CouchDB

beginner

Apache CouchDB document database with built-in Fauxton web interface.

Overview

Apache CouchDB is a document-oriented NoSQL database that revolutionizes data synchronization with its unique multi-master replication architecture. Originally developed by Damien Katz and later donated to the Apache Software Foundation, CouchDB stands out from other databases by treating replication as a first-class feature rather than an afterthought. Its HTTP/JSON API makes it incredibly accessible, while the built-in Fauxton web interface provides powerful administration capabilities without requiring additional tools. This CouchDB deployment creates a robust document database server that excels at handling distributed data scenarios. Unlike traditional databases that struggle with network partitions and offline scenarios, CouchDB embraces eventual consistency and conflict resolution as core design principles. The database stores documents as JSON objects and uses MapReduce views for querying, while its _changes feed enables real-time synchronization with client applications. CouchDB's ability to replicate bidirectionally with PouchDB creates powerful offline-first architectures where mobile and web applications can work entirely offline and sync when connectivity returns. Developers building mobile applications, IoT systems, or any application requiring robust offline capabilities will find CouchDB invaluable. Startups needing a database that can scale across multiple datacenters without complex sharding strategies benefit from CouchDB's built-in multi-master replication. The combination of CouchDB's conflict-free replication, HTTP API accessibility, and PouchDB integration makes it the ideal choice for modern applications that must function reliably in unpredictable network conditions.

Key Features

Multi-master bidirectional replication with automatic conflict resolution
Built-in Fauxton web interface for database administration and document management
RESTful HTTP/JSON API accessible from any programming language or curl
Real-time _changes feed for live synchronization with client applications
MapReduce views and Mango query language for flexible data retrieval
ACID semantics with MVCC for reliable concurrent access
Native PouchDB synchronization for offline-first web and mobile applications
Incremental replication that only transfers changed documents

Common Use Cases

1Mobile applications requiring offline functionality with automatic sync when online
2IoT data collection systems that need to handle intermittent connectivity
3Multi-location businesses synchronizing data across geographically distributed offices
4Content management systems where editors work offline and sync changes later
5Real-time collaborative applications using _changes feed for live updates
6Edge computing scenarios where local databases sync with central systems
7Development teams needing simple database replication without complex clustering

Prerequisites

Minimum 256MB RAM available, 1GB+ recommended for production workloads
Port 5984 available for CouchDB HTTP API and Fauxton interface access
Docker and Docker Compose installed with support for named volumes
Basic understanding of JSON document structure and REST API concepts
Environment variables COUCHDB_USER and COUCHDB_PASSWORD configured for admin access

For development & testing. Review security settings, change default credentials, and test thoroughly before production use. See Terms

docker-compose.yml

1services: 
2  couchdb: 
3    image: couchdb:3
4    container_name: couchdb
5    restart: unless-stopped
6    environment: 
7      COUCHDB_USER: ${COUCHDB_USER}
8      COUCHDB_PASSWORD: ${COUCHDB_PASSWORD}
9    volumes: 
10      - couchdb_data:/opt/couchdb/data
11    ports: 
12      - "5984:5984"
13    networks: 
14      - couchdb-network
15
16volumes: 
17  couchdb_data: 
18
19networks: 
20  couchdb-network: 
21    driver: bridge

.env Template

.env

1COUCHDB_USER=admin
2COUCHDB_PASSWORD=changeme

Usage Notes

1Docs: https://docs.couchdb.org/en/stable/
2Access Fauxton UI at http://localhost:5984/_utils | API at http://localhost:5984
3Create database: curl -X PUT http://admin:password@localhost:5984/mydb
4Built-in replication - perfect for offline-first and sync applications
5Use _changes feed for real-time updates
6Backup: replicate to another CouchDB or use couchbackup tool

Quick Start

terminal

1# 1. Create the compose file
2cat > docker-compose.yml << 'EOF'
3services:
4  couchdb:
5    image: couchdb:3
6    container_name: couchdb
7    restart: unless-stopped
8    environment:
9      COUCHDB_USER: ${COUCHDB_USER}
10      COUCHDB_PASSWORD: ${COUCHDB_PASSWORD}
11    volumes:
12      - couchdb_data:/opt/couchdb/data
13    ports:
14      - "5984:5984"
15    networks:
16      - couchdb-network
17
18volumes:
19  couchdb_data:
20
21networks:
22  couchdb-network:
23    driver: bridge
24EOF
25
26# 2. Create the .env file
27cat > .env << 'EOF'
28COUCHDB_USER=admin
29COUCHDB_PASSWORD=changeme
30EOF
31
32# 3. Start the services
33docker compose up -d
34
35# 4. View logs
36docker compose logs -f

One-Liner

Run this command to download and set up the recipe in one step:

terminal

1curl -fsSL https://docker.recipes/api/recipes/couchdb/run | bash

Troubleshooting

Error 'couchdb exited with code 1': Ensure COUCHDB_USER and COUCHDB_PASSWORD environment variables are properly set
Fauxton interface shows 'Database does not exist': Create databases via PUT request to http://localhost:5984/database_name or through Fauxton
Replication fails with authentication error: Verify admin credentials and ensure target database exists before starting replication
High memory usage during large document imports: Use bulk operations via _bulk_docs endpoint instead of individual document uploads
Connection refused on port 5984: Check if port is already in use and verify container is running with docker ps
_changes feed stops receiving updates: Restart the feed connection as CouchDB may have closed idle connections after timeout

Community Notes

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