Deploying Apps with Docker and DigitalOcean

Introduction

Docker simplifies app deployment by containerizing your application, and DigitalOcean provides an easy platform to host it. This guide walks you through the process.

Creating a Dockerfile

Here’s a sample Dockerfile for a Node.js app:

# Use an official Node.js runtime as the base image
FROM node:18-alpine

# Set working directory
WORKDIR /app

# Copy package.json and install dependencies
COPY package*.json ./
RUN npm install

# Copy the rest of the app
COPY . .

# Build the app
RUN npm run build

# Expose port
EXPOSE 3000

# Start the app
CMD ["npm", "start"]

Deploying to DigitalOcean

1. Push your Docker image to a registry (e.g., Docker Hub).
2. Create a Droplet on DigitalOcean.
3. Install Docker on the Droplet and pull your image.
4. Run your container with docker run.

Example: Running the Container

docker run -d -p 3000:3000 my-app:latest

Conclusion

Docker and DigitalOcean make deploying apps straightforward and scalable. Use CI/CD pipelines to automate this process for even better efficiency.