A closed readiness gate holds the dependent; a successful dependency probe opens its startup gate.

Compose startup ordering needs an explicit readiness condition

Docker Compose describes a graph of services and can start them according to declared dependencies. Process startup is only one possible condition in that graph. A database or API may be running before it can accept the operation another service needs. An explicit service_healthy condition lets Compose wait for a dependency’s configured healthcheck before starting the dependent service, provided that check represents meaningful readiness. ...

April 8, 2027 · 5 min · XB Field Notes