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name: docker-patterns description: Docker and Docker Compose patterns for local development, container security, networking, volume strategies, and multi-service orchestration. metadata: version: "1.0.0"
Docker Patterns
Docker and Docker Compose best practices for containerized development.
When to Activate
- Setting up Docker Compose for local development
- Designing multi-container architectures
- Troubleshooting container networking or volume issues
- Reviewing Dockerfiles for security and size
- Migrating from local dev to containerized workflow
Docker Compose for Local Development
Standard Web App Stack
yaml
# docker-compose.ymlservices:app:build:context: .target: dev # Use dev stage of multi-stage Dockerfileports:- "3000:3000"volumes:- .:/app # Bind mount for hot reload- /app/node_modules # Anonymous volume -- preserves container depsenvironment:- DATABASE_URL=postgres://postgres:postgres@db:5432/app_dev- REDIS_URL=redis://redis:6379/0- NODE_ENV=developmentdepends_on:db:condition: service_healthyredis:condition: service_startedcommand: npm run devdb:image: postgres:16-alpineports:- "5432:5432"environment:POSTGRES_USER: postgresPOSTGRES_PASSWORD: postgresPOSTGRES_DB: app_devvolumes:- pgdata:/var/lib/postgresql/data- ./scripts/init-db.sql:/docker-entrypoint-initdb.d/init.sqlhealthcheck:test: ["CMD-SHELL", "pg_isready -U postgres"]interval: 5stimeout: 3sretries: 5redis:image: redis:7-alpineports:- "6379:6379"volumes:- redisdata:/datamailpit: # Local email testingimage: axllent/mailpitports:- "8025:8025" # Web UI- "1025:1025" # SMTPvolumes:pgdata:redisdata:
Development vs Production Dockerfile
dockerfile
# Stage: dependenciesFROM node:22-alpine AS depsWORKDIR /appCOPY package.json package-lock.json ./RUN npm ci# Stage: dev (hot reload, debug tools)FROM node:22-alpine AS devWORKDIR /appCOPY --from=deps /app/node_modules ./node_modulesCOPY . .EXPOSE 3000CMD ["npm", "run", "dev"]# Stage: buildFROM node:22-alpine AS buildWORKDIR /appCOPY --from=deps /app/node_modules ./node_modulesCOPY . .RUN npm run build && npm prune --production# Stage: production (minimal image)FROM node:22-alpine AS productionWORKDIR /appRUN addgroup -g 1001 -S appgroup && adduser -S appuser -u 1001USER appuserCOPY --from=build --chown=appuser:appgroup /app/dist ./distCOPY --from=build --chown=appuser:appgroup /app/node_modules ./node_modulesCOPY --from=build --chown=appuser:appgroup /app/package.json ./ENV NODE_ENV=productionEXPOSE 3000HEALTHCHECK --interval=30s --timeout=3s CMD wget -qO- http://localhost:3000/health || exit 1CMD ["node", "dist/server.js"]
Override Files
yaml
# docker-compose.override.yml (auto-loaded, dev-only settings)services:app:environment:- DEBUG=app:*- LOG_LEVEL=debugports:- "9229:9229" # Node.js debugger# docker-compose.prod.yml (explicit for production)services:app:build:target: productionrestart: alwaysdeploy:resources:limits:cpus: "1.0"memory: 512M
bash
# Development (auto-loads override)docker compose up# Productiondocker compose -f docker-compose.yml -f docker-compose.prod.yml up -d
Networking
Service Discovery
Services in the same Compose network resolve by service name:
# From "app" container:postgres://postgres:postgres@db:5432/app_dev # "db" resolves to the db containerredis://redis:6379/0 # "redis" resolves to the redis container
Custom Networks
yaml
services:frontend:networks:- frontend-netapi:networks:- frontend-net- backend-netdb:networks:- backend-net # Only reachable from api, not frontendnetworks:frontend-net:backend-net:
Exposing Only What's Needed
yaml
services:db:ports:- "127.0.0.1:5432:5432" # Only accessible from host, not network# Omit ports entirely in production -- accessible only within Docker network
Volume Strategies
yaml
volumes:# Named volume: persists across container restarts, managed by Dockerpgdata:# Bind mount: maps host directory into container (for development)# - ./src:/app/src# Anonymous volume: preserves container-generated content from bind mount override# - /app/node_modules
Common Patterns
yaml
services:app:volumes:- .:/app # Source code (bind mount for hot reload)- /app/node_modules # Protect container's node_modules from host- /app/.next # Protect build cachedb:volumes:- pgdata:/var/lib/postgresql/data # Persistent data- ./scripts/init.sql:/docker-entrypoint-initdb.d/init.sql # Init scripts
Container Security
Dockerfile Hardening
dockerfile
# 1. Use specific tags (never :latest)FROM node:22.12-alpine3.20# 2. Run as non-rootRUN addgroup -g 1001 -S app && adduser -S app -u 1001USER app# 3. Drop capabilities (in compose)# 4. Read-only root filesystem where possible# 5. No secrets in image layers
Compose Security
yaml
services:app:security_opt:- no-new-privileges:trueread_only: truetmpfs:- /tmp- /app/.cachecap_drop:- ALLcap_add:- NET_BIND_SERVICE # Only if binding to ports < 1024
Secret Management
yaml
# GOOD: Use environment variables (injected at runtime)services:app:env_file:- .env # Never commit .env to gitenvironment:- API_KEY # Inherits from host environment# GOOD: Docker secrets (Swarm mode)secrets:db_password:file: ./secrets/db_password.txtservices:db:secrets:- db_password# BAD: Hardcoded in image# ENV API_KEY=sk-proj-xxxxx # NEVER DO THIS
.dockerignore
node_modules.git.env.env.*distcoverage*.log.next.cachedocker-compose*.ymlDockerfile*README.mdtests/
Debugging
Common Commands
bash
# View logsdocker compose logs -f app # Follow app logsdocker compose logs --tail=50 db # Last 50 lines from db# Execute commands in running containerdocker compose exec app sh # Shell into appdocker compose exec db psql -U postgres # Connect to postgres# Inspectdocker compose ps # Running servicesdocker compose top # Processes in each containerdocker stats # Resource usage# Rebuilddocker compose up --build # Rebuild imagesdocker compose build --no-cache app # Force full rebuild# Clean updocker compose down # Stop and remove containersdocker compose down -v # Also remove volumes (DESTRUCTIVE)docker system prune # Remove unused images/containers
Debugging Network Issues
bash
# Check DNS resolution inside containerdocker compose exec app nslookup db# Check connectivitydocker compose exec app wget -qO- http://api:3000/health# Inspect networkdocker network lsdocker network inspect <project>_default
Anti-Patterns
# BAD: Using docker compose in production without orchestration# Use Kubernetes, ECS, or Docker Swarm for production multi-container workloads# BAD: Storing data in containers without volumes# Containers are ephemeral -- all data lost on restart without volumes# BAD: Running as root# Always create and use a non-root user# BAD: Using :latest tag# Pin to specific versions for reproducible builds# BAD: One giant container with all services# Separate concerns: one process per container# BAD: Putting secrets in docker-compose.yml# Use .env files (gitignored) or Docker secrets