helixml / base-images

When it comes to setting up a development environment using helixml/base-images, Docker serves as the backbone for containerization. Below is a detailed guide on configuring Docker within the development setup.

Prerequisites

Ensure Docker is installed on your machine. You can verify the installation with:

docker --version

Step 1: Setting Up the Dockerfile

A Dockerfile describes the environment for the application. Create a file named Dockerfile in your project root directory. An example Dockerfile for a Python application might look like this:

# Use the helixml/base-images image as the base
FROM helixml/base-images:latest

# Set the working directory
WORKDIR /app

# Copy requirements file
COPY requirements.txt .

# Install Python dependencies
RUN pip install --no-cache-dir -r requirements.txt

# Copy the application source code
COPY . .

# Command to run the application
CMD ["python", "app.py"]

Explanation of the Dockerfile

  • FROM: Specifies the base image being used.
  • WORKDIR: Defines the working directory inside the container.
  • COPY: Copies files from your local directory to the container.
  • RUN: Executes the specified command to install dependencies.
  • CMD: Defines the command to run the application when the container starts.

Step 2: Building the Docker Image

Once the Dockerfile is set up, build your Docker image using the following command:

docker build -t my-app .

Explanation

  • The -t flag tags the image with the name my-app.
  • The . means Docker will look for the Dockerfile in the current directory.

Step 3: Running the Docker Container

After the image has been built successfully, you can run the container. Use the command:

docker run -d -p 5000:5000 --name my-app-container my-app

Explanation

  • The -d flag runs the container in detached mode.
  • -p 5000:5000 maps port 5000 on your host to port 5000 in the container.
  • --name assigns a name to the container for easier management.

Step 4: Development Workflow with Docker

During development, you may want to make frequent changes to your application. Instead of rebuilding the entire image, you can use Docker volumes to mount your local directory into the container. Modify the run command as follows:

docker run -d -p 5000:5000 -v $(pwd):/app --name my-app-container my-app

Explanation

  • The -v $(pwd):/app option mounts the current directory into the /app directory inside the container, allowing real-time updates.

Step 5: Accessing Logs

To view logs from the running container, execute:

docker logs my-app-container

This command provides real-time logs to help diagnose issues during development.

Step 6: Stopping and Removing the Container

When development is complete, the container can be stopped and removed using:

docker stop my-app-container
docker rm my-app-container

Executing these commands will free up resources on your machine.

Conclusion

This configuration provides a solid foundation for using Docker with helixml/base-images in a development environment. Efficient container management ensures an organized workflow while facilitating rapid development cycles.

For more information refer to the official documentation of helixml/base-images.