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node.jsdockerworkflow

How should I Accomplish a Better Docker Workflow?

Everytime I change a file in the nodejs app I have to rebuild the docker image.
This feels redundant and slows my workflow. Is there a proper way to sync the nodejs app files without rebuilding the whole image again, or is this a normal usage?

Solution

  • What I ended up doing was:

    1) Using volumes with the docker run command - so I could change the code without rebuilding the docker image every time.

    2) I had an issue with node_modules being overwritten because a volume acts like a mount - fixed it with node's PATH traversal.

    Dockerfile:

    FROM node:5.2

# Create our app directories
RUN mkdir -p /usr/src/app
WORKDIR /usr/src/app

RUN npm install -g nodemon

# This will cache npm install
# And presist the node_modules
# Even after we are using the volume (overwrites)
COPY package.json /usr/src/
RUN cd /usr/src && npm install 

#Expose node's port
EXPOSE 3000

# Run the app
CMD nodemon server.js

    Command-line:

    to build: 

    docker build -t web-image

    to run:

    docker run --rm -v $(pwd):/usr/src/app -p 3000:3000 --name web web-image