Choose a development context

A context has its own configuration, Compose project, containers and volumes. Use contexts for separate environments, such as two MediaWiki checkouts. This is separate from a Docker context, which selects the Docker daemon.

Select a context for one command

mw dev --context work mediawiki create
mw dev --context work compose ps
mw dev --context work where

The first command runs the usual setup for the work context. Choose a different HTTP port if another environment is already using the default port; see ports.

Select a context for a shell

export CONTEXT=work
mw dev compose ps
mw dev --context other compose ps
unset CONTEXT

An explicit --context overrides CONTEXT. With neither set, the CLI uses default. CONTEXT is a shell environment variable, not a persisted mw config setting.

Keep configuration separate

Use the same context when changing settings and starting services:

mw dev --context work env set PORT 8088
mw dev --context work mediawiki create

Contexts do not copy source code. If two contexts mount the same checkout, they share files such as LocalSettings.php, extensions and uploaded files stored in that checkout. Choose separate checkouts when you need independent source or settings.

To select a different Docker daemon, use Docker’s own docker context use or DOCKER_CONTEXT. That setting and the CLI’s --context can be used together.

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Read this guide offline with mw help guides dev contexts.