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NodeJS on Docker

This can be applied to other language tools as well (python, etc).

Here's a command to run node inside a docker container:
docker run -it node:18-stretch

  • node is the name of the official node container
  • 18-stretch is attached to debian stretch
  • running the above command opens the node repl (read, evaluate, print, loop) in the current terminal
    • this is the automatic run process from the container

start the node container, but open a bash gui

docker run -it node:18-stretch bash

  • now can run things like node -v

  • we MIGHT NOT know what version of linux we are using, so the cat /etc/issue command is helpful in displaying what version of linux is being used

Why tags matter

Tags are meant to help describe what is "in" the tagged image.
There are MANY versions (tags) of the node container

  • node
  • node:gallium
  • node:gallium-buster

Tag Details

tags can be leveraged to pin the version of some key dependencies:

  • the version of node itself with node:18.12.1
  • the version and type of OS: node:18.12.1-buster
  • a "slimmed down" version of the above 2 images, with node:18.12.1-slim and node:18.12.1-buster-slim

OS

Bullseye, Stretch, Buster, Or Jessie are "friendly" names for Debian release versions:

  • Bullseye is v11, released 2021-08-14 with e.o.l 2024-07, no lts marked on that doc link
  • Buster is v10, released 2019-07-06 with e.o.l on 2022-09-10
  • Stretch and Jessie are older

Alpine is a small linux version, seemingly build FOR containers. Alpine makes tiny containers & there are mixed reviews and complications depending on what the image needs and doesn't need.

Language

Node, as the focus here, has its own release versions and friendly names:

  • 18.x at the time of writing is the lts version of node - 16.x and earlier are, well, earlier versions of node
  • Hydrogen is the friendly name of the node v18.x. Gallium is for 16.x and Fermium is for 14.x
Tags:
Docker
containers
node