fcrepo (Fedora Commons) is the linked data repository that Islandora uses to store digital objects and their metadata alongside Drupal. In an Islandora stack, fcrepo runs as a Docker service alongside the rest of the application.
The fcrepo component controls whether the Fedora service, its volumes, and related Islandora configuration are part of your stack. It defaults to enabled.
Supported dispositions:
| Disposition | Meaning |
|---|
enabled | Use the standard Fedora-backed Islandora repository stack. |
superceded | Remove Fedora because binaries are stored through another filesystem or storage backend. |
Check current state
sitectl component describe
fcrepo is on, off, or drifted (meaning the project files no longer match the last applied state).
Enable fcrepo
sitectl set fcrepo enabled
docker-compose.yml and restores the Islandora configuration required to connect Drupal to Fedora.
Disable fcrepo
sitectl set fcrepo superceded --isle-file-system-uri public
docker-compose.yml, disables Fedora indexing in Alpaca, removes Fedora-specific Drupal config sync files, and rewrites managed media field storage to use the requested filesystem URI.
Use public, private, or a custom Drupal stream wrapper scheme for --isle-file-system-uri. If you omit the flag, sitectl prompts for it when confirmation is enabled.
Disabling fcrepo is a hard migration boundary. Existing Fedora-backed binaries must be migrated out of Fedora before you remove it from a site with content. The component removes volumes from the Compose project definition; data may still exist on disk until volume lifecycle commands such as docker compose down -v remove it.
Create flags
Choose the Fedora shape during sitectl create isle:
sitectl create isle --fcrepo on
sitectl create isle --fcrepo off --isle-file-system-uri private
Sync fcrepo between environments
Copy the fcrepo database from one context to another:
sitectl isle sync fcrepo --source museum-prod --target museum-local
--yolo to skip in automation.
Use --fresh to always take a new backup rather than reusing one from today.
When to disable fcrepo
fcrepo adds significant resource requirements to a stack. You might disable it for:
- Minimal local development — if you’re working on Drupal theme or module code that doesn’t interact with digital objects
- Stacks that don’t use Islandora’s linked data features — some projects use Islandora as a Drupal hosting pattern but don’t use Fedora-backed objects
If you’re running a full Islandora installation with digital objects, fcrepo should be on. 
