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The EPR LAPS Backend uses a multi-stage Dockerfile to support both development and production environments.

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Dockerfile Overview

The Dockerfile uses the Defra Digital base images and includes two build stages:
  • development: Includes development dependencies and debugging capabilities
  • production: Optimized for production with minimal dependencies and health check support

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Build Arguments

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PARENT_VERSION
string
default:"2.8.5-node22.16.0"
The version of the Defra Digital Node.js base image
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PORT
number
default:"3000"
The port to expose for the application
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PORT_DEBUG
number
default:"9229"
The port to expose for Node.js debugging (development only)

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Development Image

The development image includes all dependencies and supports hot-reloading for local development.
1

Build the development image

Build the Docker image targeting the development stage:
docker build --target development --no-cache --tag epr-laps-backend:development .
The --no-cache flag ensures a clean build without using cached layers.
2

Run the development container

Start the container with the required environment variables:
docker run -e PORT=3001 -p 3001:3001 epr-laps-backend:development
The application will be accessible at http://localhost:3001.
3

Enable debugging (optional)

To enable Node.js debugging, expose the debug port:
docker run -e PORT=3001 -p 3001:3001 -p 9229:9229 epr-laps-backend:development
Connect your debugger to localhost:9229.

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Development Image Features

  • Installs all dependencies including devDependencies
  • Runs with npm run docker:dev command
  • Exposes both application and debug ports
  • Based on defradigital/node-development image
  • Includes development tools and utilities

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Production Image

The production image is optimized for deployment with minimal dependencies and includes health check support.
1

Build the production image

Build the Docker image without specifying a target (defaults to production):
docker build --no-cache --tag epr-laps-backend .
2

Run the production container

Start the container with environment variables:
docker run -e PORT=3001 -p 3001:3001 epr-laps-backend
3

Verify health check

The production image includes curl for CDP platform health checks:
curl http://localhost:3001/health

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Production Image Features

  • Installs only production dependencies (npm ci --omit=dev)
  • Runs with node src command
  • Includes curl for health check requirements
  • Based on defradigital/node production image
  • Optimized for size and security
  • Copies artifacts from development stage
The production image requires curl for CDP platform health checks. Do not remove this dependency.

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Image Labels

Both images include labels identifying the parent image: 
uk.gov.defra.ffc.parent-image=defradigital/node-development:2.8.5-node22.16.0

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Running with Custom Environment Variables

You can pass multiple environment variables when running the container: 
docker run \
  -e PORT=3001 \
  -e NODE_ENV=development \
  -e MONGO_URI=mongodb://mongodb:27017/ \
  -e LOG_LEVEL=debug \
  -p 3001:3001 \
  epr-laps-backend:development
For a complete list of environment variables, see the Environment Variables page.

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Next Steps

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