Dockerfile Best Practices

Writing efficient, secure container images.

Context

You are writing a Dockerfile. Optimize for size, build speed, and security.

Domain Context

• Layers: Each line creates a layer; fat layers are slow to build/push
• Caching: Earlier layers cache better; put changeable stuff at end
• Multi-Stage: Separate build and runtime images; smaller final image
• Security: Don't run as root; minimal base image
• Size: Alpine < Ubuntu < Debian; watch for bloat

Instructions