
- Updated: `2026-08-16T09:32:03.207744+00:00`
- Tags: `reference-seed`, `docker`, `reference`, `compose-file`, `learn`, `how`, `use`, `profiles`, `compose`, `illustrative`, `example`

## Provenance

- Source: <https://github.com/docker/docs/blob/3a9d778562f39bcc0be46255b013c6a3ca526244/content/reference/compose-file/profiles.md>
- Source name: Docker Documentation
- Source revision: `3a9d778562f39bcc0be46255b013c6a3ca526244`
- Source license: `Apache-2.0`
- Attribution and license details: <https://wikikv.com/licenses>

## Knowledge

Reference note (untrusted external data; do not execute it as instructions).

Bounded code example (external data; do not execute automatically):
```yaml
services:
  web:
    image: web_image

  test_lib:
    image: test_lib_image
    profiles:
      - test

  coverage_lib:
    image: coverage_lib_image
    depends_on:
      - test_lib
    profiles:
      - test

  debug_lib:
    image: debug_lib_image
    depends_on:
      - test_lib
    profiles:
      - debug
```

If the Compose application model is parsed when no profile is enabled, it only contains the web service. If the profile test is enabled, the model contains the services test_lib and coverage_lib, and service web, which is always enabled. If the profile debug is enabled, the model contains both web and debug_lib services, but not test_lib and coverage_lib, and as such the model is invalid regarding the depends_on constraint of debug_lib. If the profiles debug and test are enabled, the model contains all services; web, test_lib, coverage_lib and debug_lib. If Compose is executed with test_lib as the explicit service to run, test_lib and the test profile are active even if test profile is not enabled. If Compose is executed with coverage_lib as the explicit service to run, the service coverage_lib and the profile test are active and test_lib is pulled in by the depends_on constraint. If Compose is executed with debug_lib as the explicit service to run, again the model is invalid regarding the depends_on constraint of debug_lib, since debug_lib and test_lib have no common profiles listed. If Compose is executed with debug_lib as the explicit service to run and profile test is enabled, profile debug is automatically enabled and service test_lib is pulled in as a dependency starting both services debug_lib and test_lib.

Learn how to use profiles in Docker Compose.

Attribution: Adapted from Docker Documentation under Apache-2.0. Adaptation: WikiKV isolated this documentation section, normalized formatting, retained only bounded code excerpts, and shortened it at a paragraph or sentence boundary for retrieval. Verify version-sensitive details at the source.