Dockerfile Generator

Build a clean, cache-friendly Dockerfile from a stack preset — copy or download.

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A Dockerfile generator that turns a few choices — base image, language stack, install command, ports and start command — into a clean, production-ready Dockerfile you can copy or download in one click. It is built for developers who want a correct starting point without memorising every instruction, and for teams who want their images to follow the same caching and security conventions every time.

How it works

Start by picking a stack preset — Node.js, Next.js, Python, FastAPI, Go, Rust, Ruby, PHP, Java/Maven, an nginx static site, or a blank custom image. Each preset fills in a sensible base image, working directory, dependency-install command and default start command, which you can then edit freely. Toggle multi-stage build to compile in one image and ship the result in a smaller runtime image, add any number of COPY steps and ENV variables, set the EXPOSE port, and decide whether to add a HEALTHCHECK and a non-root USER.

The generator applies real best practices automatically. When you keep “copy lockfiles first” enabled, it copies your manifest files (such as package.json and the lockfile) and runs the install before copying the rest of your source, so Docker can cache the dependency layer and skip reinstalling on every code change. It writes ENTRYPOINT and CMD in exec form (a JSON array) so your process runs as PID 1 and receives shutdown signals correctly. It can add a dedicated unprivileged user so the container does not run as root. Alongside the Dockerfile it builds a matching .dockerignore tuned to your stack, keeping node_modules, target, __pycache__, .git and secrets out of the build context.

Everything updates live as you type, and your configuration is saved in your browser so it is waiting for you next time.

Example

Suppose you want a cache-friendly image for a Node.js service that listens on port 3000. Choose the Node.js preset, leave the install mode on npm with copy lockfiles first enabled, set the start command to node server.js, and keep run as non-root on. The generator emits a Dockerfile that copies package.json and package-lock.json, runs npm ci, then copies the rest of the source — followed by an unprivileged user, an EXPOSE 3000, and CMD ["node", "server.js"].

Switch the preset to Go (multi-stage) and the output changes to a two-stage build: a golang builder stage compiles a static binary, and a tiny alpine runtime stage copies just that binary in — an image often a few megabytes instead of hundreds.

PresetStrategyTypical final image
Node.jssingle stage, slim basesmall
Next.jsmulti-stagemedium
Gomulti-stage, static binarytiny
nginx staticcopy dist/ onlytiny

Every line is generated in your browser — your image names, commands and environment variables are never uploaded.

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