Using Strapi v4 with Docker

Introduction

This tutorial will guide you through the process of using Strapi v4 with Docker. You'll learn how to create a Docker image for running Strapi, which can streamline deployment and management of your applications. This is particularly useful for developers looking to standardize their development environments or deploy applications in a containerized format.

Step 1: Project Setup

Before creating a Docker image for Strapi, you'll need to set up your project.

1. Create a new Strapi project:

   • Open your terminal.
   • Run the following command to create a new Strapi project:

     npx create-strapi-app my-project --quickstart
     

   • Replace my-project with your desired project name.

2. Navigate to your project directory:

   cd my-project
   

Step 2: Dockerfile Creation

Next, you'll create a Dockerfile which defines the environment for your Strapi application.

1. Create a new file named Dockerfile in the root of your project:

   • Use a text editor to create the file.

2. Add the following content to the Dockerfile:

   FROM node:14
   
   WORKDIR /app
   
   COPY package.json yarn.lock ./
   
   RUN yarn install
   
   COPY . .
   
   RUN yarn build
   
   EXPOSE 1337
   
   CMD ["yarn", "start"]
   

3. Explanation of Dockerfile instructions:

   • FROM node:14: Uses Node.js version 14 as the base image.
   • WORKDIR /app: Sets the working directory inside the container.
   • COPY package.json yarn.lock ./: Copies package files for dependency installation.
   • RUN yarn install: Installs dependencies.
   • COPY . .: Copies the rest of your Strapi application files.
   • RUN yarn build: Builds the Strapi application.
   • EXPOSE 1337: Exposes port 1337 for the Strapi server.
   • CMD ["yarn", "start"]: Starts the Strapi application.

Step 3: Docker Ignore

To optimize the Docker build process, create a .dockerignore file.

1. Create a new file named .dockerignore in the root of your project.

2. Add the following content to the .dockerignore file:

   node_modules
   build
   .git
   .DS_Store
   

3. Purpose of .dockerignore:

   • This file prevents unnecessary files and directories from being included in the Docker image, which reduces image size and build time.

Step 4: Building the Docker Image

Now it’s time to build your Docker image.

1. Open your terminal in the root of your project.
2. Run the following command to build the Docker image:

   docker build -t my-strapi-app .
   

   • Replace my-strapi-app with your preferred image name.

Step 5: Running the Docker Image

After building the image, you can run your Strapi application.

1. Execute the following command:

   docker run -p 1337:1337 my-strapi-app
   

   • This command maps port 1337 of your Docker container to port 1337 on your host machine.

2. Access your Strapi application:

   • Open your web browser and go to http://localhost:1337 to access the Strapi admin panel.

Conclusion

You've successfully created a Docker image for Strapi v4 and learned how to run it. By using Docker, you can streamline deployment and ensure consistency across environments. For further exploration, consider integrating a database with your Strapi application or deploying it to a cloud platform. Happy coding!