# docker compose pull Command Reference

> Reference for docker compose pull in CI: pre-pull service images defined in a compose file with --quiet and --ignore-buildable to speed up startup in pipelines.

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

Pull the images for services in a compose file.

docker compose pull fetches the registry images referenced by a compose file ahead of time. In CI, pulling before up makes startup deterministic and lets you authenticate or warm a cache as a distinct step.

## Common flags

- `-q, --quiet` - pull without progress output
- `--ignore-buildable` - skip services that have a build section
- `--include-deps` - also pull images for dependencies
- `--policy` - pull policy, e.g. always or missing
- Positional service names limit the pull to those services

## Example

```shell
docker compose pull --quiet --ignore-buildable
docker compose up -d --build --wait
```

## In CI

Pre-pull registry images with --ignore-buildable so only the third-party service images are fetched (your buildable services are handled by compose build). Doing it in its own step isolates pull failures and rate limits from the build and run steps.

## FAQ

### docker compose pull Command Reference?

docker compose pull fetches the registry images referenced by a compose file ahead of time. In CI, pulling before up makes startup deterministic and lets you authenticate or warm a cache as a distinct step.

### In CI?

Pre-pull registry images with --ignore-buildable so only the third-party service images are fetched (your buildable services are handled by compose build). Doing it in its own step isolates pull failures and rate limits from the build and run steps.

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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