This is a Dockerfile to build a container image for nginx and nodejs, with the ability to pull website code from git. The container can also use environment variables to configure your web application using the templating detailed in the special features section.
The source files for this project can be found here: https://github.com/ngineered/nginx-nodejs
If you have any improvements please submit a pull request.
The Docker hub build can be found here: https://registry.hub.docker.com/u/richarvey/nginx-nodejs/
- Mainline Version: 1.7.9
- Stable Version: 1.6.2
- Latest = Mainline Version
Pull the image from the docker index rather than downloading the git repo. This prevents you having to build the image on every docker host.
docker pull richarvey/nginx-nodejs:latest
To pull the Stable Version:
docker pull richarvey/nginx-nodejs:stable
To simply run the container:
sudo docker run --name nginx -p 8080:80 -d richarvey/nginx-nodejs
You can then browse to http://<docker_host>:8080 to view the default install files.
The container will automatically run any file in the /usr/share/nginx/html directory named server.js, so if you are pulling your own code from git be sure to name your application server.js.
Nginx is set to listen for your application on port 3000 on the localhost. So make sure you set your node app to run on port 3000:
var server = app.listen(3000, function () {
...
To view your application you can go to:
http://<docker_ip>:8080
By placing files in the /usr/share/nginx/html/public directory nginx will serve the static files directly. You can then browse the files directly:
Example:
http://<docker_ip>:8080/public/ngineered.png
If you want to link to your web site directory on the docker host to the container run:
sudo docker run --name nginx -p 8080:80 -v /your_code_directory:/usr/share/nginx/html -d richarvey/nginx-nodejs
To install npm dependancies simply create a package.json file int he route of your code. The example below install express 4.x
{
"name": "node-server-example",
"description": "Hello World App",
"version": "0.0.1",
"private": true,
"dependencies": {
"express": "4.x"
}
}
One of the nice features of this container is its ability to pull code from a git repository with a couple of environmental variables passed at run time.
Note: You need to have your SSH key that you use with git to enable the deployment. I recommend using a special deploy key per project to minimise the risk.
To run the container and pull code simply specify the GIT_REPO URL including git@ and then make sure you have a folder on the docker host with your id_rsa key stored in it:
sudo docker run -e '[email protected]:ngineered/ngineered-website.git' -v /opt/ngddeploy/:/root/.ssh -p 8080:80 -d richarvey/nginx-nodejs
To pull a repository and specify a branch add the GIT_BRANCH environment variable:
sudo docker run -e '[email protected]:ngineered/ngineered-website.git' -e 'GIT_BRANCH=stage' -v /opt/ngddeploy/:/root/.ssh -p 8080:80 -d richarvey/nginx-nodejs
Linking to containers also exposes the linked container environment variables which is useful for templating and configuring web apps.
Run MySQL container with some extra details:
sudo docker run --name some-mysql -e MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=yayMySQL -e MYSQL_DATABASE=wordpress -e MYSQL_USER=wordpress_user -e MYSQL_PASSWORD=wordpress_password -d mysql
This exposes the following environment variables to the container when linked:
MYSQL_ENV_MYSQL_DATABASE=wordpress
MYSQL_ENV_MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=yayMySQL
MYSQL_PORT_3306_TCP_PORT=3306
MYSQL_PORT_3306_TCP=tcp://172.17.0.236:3306
MYSQL_ENV_MYSQL_USER=wordpress_user
MYSQL_ENV_MYSQL_PASSWORD=wordpress_password
MYSQL_ENV_MYSQL_VERSION=5.6.22
MYSQL_NAME=/sick_mccarthy/mysql
MYSQL_PORT_3306_TCP_PROTO=tcp
MYSQL_PORT_3306_TCP_ADDR=172.17.0.236
MYSQL_ENV_MYSQL_MAJOR=5.6
MYSQL_PORT=tcp://172.17.0.236:3306
To link the container launch like this:
sudo docker run -e '[email protected]:ngineered/ngineered-website.git' -v /opt/ngddeploy/:/root/.ssh -p 8080:80 --link some-mysql:mysql -d richarvey/nginx-nodejs
As with all docker containers its possible to link resources from the host OS to the guest. This makes it really easy to link in custom nginx default config files or extra virtual hosts and SSL enabled sites. For SSL sites first create a directory somewhere such as /opt/deployname/ssl/. In this directory drop you SSL cert and Key in. Next create a directory for your custom hosts such as /opt/deployname/sites-enabled. In here load your custom default.conf file which references your SSL cert and keys at the location, for example: /etc/nginx/ssl/xxxx.key
Then start your container and connect these volumes like so:
sudo docker run -e '[email protected]:ngineered/ngineered-website.git' -v /opt/ngddeploy/:/root/.ssh -v /opt/deployname/ssl:/etc/nginx/ssl -v /opt/deplyname/sites-enabled:/etc/nginx/sites-enabled -p 8080:80 --link some-mysql:mysql -d richarvey/nginx-nodejs
This container will automatically configure your web application if you template your code. For example if you are linking to MySQL like above, and you have a config file where you need to set the MySQL details include $$MYSQL_ENV_MYSQL_DATABASE$$ style template tags.
Example:
database_name = $$_MYSQL_ENV_MYSQL_DATABASE_$$;
database_host = $$_MYSQL_PORT_3306_TCP_ADDR_$$;
...
If you want to link to an external MySQL DB and not using linking you can pass variables directly to the container that will be automatically configured by the container.
Example:
sudo docker run -e '[email protected]:ngineered/ngineered-website.git' -e 'GIT_BRANCH=stage' -e 'MYSQL_HOST=host.x.y.z' -e 'MYSQL_USER=username' -e 'MYSQL_PASS=password' -v /opt/ngddeploy/:/root/.ssh -p 8080:80 -d richarvey/nginx-nodejs
This will expose the following variables that can be used to template your code.
MYSQL_HOST=host.x.y.z
MYSQL_USER=username
MYSQL_PASS=password
To use these variables in a template you'd do the following in your file:
database_host = $$_MYSQL_HOST_$$;
database_user = $$_MYSQL_USER_$$;
database_pass = $$_MYSQL_PASS_$$
...
Yes ANYTHING, any variable exposed by a linked container or the -e flag lets you template your config files. This means you can add redis, mariaDB, memcache or anything you want to your application very easily.