Accessing an api running in a docker host from a different docker host

I have two docker projects each with their own docker-compose.yml files. One project holds a django api with docker host for that, while the other project is for open edx which running on another docker host. If I try to access my django api from one of these docker containers of the second docker host using docker exec -it edx.devstack.studio curl http://localhost:8000/number/, I get an error curl: (7) Failed to connect to localhost port 8000: Connection refused. I'm by no means a docker expert so there's something I'm probably doing wrong. I tried adding all the docker services in both projects to the same network but it still failed, probably I'm doing it wrong. Any help will be much appreciated. Below are the two docker compose files. Django project docker compose file

version: "3"

services:
  db:
    image: mysql:5.7
    container_name: db
    env_file:
      - .env
    ports:
      - '3307:3307'
    expose:
      - '3307'
    volumes:
      - my-db:/var/lib/mysql

  django:
    build:
      context: .
    container_name: web
    env_file:
    - .env
    command: python src/manage.py runserver 0.0.0.0:8000
    depends_on:
      - db
    ports:
      - "8000:8000"
    volumes:
      - .:/app
    networks:
      - okay

networks:
  okay:
    external: true

volumes:
  my-db:

Open edx docker compose file

# This file contains all of the services for an edX installation. See https://docs.docker.com/compose/compose-file/
# for the appropriate syntax and definitions.
#
# Housekeeping Rules:
# - Group third-party and edX services separately
# - Alphabetize services in the groups
# - Alphabetize individual configuration options for each service
# - Every service's container name should be prefixed with "edx.devstack." to avoid conflicts with other containers
#   that might be running for the same service.

version: "2.1"

services:
  # Third-party services
  chrome:
    container_name: edx.devstack.chrome
    image: edxops/chrome:${OPENEDX_RELEASE:-latest}
    shm_size: 2g
    ports:
      - "15900:5900"
    volumes:  # for file uploads
      - ../edx-e2e-tests/upload_files:/edx/app/e2e/edx-e2e-tests/upload_files
      - ../edx-platform/common/test/data:/edx/app/edxapp/edx-platform/common/test/data
    networks:
      - okay

  elasticsearch:
    container_name: edx.devstack.elasticsearch
    image: edxops/elasticsearch:devstack
    # TODO: What to do about these forwarded ports? They'll conflict with ports forwarded by the Vagrant VM.
    # ports:
    #   - "9200:9200"
    #   - "9300:9300"
    volumes:
      - elasticsearch_data:/usr/share/elasticsearch/data
      - elasticsearch_data:/usr/share/elasticsearch/logs
    networks:
      - okay

  firefox:
    container_name: edx.devstack.firefox
    image: edxops/firefox:${OPENEDX_RELEASE:-latest}
    shm_size: 2g
    ports:
      - "25900:5900"
    volumes:  # for file uploads
      - ../edx-e2e-tests/upload_files:/edx/app/e2e/edx-e2e-tests/upload_files
      - ../edx-platform/common/test/data:/edx/app/edxapp/edx-platform/common/test/data
    networks:
      - okay

  memcached:
    container_name: edx.devstack.memcached
    image: memcached:1.4.24
    # ports:
    #   - "11211:11211"
    networks:
      - okay

  mongo:
    # We use WiredTiger in all environments. In development environments we use small files
    # to conserve disk space, and disable the journal for a minor performance gain.
    # See https://docs.mongodb.com/v3.0/reference/program/mongod/#options for complete details.
    command: mongod --smallfiles --nojournal --storageEngine wiredTiger
    container_name: edx.devstack.mongo
    image: mongo:3.2.16
    # ports:
    #  - "27017:27017"
    volumes:
      - mongo_data:/data/db
    networks:
      - okay

  mysql:
    command: mysqld --character-set-server=utf8 --collation-server=utf8_general_ci
    container_name: edx.devstack.mysql
    environment:
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: ""
      MYSQL_ALLOW_EMPTY_PASSWORD: "yes"
    image: mysql:5.6
    # ports:
    #   - "3306:3306"
    volumes:
      - mysql_data:/var/lib/mysql
    networks:
      - okay

  # edX services
  credentials:
    command: bash -c 'source /edx/app/credentials/credentials_env && while true; do python /edx/app/credentials/credentials/manage.py runserver 0.0.0.0:18150; sleep 2; done'
    container_name: edx.devstack.credentials
    depends_on:
      - mysql
      - memcached
    # Allows attachment to the credentials service using 'docker attach <containerID>'.
    stdin_open: true
    tty: true
    environment:
      CACHE_LOCATION: edx.devstack.memcached:12211
      DB_HOST: edx.devstack.mysql
      SOCIAL_AUTH_EDX_OIDC_URL_ROOT: http://edx.devstack.lms:18000/oauth2
      ENABLE_DJANGO_TOOLBAR: 1
    image: edxops/credentials:${OPENEDX_RELEASE:-latest}
    ports:
      - "18150:18150"
    networks:
      - okay

  discovery:
    command: bash -c 'source /edx/app/discovery/discovery_env && while true; do python /edx/app/discovery/discovery/manage.py runserver 0.0.0.0:18381; sleep 2; done'
    container_name: edx.devstack.discovery
    depends_on:
      - mysql
      - elasticsearch
      - memcached
    # Allows attachment to the discovery service using 'docker attach <containerID>'.
    stdin_open: true
    tty: true
    environment:
      TEST_ELASTICSEARCH_URL: "http://edx.devstack.elasticsearch:9200"
      ENABLE_DJANGO_TOOLBAR: 1
    image: edxops/discovery:${OPENEDX_RELEASE:-latest}
    ports:
      - "18381:18381"
    volumes:
      - discovery_assets:/edx/var/discovery/
    networks:
      - okay

