- name
- docker-expert
- description
- Advanced Docker: multi-stage builds, BuildKit, image optimization, security scanning, layer caching, and production patterns.
- metadata
- {"thinkfleetbot":{"emoji":"🐳","requires":{"bins":"[Truncated]"}}}
# Docker Expert
Advanced Docker patterns beyond basic container operations.
## Multi-Stage Builds
```dockerfile
# Stage 1: Build
FROM node:20-alpine AS builder
WORKDIR /app
COPY package*.json ./
RUN npm ci
COPY . .
RUN npm run build
# Stage 2: Production (minimal image)
FROM node:20-alpine AS production
WORKDIR /app
COPY --from=builder /app/dist ./dist
COPY --from=builder /app/node_modules ./node_modules
COPY --from=builder /app/package.json ./
USER node
EXPOSE 3000
CMD ["node", "dist/index.js"]
```
## Image Optimization
```bash
# Check image size
docker images --format "table {{.Repository}}:{{.Tag}}\t{{.Size}}" | sort -k2 -h
# Analyze image layers
docker history myapp:latest --format "table {{.CreatedBy}}\t{{.Size}}" --no-trunc
# Dive — interactive layer explorer
docker run --rm -it -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock wagoodman/dive myapp:latest
```
### Size reduction techniques
```dockerfile
# Use alpine base images
FROM node:20-alpine # ~180MB vs node:20 ~1GB
# Install only production dependencies
RUN npm ci --production
# Clean up in the same layer
RUN apk add --no-cache build-base python3 \
&& npm ci \
&& apk del build-base python3
# Use .dockerignore
# .dockerignore:
# node_modules
# .git
# .env
# *.md
# dist
```
## BuildKit Features
```bash
# Enable BuildKit
export DOCKER_BUILDKIT=1
# Build with cache mount (speeds up dependency install)
docker build --build-arg BUILDKIT_INLINE_CACHE=1 -t myapp .
# Secret mounting (don't bake secrets into layers)
docker build --secret id=npmrc,src=$HOME/.npmrc -t myapp .
# In Dockerfile: RUN --mount=type=secret,id=npmrc,target=/root/.npmrc npm ci
# SSH forwarding for private repos
docker build --ssh default -t myapp .
# Cache export/import for CI
docker build --cache-from myapp:cache --cache-to type=inline -t myapp .
```
## Security
```bash
# Scan image for vulnerabilities
docker scout cves myapp:latest
# Trivy scan
trivy image myapp:latest
# Run as non-root (in Dockerfile)
# USER node or USER 1001:1001
# Read-only filesystem
docker run --read-only --tmpfs /tmp myapp:latest
# Drop capabilities
docker run --cap-drop ALL --cap-add NET_BIND_SERVICE myapp:latest
# No new privileges
docker run --security-opt no-new-privileges myapp:latest
```
## Health Checks
```dockerfile
HEALTHCHECK --interval=30s --timeout=5s --retries=3 \
CMD curl -f http://localhost:3000/health || exit 1
```
```bash
# Check health status
docker inspect --format='{{.State.Health.Status}}' myapp
```
## Compose Patterns
```yaml
# docker-compose.yml — production patterns
services:
app:
build:
context: .
target: production # Multi-stage target
restart: unless-stopped
deploy:
resources:
limits:
memory: 512M
cpus: '0.5'
healthcheck:
test: ["CMD", "curl", "-f", "http://localhost:3000/health"]
interval: 30s
timeout: 5s
retries: 3
logging:
driver: json-file
options:
max-size: "10m"
max-file: "3"
```
## Notes
- Order Dockerfile instructions by change frequency: OS packages → dependencies → app code.
- Each `RUN`, `COPY`, `ADD` creates a layer. Combine related operations.
- Never store secrets in environment variables in Dockerfiles — they're visible in `docker history`.
- Pin base image versions: `node:20.11-alpine` not `node:latest`.
- `.dockerignore` is critical — without it, `docker build` copies your entire directory including `node_modules` and `.git`.
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