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ISLE Site Template

What is the ISLE Site Template?

The ISLE Site Template is a system for installing Islandora on Docker. As with ISLE-DC, it uses Docker Compose to orchestrate the installation of all the different services (Docker containers) that make up Islandora. Unlike ISLE-DC, in ISLE Site Template you use Docker Compose commands directly, helping you to get familiar with the kinds of commands that will be a key part of running and maintaining Islandora.

Usage

  1. Use the GitHub template feature

    • Click the green "Use this template" button on the ISLE Site Template repository to create your own copy. This creates a new repository in your GitHub account with the same directory structure and files, including a pre-installed copy of the Islandora Starter Site.

  2. Clone your new repository

    • After creating your repository from the template, clone it to your local machine or server.

  3. Quick start with make commands

    • The template now uses a Makefile to simplify setup. Just run make up to initialize and start your Islandora site. This handles generating secrets, certificates, and bringing up all services.

  4. Default configuration

    • By default, the environment runs over HTTP at islandora.traefik.me (which resolves to 127.0.0.1) for easier local development. You can switch to HTTPS using make commands for development (make traefik-https-mkcert) or production (make traefik-https-letsencrypt).

  5. Customizing your site

    • All customizations you make can be committed to your repository, including Docker configuration, service settings, Drupal modules, themes, and site configuration. Your custom Drupal codebase is part of the repository and gets built into a custom Docker image.
Last update: February 24, 2026