# CLI Support for Non-Default or Multiple Compose files

**URL:** <https://forums.balena.io/t/cli-support-for-non-default-or-multiple-compose-files/373426>\
**Category:** Feature Requests\
**Created:** [October 30, 2024, 2:53pm UTC](https://forums.balena.io/t/cli-support-for-non-default-or-multiple-compose-files/373426 "2024-10-30T14:53:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/balena/original/2X/6/60e5c11e1222480d38bea45d7ab9ea57bbe86d53.png) [@system](https://forums.balena.io/u/system)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2024, 2:53pm UTC](https://forums.balena.io/t/cli-support-for-non-default-or-multiple-compose-files/373426/1 "2024-10-30T14:53:06Z")

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Docker compose has a feature to support multiple or non-default “docker-compose.yml” filenames using the “-f” flag.

It would be extremely helpful to be able to change the docker-compose filename during “push” and “deploy”.

Ideally, this would support the full merging rules, but for most use cases it would be sufficient to just allow using a different filename.

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**Author:** ![anonymizeduser](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/balena/user_avatar/forums.balena.io/anonymizeduser/32/10188_2.png) [@anonymizeduser](https://forums.balena.io/u/anonymizeduser)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2024, 2:54pm UTC](https://forums.balena.io/t/cli-support-for-non-default-or-multiple-compose-files/373426/2 "2024-10-30T14:54:19Z")

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See the original long-running issue here, which has had general support from users: [Add ability to select a docker-compose file · Issue #1142 · balena-io/balena-cli · GitHub](https://github.com/balena-io/balena-cli/issues/1142)

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**Author:** ![anonymizeduser](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/balena/user_avatar/forums.balena.io/anonymizeduser/32/10188_2.png) [@anonymizeduser](https://forums.balena.io/u/anonymizeduser)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2024, 2:56pm UTC](https://forums.balena.io/t/cli-support-for-non-default-or-multiple-compose-files/373426/3 "2024-10-30T14:56:10Z")

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The behavior in [Add support for docker-compose dev overlay by srlowe · Pull Request #2177 · balena-io/balena-cli · GitHub](https://github.com/balena-io/balena-cli/pull/2177) (to merge `docker-compose.dev.yml`) is not sufficient to solve this because it creates confusion against the normal docker compose behavior where users would explicitly specify the files they want loaded.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/balena/original/2X/6/60e5c11e1222480d38bea45d7ab9ea57bbe86d53.png) [@system](https://forums.balena.io/u/system)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2024, 9:55am UTC](https://forums.balena.io/t/cli-support-for-non-default-or-multiple-compose-files/373426/4 "2024-11-08T09:55:34Z")

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Jonathan Berger set the status to **In Progress**

Hi Chris, we recognize that this is a valid use case and a long standing request from the CLI users. Our engineering team is looking at bringing the -f flag option to the CLI, we will let you know when we have updates.