  ecommerce:
    command: bash -c 'source /edx/app/ecommerce/ecommerce_env && while true; do python /edx/app/ecommerce/ecommerce/manage.py runserver 0.0.0.0:18130; sleep 2; done'
    container_name: edx.devstack.ecommerce
    depends_on:
      - mysql
      - memcached
    # Allows attachment to the ecommerce service using 'docker attach <containerID>'.
    stdin_open: true
    tty: true
    environment:
      ENABLE_DJANGO_TOOLBAR: 0
    image: edxops/ecommerce:${OPENEDX_RELEASE:-latest}
    ports:
      - "18130:18130"
    networks:
      - okay

  lms:
    command: bash -c 'source /edx/app/edxapp/edxapp_env && while true; do python /edx/app/edxapp/edx-platform/manage.py lms runserver 0.0.0.0:18000 --settings devstack_docker; sleep 2; done'
    container_name: edx.devstack.lms
    depends_on:
      - devpi
      - mysql
      - memcached
      - mongo
    # Allows attachment to the LMS service using 'docker attach <containerID>'.
    stdin_open: true
    tty: true
    environment:
      BOK_CHOY_HOSTNAME: edx.devstack.lms
      BOK_CHOY_LMS_PORT: 18003
      BOK_CHOY_CMS_PORT: 18031
      EDXAPP_TEST_MONGO_HOST: edx.devstack.mongo
      NO_PYTHON_UNINSTALL: 1
    image: edxops/edxapp:${OPENEDX_RELEASE:-latest}
    ports:
      - "18000:18000"
      - "19876:19876" # JS test debugging
      # - "18003:18003"
      # - "18031:18031"
    volumes:
      - edxapp_lms_assets:/edx/var/edxapp/staticfiles/
    networks:
      - okay

  edx_notes_api:
    command: bash -c 'source /edx/app/edx_notes_api/edx_notes_api_env && while true; do python /edx/app/edx_notes_api/edx_notes_api/manage.py runserver 0.0.0.0:18120 --settings notesserver.settings.devstack; sleep 2; done'
    container_name: edx.devstack.edx_notes_api
    depends_on:
      - devpi
      - elasticsearch
      - mysql
    image: edxops/notes:${OPENEDX_RELEASE:-latest}
    ports:
      - "18120:18120"
    environment:
      DB_ENGINE: "django.db.backends.mysql"
      DB_HOST: "edx.devstack.mysql"
      DB_NAME: "notes"
      DB_PASSWORD: "password"
      DB_PORT: "3306"
      DB_USER: "notes001"
      ENABLE_DJANGO_TOOLBAR: 1
      ELASTICSEARCH_URL: "http://edx.devstack.elasticsearch:9200"
    networks:
      - okay

  studio:
    command: bash -c 'source /edx/app/edxapp/edxapp_env && while true; do python /edx/app/edxapp/edx-platform/manage.py cms runserver 0.0.0.0:18010 --settings devstack_docker; sleep 2; done'
    container_name: edx.devstack.studio
    depends_on:
      - devpi
      - mysql
      - memcached
      - mongo
    # Allows attachment to the Studio service using 'docker attach <containerID>'.
    stdin_open: true
    tty: true
    environment:
      BOK_CHOY_HOSTNAME: edx.devstack.studio
      BOK_CHOY_LMS_PORT: 18103
      BOK_CHOY_CMS_PORT: 18131
      EDXAPP_TEST_MONGO_HOST: edx.devstack.mongo
      NO_PYTHON_UNINSTALL: 1
    image: edxops/edxapp:${OPENEDX_RELEASE:-latest}
    ports:
      - "18010:18010"
      - "19877:19877" # JS test debugging
      # - "18103:18103"
      # - "18131:18131"
    volumes:
      - edxapp_studio_assets:/edx/var/edxapp/staticfiles/
    networks:
      - okay

  forum:
    command: bash -c 'source /edx/app/forum/ruby_env && source /edx/app/forum/devstack_forum_env && cd /edx/app/forum/cs_comments_service && bundle install && while true; do ruby app.rb -o 0.0.0.0 ; sleep 2; done'
    container_name: edx.devstack.forum
    depends_on:
      - mongo
      - memcached
      - elasticsearch
    image: edxops/forum:${OPENEDX_RELEASE:-latest}
    ports:
      - "44567:4567"
    networks:
      - okay

  devpi:
    container_name: edx.devstack.devpi
    image: edxops/devpi:${OPENEDX_RELEASE:-latest}
    ports:
      - "3141:3141"
    volumes:
      - devpi_data:/data
    networks:
      - okay

networks:
  okay:
    external: true

volumes:
  discovery_assets:
  edxapp_lms_assets:
  edxapp_studio_assets:
  elasticsearch_data:
  mongo_data:
  mysql_data:
  devpi_data:

Thanks to this answer I was able to get a solution to this, you can use host.docker.internal which resolve to your ip address rather than using localhost which would refer to that container. This will allow you to make a request to an api running on a different container. For instance use http://host.docker.internal:8000/number/ instead of http://localhost:8000/number/.