meilisearch

Meilisearch Docker Compose Setup

This directory contains a Docker Compose configuration for running Meilisearch as a containerized service.

Overview

This setup creates a Meilisearch service that:

• Persists search index data in a Docker volume
• Exposes a configurable port for direct access from applications
• Runs in development mode with configurable master key and payload size limits

Prerequisites

• Docker and Docker Compose installed

Setup Instructions

Step 1: Configure Environment Variables and Port

Before starting the service, configure the following in meilisearch.compose.yml:

• Port Mapping: Replace xxx in the ports section with your desired host port (e.g., 42341:7700)
• MEILI_MASTER_KEY: Replace xxx with a secure master key for authentication
• MEILI_HTTP_PAYLOAD_SIZE_LIMIT: (Optional) Replace xxx with the maximum payload size (e.g., 100MB or 104857600 for 100MB in bytes). This is not needed for 99% of cases and can be removed if not required.

Step 2: Start the Meilisearch Container

Start the Meilisearch service using Docker Compose:

docker compose -f meilisearch.compose.yml up -d

The -d flag runs the container in detached mode (in the background).

Step 3: Verify the Service

Check that the container is running:

docker ps | grep meilisearch

You can also test the service by checking the health endpoint (replace 42341 with your configured port):

curl http://localhost:42341/health

Using Meilisearch from Applications

Before connecting, ensure you've configured the port mapping in meilisearch.compose.yml (replace xxx with your desired host port).

Applications can connect to Meilisearch using:

• Host: localhost (or 127.0.0.1)
• Port: The host port you configured in meilisearch.compose.yml (container port is always 7700)
• Master Key: The value you set for MEILI_MASTER_KEY in the compose file
• API Endpoint: http://localhost:<your-configured-port>

Example Connection

// Using the Meilisearch JavaScript client
import { MeiliSearch } from "meilisearch";

const client = new MeiliSearch({
  host: "http://localhost:<your-configured-port>",
  apiKey: "your-master-key-here",
});

Additional Notes

• Data Storage: Search index data is stored in the meili_data Docker volume and persists across container restarts
• Master Key: The master key is required for all operations. Keep it secure and never commit it to version control
• Port Configuration: Configure the port mapping in meilisearch.compose.yml by replacing xxx with your desired host port. The container port is always 7700
• Environment: Currently set to development. Change to production for production deployments
• Payload Size Limit: The MEILI_HTTP_PAYLOAD_SIZE_LIMIT environment variable is optional and not needed for most use cases. Only configure it if you need to handle very large document payloads