How to Self-Host phpMyAdmin with Docker Compose

What Is phpMyAdmin?

phpMyAdmin is the most widely used web-based administration tool for MySQL and MariaDB databases. It provides a full GUI for managing databases, tables, columns, relations, indexes, users, and permissions. It supports SQL query execution, data import/export in multiple formats, and visual database design. Available at phpmyadmin.net.

Updated March 2026: Verified with latest Docker images and configurations.

Prerequisites

A Linux server (Ubuntu 22.04+ recommended)
Docker and Docker Compose installed (guide)
512 MB of free RAM (minimum)
A MySQL or MariaDB database server (included in the config below)

Docker Compose Configuration

Create a docker-compose.yml file:

services:
  phpmyadmin:
    image: phpmyadmin:5.2.3-apache
    container_name: phpmyadmin
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "8080:80"
    environment:
      # MySQL/MariaDB server hostname
      PMA_HOST: db
      # MySQL server port (default: 3306)
      PMA_PORT: 3306
      # Allow connecting to any MySQL server (set to empty to enable arbitrary server input)
      # PMA_ARBITRARY: 1
      # Upload limit for SQL imports (default: 2M)
      UPLOAD_LIMIT: 256M
      # Session timeout in seconds (default: 1440 = 24 minutes)
      PMA_SESSION_EXPIRY: 3600
    depends_on:
      db:
        condition: service_healthy
    networks:
      - pma-net

  db:
    image: mariadb:11.7
    container_name: phpmyadmin-mariadb
    restart: unless-stopped
    environment:
      MARIADB_ROOT_PASSWORD: change-this-root-password
      MARIADB_DATABASE: myapp
      MARIADB_USER: appuser
      MARIADB_PASSWORD: change-this-app-password
    volumes:
      - mariadb_data:/var/lib/mysql
    healthcheck:
      test: ["CMD", "healthcheck.sh", "--connect", "--innodb_initialized"]
      interval: 10s
      timeout: 5s
      retries: 5
    networks:
      - pma-net

volumes:
  mariadb_data:

networks:
  pma-net:

Start the stack:

docker compose up -d

Initial Setup

Open http://your-server-ip:8080 in your browser
Log in with the MySQL/MariaDB credentials:
- Username: root (or appuser for limited access)
- Password: the password set in MARIADB_ROOT_PASSWORD or MARIADB_PASSWORD
You’ll see the phpMyAdmin dashboard with your databases listed in the left sidebar

No additional setup wizard is required.

Configuration

Arbitrary Server Mode

To connect to multiple MySQL servers from a single phpMyAdmin instance, enable arbitrary server mode:

environment:
  PMA_ARBITRARY: 1

This shows a “Server” field on the login page where you can enter any MySQL hostname.

Import/Export Limits

The default upload limit is 2 MB. For large database imports, increase it:

environment:
  UPLOAD_LIMIT: 512M

This sets both PHP’s upload_max_filesize and post_max_size.

Custom Configuration

Mount a custom config.user.inc.php for advanced settings:

volumes:
  - ./config.user.inc.php:/etc/phpmyadmin/config.user.inc.php:ro

Example custom config:

<?php
$cfg['ShowDatabasesNavigationAsTree'] = true;
$cfg['MaxNavigationItems'] = 250;
$cfg['NavigationTreeEnableGrouping'] = true;
$cfg['SendErrorReports'] = 'never';

Environment Variables Reference

Variable	Default	Purpose
`PMA_HOST`	—	MySQL server hostname
`PMA_PORT`	3306	MySQL server port
`PMA_ARBITRARY`	0	Allow arbitrary server connections
`PMA_ABSOLUTE_URI`	—	Full URL for reverse proxy setups
`UPLOAD_LIMIT`	2M	Max upload size for SQL imports
`PMA_SESSION_EXPIRY`	1440	Session timeout in seconds
`MEMORY_LIMIT`	512M	PHP memory limit
`MAX_EXECUTION_TIME`	600	PHP max execution time in seconds

Reverse Proxy

When running behind a reverse proxy, set PMA_ABSOLUTE_URI to your public URL:

environment:
  PMA_ABSOLUTE_URI: https://db.yourdomain.com/

For Nginx Proxy Manager:

Forward Hostname: phpmyadmin
Forward Port: 80
Enable SSL with Let’s Encrypt

For detailed setup, see Reverse Proxy Setup.

