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Use Multi-Container Environments#

Overview#

You can create and and use multi-container applications in AI Workbench using Docker Compose.

Multi-container environments let you run multiple services together. Common use cases include RAG pipelines, and microservices architectures.

You can manage multi-container environments in the Desktop App without any terminal commands.

AI Workbench has controls for starting, stopping, and monitoring services. Select profiles to run different service configurations from a single compose file.

Compose services run alongside your project container with shared networking.

Services communicate using service names as hostnames. Web services can be proxied through AI Workbench for easy access.

Key Concepts#

Compose File

A docker-compose.yml or compose.yaml file that specifies services, networks, and volumes.

Service

An individual container defined in the compose file.

Profile

A tag that enables conditional service activation based on selected profiles.

NVWB_TRIM_PREFIX

An environment variable that enables AI Workbench proxy integration for web services.

Configure Compose File Location#

Step One: Open your project spec.yaml file.

  1. Select Project Tab > Files > .project > spec.yaml

  2. Select Option Dots > Edit

Step Two: Set the compose file path.

  1. Locate the environment section

  2. Set compose_file_path to your compose file location:

    environment:
  base:
    # ... other base configuration ...
  compose_file_path: compose.yaml

  3. Use a path relative to the project root

  4. Common locations: compose.yaml, docker-compose.yml, deploy/compose.yaml

  5. Select Save

Step Three: Create your compose file at the specified location.

  1. The compose file must exist at the path you specified

  2. Use the procedures below to create and edit the compose file

Success: AI Workbench will display compose controls in the Project Tab.

The compose file path can be empty if not using compose

Leave compose_file_path as an empty string (“”) if your project doesn’t use multi-container environments. AI Workbench will not show compose controls in the Desktop App.

Create a Compose File#

Step One: Open the compose section.

  1. Select Project Tab > Environment > Compose

  2. Select Create compose file

Step Two: Write your compose configuration.

  1. The editor opens with a template

  2. Define your services, networks, and volumes

  3. Use the built-in Cheat Sheet for syntax reference

  4. Select Save when complete

Success: The compose file is created in your project repository.

Start with a simple example

Begin with a single service to verify your compose setup works. Add additional services incrementally. See Multi-Container Environments (Docker Compose) for complete examples.

Edit a Compose File#

You can edit the compose file through the Desktop App or directly in your repository.

Using the Desktop App#

Step One: Open the compose editor.

  1. Select Project Tab > Environment > Compose

  2. Select Edit compose file

Step Two: Make your changes.

  1. Edit the compose configuration in the editor

  2. Select Save

Step Three: Restart services to apply changes.

  1. Stop the compose environment if running

  2. Start the compose environment with updated configuration

Success: Changes are saved and will take effect on next start.

Using a File Editor#

Step One: Open the compose file.

  1. Select Project Tab > Files > compose.yaml

  2. Select Option Dots > Edit

  3. Or open the file in VS Code, JupyterLab, or another editor

Step Two: Make your changes.

  1. Edit the compose configuration

  2. Save the file

Step Three: Restart services to apply changes.

  1. Stop the compose environment if running in AI Workbench

  2. Start the compose environment with updated configuration

Success: Changes are saved and will take effect on next start.

Start a Multi-Container Environment#

Step One: Select profiles if your compose file uses them.

  1. Select Project Tab > Environment > Compose

  2. Select one or more profiles from the Profile dropdown

  3. If no profiles are defined, skip this step

Step Two: Start the compose environment.

  1. Select Start

  2. AI Workbench runs docker compose up with selected profiles

Step Three: Monitor service startup.

  1. Watch the Compose Output section for logs

  2. Services appear in the compose section as they start

  3. Healthchecks must pass for services that define them

Success: Services start and appear in the compose section showing their status.

Web services with NVWB_TRIM_PREFIX become accessible through the proxy

Services with NVWB_TRIM_PREFIX: "true" in their environment variables are proxied by AI Workbench. Access URLs appear on the service cards in the Desktop App.

Stop a Multi-Container Environment#

Step One: Open the compose section.

  1. Select Project Tab > Environment > Compose

Step Two: Stop the compose environment.

  1. Select Stop

  2. AI Workbench runs docker compose down

Success: All services stop and the compose section shows services as stopped.

Configure GPU Access for Services#

Compose services can use GPUs by specifying resource requirements.

