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Compose: Add guidance for using host network in Swarm mode and Docker Stack #22724

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Compose: Add guidance for using host network in Swarm mode and Docker Stack #22724

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Compose: add swarm and stack external host config example
May 30, 2025
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Added space around headings
May 30, 2025
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22 changes: 22 additions & 0 deletions content/reference/compose-file/networks.md
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Expand Up @@ -190,6 +190,28 @@ networks:
external: true
```

#### Accessing host network in Swarm mode with Stack

If you need to access the Docker host's network when using Swarm mode with `docker stack deploy`,
you can reference the network by declaring it as an external network:

```yml
services:
my-service:
image: example/my-service
networks:
- outside

networks:
outside:
external:
name: "host"
```
> [!NOTE]
> Accessing the Docker host network adds certain limitations on services including restricted port mapping, lack of service replication, and
> exclusion from the Swarm's ingress routing mesh and service discovery. For more information, see [External Network Drivers](https://docs.docker.com/engine/network/drivers/host/)
> and [Swarm mode routing mesh](https://docs.docker.com/engine/swarm/ingress/)

### `ipam`

`ipam` specifies a custom IPAM configuration. This is an object with several properties, each of which is optional:
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