Backup

phpMyAdmin itself stores no persistent data. Back up your MariaDB database:

docker exec phpmyadmin-mariadb mariadb-dump -u root -p --all-databases > backup.sql

You can also use phpMyAdmin’s built-in Export feature to download database dumps through the web UI. For automated backups, see Backup Strategy.

Troubleshooting

”Access denied for user” after correct password

Symptom: Login fails with “Access denied” despite correct credentials. Fix: MariaDB 11+ defaults to unix_socket authentication for root. Either log in as the non-root user (appuser) or update the root auth method:

ALTER USER 'root'@'%' IDENTIFIED VIA mysql_native_password USING PASSWORD('your-password');
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

Large SQL import fails or times out

Symptom: Importing a large .sql file hangs or returns an error. Fix: Increase UPLOAD_LIMIT, MEMORY_LIMIT, and MAX_EXECUTION_TIME:

environment:
  UPLOAD_LIMIT: 1G
  MEMORY_LIMIT: 1024M
  MAX_EXECUTION_TIME: 3600

For very large databases (>1 GB), use the command line instead: docker exec -i phpmyadmin-mariadb mariadb -u root -p < backup.sql

phpMyAdmin session expires too quickly

Symptom: You get logged out frequently while working. Fix: Increase PMA_SESSION_EXPIRY (in seconds). Default is 1440 (24 minutes):

environment:
  PMA_SESSION_EXPIRY: 7200

Resource Requirements

RAM: ~50-100 MB idle, ~200 MB under heavy query load
CPU: Low
Disk: ~100 MB for the Docker image, no persistent storage needed

Verdict

phpMyAdmin remains the gold standard for MySQL/MariaDB web administration. Its import/export capabilities, visual query builder, and user management features are unmatched in the MySQL ecosystem. If you manage multiple database types, choose Adminer instead — it supports MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, and more from a single lightweight interface. If you primarily use PostgreSQL, pgAdmin is the dedicated tool for that. For MySQL/MariaDB-only environments, phpMyAdmin is the clear choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does phpMyAdmin compare to Adminer?

phpMyAdmin is purpose-built for MySQL and MariaDB with deep features — visual query builder, multi-table operations, extensive import/export formats, and user permission management. Adminer is a lightweight single-file tool that supports MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, MongoDB, and more. Choose phpMyAdmin for dedicated MySQL/MariaDB administration with maximum feature coverage. Choose Adminer if you manage multiple database types and want a minimal footprint.

Can phpMyAdmin connect to remote database servers?

Yes. Set the PMA_HOST environment variable to your remote MySQL/MariaDB server’s hostname or IP. For multiple servers, use PMA_HOSTS with a comma-separated list. You can also set PMA_ARBITRARY=1 to let users specify the server at login time — useful if you manage databases across multiple hosts.

Is phpMyAdmin secure enough for production?

phpMyAdmin itself is mature and well-audited, but exposing it to the internet requires precautions. Always run it behind a reverse proxy with HTTPS, restrict access by IP or use an authentication proxy like Authelia or Authentik. Consider binding it only to localhost or your Docker network. Never expose port 8080 directly to the public internet.

Can phpMyAdmin import and export large databases?

By default, PHP limits uploads to a few megabytes. Increase UPLOAD_LIMIT and MEMORY_LIMIT in the environment variables for larger imports. For databases over 1 GB, use the command line instead: docker exec -i container mariadb -u root -p < dump.sql. phpMyAdmin exports in SQL, CSV, JSON, XML, and other formats.

Does phpMyAdmin support multiple database connections simultaneously?

Yes. Configure PMA_HOSTS with comma-separated hostnames to connect to multiple MySQL/MariaDB instances. phpMyAdmin shows a server selector on the login page. Each connection is independent — you can run queries, manage users, and import/export data on each server separately.

How much RAM does phpMyAdmin need?

phpMyAdmin is extremely lightweight — 50–100 MB idle, rarely exceeding 200 MB even under heavy query loads. It’s a PHP application served by Apache, so the overhead is minimal. The database servers it connects to use the real resources, not phpMyAdmin itself. It runs comfortably on the smallest VPS or a Raspberry Pi.