Using deploy.resources Syntax#

Add GPU configuration to your service definition:

services:
  nim-llm:
    image: nvcr.io/nim/meta/llama-3.1-8b-instruct:latest
    runtime: nvidia
    deploy:
      resources:
        reservations:
          devices:
            - driver: nvidia
              count: 1
              capabilities: [gpu]

  • runtime: nvidia enables GPU access

  • count: 1 requests one GPU

  • The first available GPU will be assigned

Using device_ids for Specific GPUs#

Assign specific GPU devices to services:

services:
  embedding-service:
    image: nvcr.io/nim/nvidia/llama-3.2-nv-embedqa-1b-v2:latest
    runtime: nvidia
    deploy:
      resources:
        reservations:
          devices:
            - driver: nvidia
              device_ids: ['0']
              capabilities: [gpu]

  llm-service:
    image: nvcr.io/nim/meta/llama-3.1-70b-instruct:latest
    runtime: nvidia
    deploy:
      resources:
        reservations:
          devices:
            - driver: nvidia
              device_ids: ['1', '2']
              capabilities: [gpu]

  • device_ids: ['0'] assigns GPU 0

  • device_ids: ['1', '2'] assigns GPUs 1 and 2

  • Prevents services from competing for the same GPU

Check GPU availability on your system

Use nvidia-smi in a terminal to see available GPUs and their IDs. Ensure the project container is not using GPUs you want to assign to compose services.

Use Profiles for Service Variants#

Profiles enable running different service configurations from one compose file.

Define Profiles in Services#

Add profile tags to service definitions:

services:
  llama-8b:
    image: nvcr.io/nim/meta/llama-3.1-8b-instruct:latest
    runtime: nvidia
    deploy:
      resources:
        reservations:
          devices:
            - driver: nvidia
              count: 1
              capabilities: [gpu]
    ports:
      - "8000:8000"
    profiles:
      - small-model

  llama-70b:
    image: nvcr.io/nim/meta/llama-3.1-70b-instruct:latest
    runtime: nvidia
    deploy:
      resources:
        reservations:
          devices:
            - driver: nvidia
              count: 2
              capabilities: [gpu]
    ports:
      - "8000:8000"
    profiles:
      - large-model

  • Only services matching the selected profile start

  • Services without profiles always start

  • Use profiles for model variants, deployment modes, or optional components

Select Profiles in AI Workbench#

Step One: Open the compose section.

  1. Select Project Tab > Environment > Compose

Step Two: Select desired profiles.

  1. Select profiles from the Profile dropdown

  2. Multiple profiles can be selected if your compose file supports it

Step Three: Start the compose environment.

  1. Select Start

  2. Only services tagged with selected profiles will start

Success: Services matching selected profiles start.

Integrate Web Services with AI Workbench#

Set NVWB_TRIM_PREFIX to proxy web services through AI Workbench.

Add the environment variable to web services:

services:
  frontend:
    image: myapp/frontend:latest
    ports:
      - "3000:3000"
    environment:
      - NVWB_TRIM_PREFIX=true

  • AI Workbench proxies services with this variable set to “true”

  • Access URLs appear in the Desktop App

  • Works for both local and remote locations

Success: The service is accessible through AI Workbench’s proxy with a URL shown in the Desktop App.

Not all services need NVWB_TRIM_PREFIX

Only web services that users access through a browser need proxying. Backend APIs, databases, and internal services should not set this variable.

Version Compose Configurations#

Step One: Commit the compose file.

  1. Select Project Tab > Git > Changes

  2. Select the compose file to include in the commit

  3. Select Commit

Step Two: Push changes to the remote repository.

  1. Select Push to sync with the remote

Success: The compose file is versioned with your project.

Container images are not versioned

The compose file is versioned, but the container images used for services are not. Image versions are determined by tags in the compose file. Teammates need access to the same registries to pull images.

Troubleshooting#

Compose controls not visible in Desktop App

  • Verify compose_file_path is set in spec.yaml

  • Ensure the compose file exists at the specified path

  • Check that AI Workbench is using Docker runtime (not Podman)

Services fail to start

  • Check compose output logs for error messages

  • Verify all required images are accessible

  • Ensure ports are not already in use

  • Check that GPUs are available if services request them

GPU allocation errors

  • Verify GPU IDs with nvidia-smi

  • Ensure the project container is not using requested GPUs

  • Check that multiple services are not requesting the same specific GPU

  • Try using count instead of device_ids to let Docker assign GPUs

Services cannot communicate

  • Ensure services are on the same network

  • Use service names as hostnames for inter-service communication

  • Check that dependent services have started and passed healthchecks

Web services not accessible

  • Verify NVWB_TRIM_PREFIX is set to “true” exactly

  • Check that the service is exposing the correct port

  • Ensure the service has started successfully