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Version: 6.x (Latest)

Build Images with Docker

If nothing is specified, DevSpace always tries to build the image using Docker as build tool.

Kaniko Fallback

When using docker as build tool, DevSpace checks if the Docker daemon is installed and running. If Docker is not installed or not running, DevSpace will use kaniko as fallback to build the image unless the option disableFallback is set to true.

Example: Disabling kaniko Fallback

images:
backend:
image: john/appbackend
frontend:
image: john/appfrontend
docker:
disableFallback: true

Explanation:

  • The first image backend would be built using Docker and if Docker is not available, the image would be built using kaniko as a fallback.
  • The second image frontend would be built using Docker and if Docker is not available, DevSpace would exit with a fatal error instead of using the kaniko fallback.

Minikube Docker Daemon

DevSpace preferably uses the Docker daemon running in the virtual machine that belongs to your local Kubernetes cluster instead of your regular Docker daemon. This has the advantage that images do not need to be pushed to a registry because Kubernetes can simply use the images available in the Docker daemon belonging to the kubelet of the local cluster. Using this method is only possible when your current kube-context points to a local Kubernetes cluster and is named minikube, docker-desktop or docker-for-desktop.

Example: Building Images in Minikube

images:
backend:
image: john/appbackend
docker:
preferMinikube: true
frontend:
image: john/appfrontend
docker:
preferMinikube: false

Explanation:

  • The first image backend would be preferably built with Minikube's Docker daemon and the image would not be pushed to a registry.
  • The second image frontend would not be built with the Docker daemon of Minikube and it would be pushed to a registry after building and tagging the image using Docker (or kaniko as fallback).

Custom args For docker build

The args option expects an array of strings to be passed as arguments and flags to the docker build command.

Example: Docker Args

images:
backend:
image: john/appbackend
docker:
args:
- "--no-cache"
- "--compress"
danger

When specifying args, DevSpace will invoke your installed Docker CLI via a command-line call instead of using the built-in Docker client. This has the negative effects that:

  • The kaniko fallback will not be used anymore.
  • You need to make sure that everyone who is using this configuration has the same version (or a compatible one) of Docker installed.

Config Reference

docker required

Docker if docker is specified, DevSpace will build the image using the local docker daemon

disableFallback required boolean false

DisableFallback allows you to turn off kaniko building if docker isn't installed

preferMinikube required boolean false

PreferMinikube allows you to turn off using the minikube docker daemon if the minikube context is used.

useCli required boolean false

UseCLI specifies if DevSpace should use the docker cli for building

args required string[]

Args are additional arguments to pass to the docker cli