The core idea in this 2023 CasaOS tutorial is still valid: Nextcloud can use MySQL or MariaDB as its database. What should not be copied blindly is an old container walkthrough whose exact image tags, environment variables, network behavior, and database versions may have changed.
For a current deployment, use a database version supported by your current Nextcloud release, give both services persistent storage, connect them on a stable Docker network, and refer to the database by a service/container name rather than a hard-coded container IP.
What the Original Thread Actually Contained
The forum post introduced a video guide for configuring MySQL with Nextcloud on CasaOS. It did not publish the tutorial's Docker Compose file or configuration values in the text of the thread, so there is no reliable basis for reconstructing those old steps from the forum page alone.
That distinction matters because a 2023 video may still explain the architecture correctly while showing image tags or setup fields that are now obsolete.
Nextcloud Still Supports MySQL and MariaDB
The current Nextcloud system requirements list supported database families and versions. MySQL remains supported, while MariaDB and PostgreSQL are also common choices.
Use the requirements for the exact Nextcloud major version you are installing. Avoid pinning a years-old database image simply because it appears in a legacy tutorial.
Use Stable Docker Networking, Not Container IPs
When Nextcloud and the database run as separate containers, place them on the same user-defined Docker network or in the same Compose project and set the database host to the database service name. Container IP addresses can change after recreation or reboot.
Current ZimaOS supports multi-container Compose deployments. If you are moving from an old CasaOS tutorial to current ZimaOS, the Nextcloud hardware guide provides sizing context before deployment.
Persist Both Nextcloud Data and Database Data
The web application and database have different persistence needs. Map durable storage for Nextcloud configuration/data and for the database data directory. Recreating a container should not erase either service's state.
Do not treat a live database directory like an ordinary folder backup. A consistent database dump, snapshot-aware workflow, or application-aware backup is safer. The database container backup guide explains why consistency matters.
What to Enter in the Nextcloud Installer
The current Nextcloud installation wizard asks for database credentials and a database host. In a Compose stack, that host should normally be the database service name plus a port only when a non-default port is required.
Do not expose the database port to the wider LAN unless another host genuinely needs it. Nextcloud and its database usually only need to communicate across their Docker network.
Bottom Line
The old CasaOS tutorial's architecture—Nextcloud plus a separate SQL database—still makes sense, but use current upstream requirements rather than copying 2023 image versions or network details. Persistent volumes and stable service-name networking are the parts worth carrying forward.
