Docker Compose "watch" - "services.X: no develop config" / Watch Does Nothing in CI

docker compose watch syncs/rebuilds on file changes, but only for services that declare a develop.watch block. Without it (or on a Compose too old to support watch) the command exits with no watchers, or errors that no service has a develop config.

What this error means

A docker compose watch immediately exits with no service selected for watching / services.<name>: no develop config, or runs but reacts to nothing. The compose file otherwise starts services fine with up.

docker compose watch output

no configuration found for watch: no service has a "develop.watch" configuration
# or on older Compose: unknown command "watch" for "docker compose"

Common causes

No develop.watch block on any service

watch only acts on services that define develop.watch rules (sync/rebuild paths). A compose file without them has nothing to watch.

Compose too old for the watch feature

docker compose watch is a newer Compose feature. An older Compose plugin does not recognize the command.

How to fix it

Add a develop.watch configuration

Declare what to sync or rebuild on change for the service.

docker-compose.yml

services:
  web:
    build: .
    develop:
      watch:
        - action: sync
          path: ./src
          target: /app/src
        - action: rebuild
          path: ./package.json

Update Compose and confirm the command exists

Terminal

docker compose version
docker compose watch

How to prevent it

Add develop.watch rules to services you intend to watch.
Keep the Compose plugin current for the watch feature.
Use watch for local dev, not CI pipelines.