Compose: Up vs. create & start - Link issue

[Craeckie]

I have the following compose file:

mysql:
  image: mariadb:10
  environment:
    MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: xxx

server:
  image: php:5.6-apache
  links:
    - mysql:mysql

Now when I run
docker-compose create && docker-compose start

And run
docker exec -it ..._server_1 ping mysql
it returns
ping: unknown host

(though docker exec -it ..._server_1 ping < IP-Address of container> works)

If I instead create the containers with docker-compose up command and ping the mysql-container, it works!

What is the difference between these commands?

[aanand]

The difference is that create doesn't start the containers - it only creates them. That's why the mysql container isn't reachable: it's not running.

[Craeckie]

ok, but I also started it using docker-compose start and they are both running:

1e0deca3841a        php:5.6-apache    "apache2-foreground"     4 minutes ago       Up 4 minutes        80/tcp    linktest_server_1
c60abd52a642        mariadb:10      "/docker-entrypoint.s"   4 minutes ago       Up 4 minutes        3306/tcp    linktest_mysql_1

And the problem persists:

$ docker exec -it linktest_server_1 ping mysql
ping: unknown host

I have attached the output of docker inspect linktest_server_1 and the relevant entry is "Links":null:
link-test.txt

Versions:

Docker version 1.10.3, build 20f81dd
docker-compose version 1.6.2, build 4d72027

[snusmu]

+1

[shin-]

We're now deprecating docker-compose create. Its replacement, docker-compose up --no-start should create all the necessary resources for services to find one another.

[oli-h]

Unfortunately I also must state that "docker-composer up --no-start" still does not work.
In "docker inspect _containerId_" I see:

"Links": null

It doesn't matter if I later start the container with "docker-composer up" or "docker-composer start" - the "Links" are empty and /etc/hosts does not contain appropriate entries.

Though, when I start directly with "docker-composer up" all works fine. The "Links"-attribute in "docker inspect" is filled, /etc/hosts is fine and name-resolving works.

There _is_ a bug - and there is _no_ difference between "docker-compose create" and "docker-compose up --no-start"