How to Use Docker Multistage Builds

Docker multistage builds allow you to create smaller, more efficient Docker images by using multiple FROM statements in a Dockerfile. This article explains how to use Docker multistage builds.

Creating a Multistage Dockerfile

Create a Dockerfile with multiple stages:

FROM golang:1.16 AS builder
WORKDIR /app
COPY . .
RUN go build -o myapp

FROM alpine:latest
WORKDIR /app
COPY --from=builder /app/myapp .
CMD ["./myapp"]

Building the Image

Build the Docker image:

docker build -t my_multistage_app .

Running the Container

Run a container from the built image:

docker run -d my_multistage_app

Conclusion

Using Docker multistage builds can significantly reduce the size of your Docker images and improve the efficiency of your build process.