Dockerize a Web Application

Docker offers a robust platform that streamlines development by containerizing applications, bundling them alongside their dependencies such as libraries and files. Through this exercise, we'll explore basic operations, equipping you with the skills to effectively package web applications using Docker containers.

In this hands-on exercise, you will:

1. Construct a Dockerfile using an Ubuntu base image.

2. Install & configure Nginx to serve as the web server for your application.

3. Configure supervisord to monitor and control Nginx processes within the container.

4. Build your Docker image and run it as a container, making your web application accessible.

Dockerfile

A Dockerfile serves as a blueprint for creating Docker images, defining the steps needed to assemble an application environment within a container. It typically begins with a base image, specifying the operating system and dependencies required by the application. Each instruction in the Dockerfile represents a layer in the image, enabling incremental changes and efficient caching during image builds. Dockerfile is not saved with any file extension (like .txt, .py, etc)

Nginx Web Server

Nginx is a high-performance, open-source web server renowned for its efficiency in handling concurrent connections and serving static content swiftly. Beyond its primary role as a web server, Nginx is also commonly utilized as a reverse proxy, load balancer, and HTTP cache. Its modular architecture enables extensive customization and efficient resource utilization, making it a popular choice for hosting dynamic web applications and serving static assets.

Supervisor

Supervisor is a process control system for Unix-like operating systems. It simplifies the management of long-running processes, providing functionalities for process monitoring, control, and automatic restarts in case of failures. Supervisor is particularly useful for overseeing complex application stacks, ensuring that critical processes remain active and responsive. Its simple configuration and robust feature set make it a valuable tool for maintaining the stability and availability of applications running in production environments.

Summary

In this hands-on exercise, we're diving into Docker, a powerful tool for containerizing applications. We'll walk through the process of creating a Dockerfile, starting with an Ubuntu base image. Then, we'll install and configure Nginx, a high-performance web server known for its efficiency. To manage Nginx processes within the container, we'll utilize Supervisor, a process control system that simplifies monitoring and control of long-running processes.