Hey everyone! I have a question about how the .dockerignore file works in relation to the COPY command in a Dockerfile. I was a bit confused, thinking that since I'm using `COPY . .` to copy everything over, the .dockerignore file wouldn't really matter. But then I realized that the COPY command doesn't just pull from the local directory—it looks at the "Build Context," which can be affected by what gets listed in the .dockerignore file. So, do I have this right? The .dockerignore file actually helps by preventing certain files from being included in the build context, and therefore they won't be copied?
3 Answers
Yup, you're spot on with that understanding!
You've got it! The way the .dockerignore file works is pretty similar to how .gitignore functions. It determines what gets excluded from the Docker build context. So if you have files or directories that you don’t want in your Docker image—like logs or temporary files—you list them in .dockerignore, and they won’t be copied when you build your image.
Thanks! 😀
Exactly! The files and directories you specify in .dockerignore will not be part of the build context at all, which means they can’t be used in your Docker image. It's essential to keep your images clean and minimal by excluding unnecessary files.
That’s the exact point! The files/dirs in dockerignore will not be part of the build context and therefore are not available.
Thanks!