I'm having a bit of trouble wrapping my head around Dockerfiles. First off, do I actually need a Dockerfile if I'm only running one container? It seems like Dockerfiles are more for when you're running multiple containers. Secondly, is it true that having multiple Dockerfiles only makes sense in a microservices architecture? If I'm using a monolithic setup, can I just stick to one container? Lastly, are Dockerfiles and Docker Compose files completely different?
1 Answer
A Dockerfile is essentially a recipe for building a Docker image. Every time you run a Docker build command with a Dockerfile, you create an image with the specifications listed in that file. And yes, Docker Compose is different; it's all about managing multiple containers at once. Think of it as a way to orchestrate your applications without getting too technical like Kubernetes.
Exactly! After each command in the Dockerfile, a snapshot is taken, which helps with incremental builds. Docker Compose is like a conductor for your container symphony, making sure they all work together smoothly.