How To Build a Node.js Application with Docker

Are you a new developer looking to build and host your Node.js application with Docker? Look no further! In this guide, we’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of building and deploying a Node.js application using Docker, making the deployment process smoother and more efficient. By the end of this tutorial, you’ll have your application up and running on Netdata1.net with Docker.

Why Docker?

Docker has revolutionized the way we develop, ship, and run applications. It provides a lightweight, portable, and self-sufficient environment for your applications, making it easier to manage dependencies and ensure consistency across different environments. With Docker, you can package your Node.js application along with its dependencies into a container, which can then be deployed and run on any platform that supports Docker.

Prerequisites

Before we dive into building our Node.js application with Docker, make sure you have the following prerequisites installed on your system:

1. Docker: Install Docker Desktop for your operating system from the official Docker website (https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop).
2. Node.js: Install Node.js from the official Node.js website (https://nodejs.org/).
3. A code editor of your choice: We recommend using Visual Studio Code, but feel free to use any editor you’re comfortable with.

Once you have these prerequisites installed, you’re ready to get started!

Step 1: Setting Up Your Node.js Application

First, let’s create a simple Node.js application. Open your terminal or command prompt and follow these steps:

1. Create a new directory for your project:

mkdir node-docker-demo 
cd node-docker-demo

Docker has revolutionized the way we develop, ship, and run applications. It provides a lightweight, portable, and self-sufficient environment for your applications, making it easier to manage dependencies and ensure consistency across different environments. With Docker, you can package your Node.js application along with its dependencies into a container, which can then be deployed and run on any platform that supports Docker.

2. Initialize a new Node.js project:

npm init -y

3. Create a new file named index.js and add the following code:

const http = require('http');

const hostname = '0.0.0.0';
const port = 3000;

const server = http.createServer((req, res) => {
  res.statusCode = 200;
  res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'text/plain');
  res.end('Hello, world!\n');
});

server.listen(port, hostname, () => {
  console.log(`Server running at http://${hostname}:${port}/`);
});

4.

1. Save the file and exit the editor.

Step 2: Dockerizing Your Node.js Application

Now that we have our Node.js application set up, let’s dockerize it. Create a new file named Dockerfile in the root directory of your project and add the following content:

# Use the official Node.js 14 image as a base
FROM node:14

# Set the working directory in the container
WORKDIR /usr/src/app

# Copy package.json and package-lock.json to the working directory
COPY package*.json ./

# Install dependencies
RUN npm install

# Copy the rest of the application code to the working directory
COPY . .

# Expose port 3000
EXPOSE 3000

# Command to run the application
CMD [ "node", "index.js" ]

This Dockerfile defines a Docker image for our Node.js application. It starts with the official Node.js 14 image, sets the working directory, installs dependencies, copies the application code, exposes port 3000, and specifies the command to run the application.

Step 3: Building and Running Your Docker Image

With the Dockerfile in place, we can now build our Docker image. Open your terminal or command prompt and run the following command from the root directory of your project:

docker build -t node-docker-demo .

This command builds a Docker image with the tag node-docker-demo. Once the build is complete, you can run the Docker image as a container:

docker run -p 3000:3000 node-docker-demo

This command runs the Docker container based on the node-docker-demo image and forwards port 3000 from the container to port 3000 on your host machine.

Step 4: Deploying Your Node.js Application on Netdata1.net

Now that we have Dockerized our Node.js application, deploying it on Netdata1.net is a breeze. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Sign in to your Netdata1.net account and navigate to the dashboard.
2. Click on the “Deployments” tab and then click on “New Deployment”.
3. Fill in the deployment details, including the Docker image name (node-docker-demo) and the port (3000).
4. Click on “Deploy” and wait for the deployment to complete.
5. Once the deployment is complete, you can access your Node.js application by visiting the provided URL.

And there you have it!

You’ve successfully built and deployed your Node.js application with Docker on Netdata1.net.

Happy coding!