How to Create Docker Multi-Stage Builds to Reduce Image Size
Shrink production Docker image sizes from 1.5GB down to 50MB by separating heavy build dependencies from the minimal production runtime.
FROM node:20-alpine AS builder
...
FROM node:20-alpine AS runner
COPY --from=builder /app/dist ./distStep-by-Step Execution Guide
FROM node:20-alpine AS builder
WORKDIR /app
COPY package*.json ./
RUN npm ci
COPY . .
RUN npm run buildInstalls all dependencies (including devDependencies) and compiles TypeScript / Next.js assets.
FROM node:20-alpine AS runner
WORKDIR /app
ENV NODE_ENV=production
COPY package*.json ./
RUN npm ci --only=production
COPY --from=builder /app/dist ./dist
CMD ["node", "dist/server.js"]Only copies production dependencies and the compiled dist folder. Dev tools and compilers are discarded.
Critical Docker Pitfalls & Precautions
- •Ensure "COPY package*.json ./" is run before "COPY . ." to leverage Docker layer caching when source code changes.
Multi-Stage Build (Small Images) - Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about container isolation, signal handling, and runtime behavior.
Typically 70% to 95% smaller! A Go or Rust application can go from 1GB down to a 10MB scratch image containing only the compiled binary.
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