Welcome to the React + Express DevOps Mini Project
This project is designed to help you master the fundamentals of modern DevOps practices through a practical, hands-on approach. You’ll work with a simple full-stack application to learn containerization, multi-stage Docker builds, and automated CI/CD pipelines with Jenkins.What you’ll build
A complete CI/CD pipeline that automatically builds, tests, and deploys a full-stack application using industry-standard tools. The application features a React frontend and Node.js + Express backend, all containerized with Docker and deployed via Jenkins.Key features
Multi-stage Docker builds
Learn how to optimize Docker images using multi-stage builds that separate frontend compilation, backend setup, and production deployment
Jenkins CI/CD pipeline
Automate your deployment workflow with a complete Jenkins pipeline that handles checkout, build, and container deployment
Full-stack containerization
Containerize both React frontend and Express backend in a single optimized image with Docker Compose orchestration
Production-ready setup
Deploy a production-optimized application with proper port configuration, environment handling, and container management
What you’ll learn
Through this project, you’ll gain practical experience with:- Docker fundamentals: Building multi-stage Dockerfiles, creating optimized images, and managing containers
- Container orchestration: Using Docker Compose to manage application services
- CI/CD automation: Setting up Jenkins pipelines for automated builds and deployments
- DevOps best practices: Implementing proper build stages, container lifecycle management, and deployment strategies
Technology stack
This project uses a modern, industry-standard technology stack:- Frontend: React 19.2 with React Scripts for building and bundling
- Backend: Node.js 18 with Express 5.1 and CORS support
- Containerization: Docker with multi-stage builds and Docker Compose
- CI/CD: Jenkins with declarative pipeline syntax
- Runtime: Alpine Linux for minimal container footprint
Architecture overview
The application uses a three-stage Docker build process:- Frontend build stage: Compiles the React application into optimized static assets
- Backend build stage: Installs Node.js dependencies for the Express server
- Production stage: Combines both into a minimal Alpine Linux image that serves the React frontend through the Express backend
This project is perfect for beginners who want to understand DevOps concepts through practical implementation. All code is intentionally kept simple to focus on the deployment and automation aspects.
Next steps
Quick start
Get the application running locally in under 5 minutes
Docker setup
Understand the multi-stage Dockerfile and build process