# Environment Variables Reference
Environment variables configure your Frappe Docker setup. They can be set directly in the container or defined in a `.env` file referenced by Docker Compose.
**Getting Started:**
```bash
cp example.env .env
```
Then edit `.env` and set variables according to your needs.
---
## Required Variables
| Variable | Purpose | Example | Notes |
| ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `FRAPPE_PATH` | Frappe framework path | https://github.com/frappe/frappe | |
| `FRAPPE_BRANCH` | Frappe Branch | `version-15` | See [Frappe releases](https://github.com/frappe/frappe/releases) |
| `ERPNEXT_VERSION` | ERPNext release version | `v15.67.0` | Required although its never used |
| `DB_PASSWORD` | Password for database root (MariaDB or Postgres) | `secure_password_123` | Not needed if using `DB_PASSWORD_SECRETS_FILE` |
---
## Database Configuration
| Variable | Purpose | Default | When to Set |
| -------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------- |
| `DB_PASSWORD` | Database root user password | 123 | Always (unless using secrets file) |
| `DB_PASSWORD_SECRETS_FILE` | Path to file containing database password | — | Setup mariadb-secrets overrider |
| `DB_HOST` | Database hostname or IP | `db` (service name) | Only if using external database |
| `DB_PORT` | Database port | `3306` (MariaDB) / `5432` (Postgres) | Only if using external database |
---
## Redis Configuration
| Variable | Purpose | Default | When to Set |
| ------------- | --------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------- | ------------------------------------- |
| `REDIS_CACHE` | Redis hostname for caching | `redis-cache` (service name) | Only if using external Redis instance |
| `REDIS_QUEUE` | Redis hostname for job queues and real-time updates | `redis-queue` (service name) | Only if using external Redis instance |
---
## Reverse Proxy and SSL (HTTPS) Configuration
### Traefik (compose.proxy.yaml / compose.https.yaml)
| Variable | Purpose | Default | When to Set |
| ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | ------- | -------------------------------------------- |
| `LETSENCRYPT_EMAIL` | Email for Let's Encrypt certificate registration | - | Required for `compose.https.yaml` |
| `SITES_RULE` | Domains for routing (Traefik rule expression) | - | Required for Traefik routing/HTTPS overrides |
**Format for `SITES_RULE`:**
```bash
# Single site
SITES_RULE=Host(`mysite.example.com`)
# Multiple sites
SITES_RULE=Host(`a.example.com`) || Host(`b.example.com`)
```
> Note: The Traefik v3 migration is complete. Use `SITES_RULE` as a full v3 rule expression; `SITES` is deprecated.
> Rule syntax now defaults to v3, so no `core.defaultRuleSyntax` or per-router `ruleSyntax` settings are required.
### nginx-proxy + acme-companion (compose.nginxproxy\*.yaml)
| Variable | Purpose | Default | When to Set |
| ------------------- | ----------------------------------------- | ------- | ------------------------------------------ |
| `LETSENCRYPT_EMAIL` | Email for Let's Encrypt certificate | - | Required for `compose.nginxproxy-ssl.yaml` |
| `NGINX_PROXY_HOSTS` | Comma-separated hostnames for nginx-proxy | - | Required for `compose.nginxproxy*.yaml` |
**Example:**
```bash
NGINX_PROXY_HOSTS=example.com,www.example.com
```
> Note: Automatic certificates require port 80 to be reachable (HTTP-01).
### Published Ports (Traefik and nginx-proxy)
| Variable | Purpose | Default | When to Set |
| -------------------- | -------------------- | ------------------------------- | ---------------------------- |
| `HTTP_PUBLISH_PORT` | Published HTTP port | `80` (proxy) / `8080` (noproxy) | Change if port is in use |
| `HTTPS_PUBLISH_PORT` | Published HTTPS port | `443` | Change if port 443 is in use |
---
## Site Configuration
| Variable | Purpose | Default | When to Set |
| ------------------------- | -------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| `FRAPPE_SITE_NAME_HEADER` | Site name for multi-tenant setup | `$host` (resolved from request hostname) | When accessing by IP or need explicit site name |
**Examples:**
If your site is named `mysite` but you want to access it via `127.0.0.1`:
```bash
FRAPPE_SITE_NAME_HEADER=mysite
```
If your site is named `example.com` and you access it via that domain, no need to set this (defaults to hostname).
---
## Image Configuration
| Variable | Purpose | Default | Notes |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------ | --------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| `CUSTOM_IMAGE` | Custom Docker image repository | Frappe official image | Leave empty to use default |
| `CUSTOM_TAG` | Custom Docker image tag | Latest stable | Corresponds to `FRAPPE_VERSION` |
| `PULL_POLICY` | Image pull behavior | `always` | Options: `always`, `never`, `if-not-present` |
| `RESTART_POLICY` | Container restart behavior | `unless-stopped` | Options: `no`, `always`, `unless-stopped`, `on-failure` |
---
## Frontend Nginx Configuration (inside the frontend container)
| Variable | Purpose | Default | Allowed Values |
| ---------------------- | ---------------------------------- | -------------- | -------------------------------------------- |
| `BACKEND` | Backend service address and port | `0.0.0.0:8000` | `{host}:{port}` |
| `SOCKETIO` | Socket.IO service address and port | `0.0.0.0:9000` | `{host}:{port}` |
| `PROXY_READ_TIMEOUT` | Upstream request timeout | `120s` | Any nginx timeout value (e.g., `300s`, `5m`) |
| `CLIENT_MAX_BODY_SIZE` | Maximum upload file size | `50m` | Any nginx size value (e.g., `100m`, `1g`) |
### Real IP Configuration (Behind Proxy)
Use these variables when running behind a reverse proxy or load balancer:
| Variable | Purpose | Default |
| ---------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------- | ----------------- |
| `UPSTREAM_REAL_IP_ADDRESS` | Trusted upstream IP address for real IP detection | `127.0.0.1` |
| `UPSTREAM_REAL_IP_HEADER` | Request header containing client IP | `X-Forwarded-For` |
| `UPSTREAM_REAL_IP_RECURSIVE` | Enable recursive IP search | `off` |