The Building Blocks – Detailed Structure of a Dockerfile

Alex now knows the basics, but it’s time to get their hands dirty by writing an actual Dockerfile. Below is the Dockerfile for a flask application. (for now just ignore app.py)

# Use an official Python runtime as a parent image
FROM python:3.9-slim
 
# Set the working directory in the container
WORKDIR /app
 
# Copy the current directory contents into the container at /app
COPY . /app
 
# Install any needed packages specified in requirements.txt
RUN pip install --no-cache-dir -r requirements.txt
 
# Make port 80 available to the world outside this container
EXPOSE 80
 
# Define environment variable
ENV NAME World
 
# Run app.py when the container launches
CMD ["python", "app.py"]

The FROM Instruction: Choosing the Foundation

The first thing Alex learns is the FROM instruction, which sets the base image for their container. It’s like choosing the foundation for a house.

• Purpose:

  • The FROM instruction initializes a new build stage and sets the Base Image for subsequent instructions.

• Choosing a Base Image:

  • Alex decides to use a Python base image for their application. They learn that python:3.9-slim is a lightweight version, saving space and reducing the size of the final image.

FROM python:3.9-slim

Story Note: Think of FROM as picking the type of bread for your sandwich. Do you want white, whole wheat, or maybe something gluten-free? Your choice sets the tone for the rest of the recipe.

The LABEL Instruction: Adding Metadata (Optional)

Next, Alex discovers the LABEL instruction. While optional, it’s a good practice to include metadata about the image.

• Purpose:

  • The LABEL instruction adds metadata like version, description, or maintainer information to the image.

• Example:

  • Alex decides to add a maintainer label

LABEL maintainer="[e-mail]"

Story Note: This is like writing your name on a sandwich wrapper, so everyone knows who made it and what’s inside.

The RUN Instruction: Building the Layers

The RUN instruction is where Alex can execute commands inside the image, such as installing dependencies.

• Purpose:

  • The RUN instruction runs any commands in a new layer on top of the current image and commits the results.

• Example:

  • To install the Flask framework, Alex writes

RUN pip install flask

Story Note: Imagine slicing tomatoes and cheese for your sandwich and placing them carefully on top. Each ingredient (command) adds a layer of flavor.

The COPY and ADD Instructions: Bringing in Ingredients

Now, Alex needs to bring their application code into the container, which is where the COPY and ADD instructions come into play.

• COPY:

  • The COPY instruction copies files or directories from the host filesystem into the container’s filesystem.

• ADD:

  • The ADD instruction is similar to COPY but with additional features, like extracting compressed files.

• Example:

  • Alex copies their application code into the container:

COPY . /app

Story Note: This is like moving ingredients from your fridge (host) to the counter (container) where you’re preparing the sandwich.

The WORKDIR Instruction: Setting the Workspace

Alex learns that setting a working directory makes it easier to manage paths within the container.

• Purpose:

  • The WORKDIR instruction sets the working directory for subsequent instructions.

• Example:

  • Alex sets the working directory to /app:

WORKDIR /app

Story Note: This is like setting up a designated area on your counter where you’ll assemble your sandwich—keeping everything organized.

The CMD and ENTRYPOINT Instructions: The Final Touch

Finally, Alex learns how to define the default command that will run when the container starts.

• CMD:

  • Provides defaults for an executing container, but can be overridden.

• ENTRYPOINT:

  • Configures a container that will run as an executable, making it difficult to override.

• Example:

  • Alex uses CMD to specify the command to start their Flask app:

CMD ["python", "app.py"]

Story Note: Think of CMD as the final step in making your sandwich—like deciding to add a toothpick to hold everything together before serving.

Breakdown of the Dockerfile:

1. FROM python:3.9-slim:

   • This line specifies the base image. In this case, it uses a slim version of Python 3.9, which is lightweight and sufficient for a simple Flask application.

2. WORKDIR /app:

   • This sets the working directory inside the container to /app. All subsequent commands will be run inside this directory.

3. COPY . /app:

   • This copies everything from your current directory on the host machine into the /app directory inside the container.

4. RUN pip install –no-cache-dir -r requirements.txt:

   • This installs the necessary Python packages listed in the requirements.txt file. The --no-cache-dir option reduces the image size by not caching the downloaded packages.

5. EXPOSE 80:

   • This makes port 80 available for external access. It’s where the Flask application will listen for incoming requests.

6. ENV NAME World:

   • This sets an environment variable NAME to “World”. You can access this variable in your Python code.

7. CMD [“python”, “app.py”]:

   • This tells the container to run the app.py file using Python when it starts.

Example Flask Application (app.py):

To complete the example, here’s a simple Flask application you can use,

from flask import Flask
import os
 
app = Flask(__name__)
 
@app.route('/')
def hello():
    name = os.getenv('NAME', 'World')
    return f'Hello, {name}!'
 
if __name__ == "__main__":
    app.run(host='0.0.0.0', port=80)

Example requirements.txt:

And here’s the requirements.txt file listing the dependencies for the Flask app,

Flask==2.0.3

Building and Running the Docker Image:

• Build the Docker image using the Dockerfile

docker build -t my-flask-app .

• Run the Docker container

docker run -p 4000:80 my-flask-app

• This maps port 4000 on your host machine to port 80 in the container.

Open your browser and go to http://localhost:4000, and you should see “Hello, World!” displayed on the page.

You can customize the ENV NAME in the Dockerfile or by passing it as an argument when running the container.

docker run -p 4000:80 -e NAME=Alex my-flask-app

This will display “Hello, Alex!” instead.