# docker compose config Command Reference

> Reference for docker compose config in CI: validate and render the merged compose configuration with --quiet and --services to catch errors before deploy.

Source: https://latchkey.dev/learn/command-reference/docker-compose-config-command-reference  
Updated: 2026-06-26

Validate and render the resolved compose configuration.

docker compose config parses, merges, and interpolates the compose files plus environment, then prints the fully resolved configuration. In CI it is a fast validation gate: a malformed file or undefined variable fails here before any container starts.

## Common flags

- `-q, --quiet` - validate only, print nothing (exit code signals validity)
- `--services` - list the service names
- `--volumes` - list the volume names
- `--no-interpolate` - do not substitute environment variables
- `--format` - output format, e.g. json or yaml

## Example

```shell
docker compose config -q
docker compose config --services
```

## In CI

Add docker compose config -q as a lint step early in the pipeline so syntax errors and unset required variables fail fast with a clear message, instead of surfacing as a confusing failure during compose up. The non-zero exit code makes it a clean gate.

## FAQ

### docker compose config Command Reference?

docker compose config parses, merges, and interpolates the compose files plus environment, then prints the fully resolved configuration. In CI it is a fast validation gate: a malformed file or undefined variable fails here before any container starts.

### In CI?

Add docker compose config -q as a lint step early in the pipeline so syntax errors and unset required variables fail fast with a clear message, instead of surfacing as a confusing failure during compose up. The non-zero exit code makes it a clean gate.

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Latchkey runs CI/CD that repairs its own failures. Agent entry points: https://latchkey.dev/agent.txt, https://latchkey.dev/openapi.json, https://latchkey.dev/llms.txt