How to Fix Laravel Sail's "No Configuration File Provided" Error on Ubuntu / Docker

Laravel Sail, a lightweight development environment for Laravel applications, streamlines the process of setting up and managing Docker containers for your project. However, users occasionally encounter the frustrating "no configuration file provided: not found" error when attempting to launch their application using the sail up command. This comprehensive guide delves into the root causes of this issue and provides detailed solutions to get your Laravel project running smoothly.

The primary cause of this error is the absence or incorrect configuration of the docker-compose.yml file, the cornerstone of Sail's infrastructure. This file orchestrates the interaction between various Docker containers – the application server, database, and Redis – necessary for a fully functional Laravel environment. Without a properly configured docker-compose.yml, Sail lacks the blueprint to build and connect these containers, leading to the error message.

Let's examine the potential issues and their resolutions:

1. Missing docker-compose.yml File:

The most straightforward cause is simply the lack of a docker-compose.yml file in the root directory of your Laravel project. To rectify this, you must generate or manually create this file. Laravel Sail typically handles this automatically during installation. However, if the installation process was interrupted or encountered an error, this file might be missing.

The solution is to install Sail correctly, if not already installed. This typically involves running the composer require laravel/sail --dev command. If your project already has Sail installed, you may create the file manually.

2. Incorrect File Path or Name:

The docker-compose.yml file must reside precisely in the root directory of your Laravel project. Any deviation in its location, such as placing it within a subdirectory, will prevent Sail from locating it correctly. Similarly, ensure the filename is exactly docker-compose.yml – capitalization matters. Double-check the file's location and rename it if needed.

3. File Permissions:

Incorrect file permissions can also hinder Sail's ability to read the configuration file. Ensure the docker-compose.yml file has appropriate read permissions for your user. You can check and adjust permissions using the chmod command in your terminal. For example, chmod 644 docker-compose.yml grants read access for the owner and read-only access for the group and others.

4. Inconsistent Sail Version:

Inconsistency between the Sail version specified in your docker-compose.yml and the installed Sail version can lead to configuration errors. The docker-compose.yml file, especially when manually created, might reflect an older Sail version. This mismatch necessitates bringing the file's configuration in line with the installed Sail version. Refer to the official Laravel Sail documentation for the correct configuration details for your version.

5. Corrupted docker-compose.yml File:

A corrupted docker-compose.yml file, possibly due to accidental modification or a failed installation, can cause unexpected errors. To address this issue, the safest approach is to delete the existing docker-compose.yml file and regenerate it. If you generated the docker-compose.yml file manually, ensure the file's syntax is correct. Invalid YAML syntax will cause an error. Consider using a YAML validator to ensure the file is properly formatted.

6. Incorrect Docker Configuration:

Issues with your Docker installation or configuration, independent of your Laravel project, can also manifest as this error. Verify Docker is running correctly, and that your user has the necessary privileges to interact with Docker.

7. Firewall Interference:

In rare cases, a restrictive firewall might block Docker's communication, leading to errors during the sail up process. Temporarily disabling your firewall to check if it's the culprit is a useful troubleshooting step. Remember to re-enable it afterward.

Corrected and Annotated docker-compose.yml Example:

The following is a comprehensive and well-commented docker-compose.yml configuration file that addresses the common pitfalls mentioned above. This version leverages environment variables for enhanced flexibility and maintainability.

# docker-compose.yml for Laravel Sail

# Specify the version of the Docker Compose file format.
version: '3.7'  # Use a version supported by your Docker Compose installation

services:
    laravel.test: # Define the service for the Laravel application
        build: # Build the Docker image from the context specified
            context: ./vendor/laravel/sail/runtimes/8 # Path to Sail runtime
            dockerfile: Dockerfile # Use the Dockerfile within the context
            args:
                WWWGROUP: '${WWWGROUP}' # Inject the WWWGROUP environment variable
        image: sail-8/app # Image name (adjust according to Sail version)
        extra_hosts: # Add extra hosts for resolving hostnames within the container
            - 'host.docker.internal:host-gateway'
        ports: # Expose ports from the container to the host machine
            - '${APP_PORT:-80}:80' # Map host port 80 to container port 80
            - '${VITE_PORT:-5173}:${VITE_PORT:-5173}' # Map Vite development server port
        environment: # Define environment variables for the container
            WWWUSER: '${WWWUSER}' # User ID for the webserver
            LARAVEL_SAIL: 1 # Flag indicating Sail environment
            XDEBUG_MODE: '${SAIL_XDEBUG_MODE:-off}' # Xdebug mode (optional)
            XDEBUG_CONFIG: '${SAIL_XDEBUG_CONFIG:-client_host=host.docker.internal}' # Xdebug configuration (optional)
        volumes: # Mount volumes to share data between the host and container
            - '.:/var/www/html' # Mount the project directory
        networks: # Define the network the service will be connected to
            - sail # Uses the 'sail' network defined later
        depends_on: # Specify services that must be started before this one
            - mysql # Database service
            - redis # Redis service
    mysql: # Define the MySQL database service
        image: 'mysql:8.0' # Use the official MySQL 8.0 image
        ports: # Expose port 3306 from the container to the host
            - '${FORWARD_DB_PORT:-3306}:3306'
        environment: # Define environment variables for the MySQL service
            MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: '${DB_PASSWORD}' # Root password for MySQL
            MYSQL_ROOT_HOST: "%" # Allow connections from any host
            MYSQL_DATABASE: '${DB_DATABASE}' # Database name
            MYSQL_USER: '${DB_USERNAME}' # Database username
            MYSQL_PASSWORD: '${DB_PASSWORD}' # Database password
            MYSQL_ALLOW_EMPTY_PASSWORD: 'false' # Disallow empty password for better security
        volumes: # Mount a named volume to persist data across container restarts
            - 'sail-mysql:/var/lib/mysql' # Data volume for MySQL
            - './vendor/laravel/sail/database/mysql/create-testing-database.sh:/docker-entrypoint-initdb.d/10-create-testing-database.sh' # Run script for testing DB setup
        networks: # Specify the network the service will be connected to
            - sail # Uses the 'sail' network defined later
        healthcheck: # Configure health checks for the MySQL service
            test: ["CMD", "mysqladmin", "ping", "-p${DB_PASSWORD}"] # Command to check if MySQL is running
            retries: 3 # Number of retries for health check
            timeout: 5s # Timeout for health check
    redis: # Define the Redis service
        image: 'redis:alpine' # Use the official Alpine Linux based Redis image (lightweight)
        ports: # Expose port 6379 from the container to the host
            - '${FORWARD_REDIS_PORT:-6379}:6379'
        volumes: # Mount a named volume to persist data across container restarts
            - 'sail-redis:/data' # Data volume for Redis
        networks: # Specify the network the service will be connected to
            - sail # Uses the 'sail' network defined later
        healthcheck: # Configure health checks for the Redis service
            test: ["CMD", "redis-cli", "ping"] # Command to check if Redis is running
            retries: 3 # Number of retries for health check
            timeout: 5s # Timeout for health check

networks: # Define custom networks for services
    sail: # A bridge network called 'sail'
        driver: bridge # Network driver

volumes: # Define named volumes
    sail-mysql: # Named volume for MySQL data persistence
        driver: local # Use the local driver
    sail-redis: # Named volume for Redis data persistence
        driver: local # Use the local driver
    

By addressing these potential issues and using a correctly configured docker-compose.yml file, you should resolve the "no configuration file provided" error and successfully launch your Laravel application with Laravel Sail. Remember to consult the official Laravel Sail documentation for the most up-to-date information and best practices.