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Building and Releasing Docker Image for codbex Applications ​

At codbex, we rely on Docker to create lightweight, portable application images. This post will guide you through the step-by-step process of building a Docker image for a codbex application using GitHub Actions and automating its release.

Related Content

Learn more about Dockerizing Eclipse Dirigible applications in this blog post.

Why Docker for codbex Applications? ​

Docker streamlines deployment by packaging your application with all its dependencies. This ensures:

  • Portability: Run your application on any environment.
  • Reproducibility: Consistent builds across development, staging, and production.
  • Efficiency: Reduce manual setup with automated workflows.

In this guide, we’ll focus on creating Docker images for codbex applications, including setup, GitHub Actions workflows, and best practices.

Setting Up Your Project ​

Your repository should contain two key folders:

  1. application - Your main application module.
  2. application-data-sample - An optional folder for sample data modules (if applicable).

Here’s what you’ll need:

Dockerfile ​

The Dockerfile defines the environment and steps for building your Docker image. Here’s an example tailored for a codbex application:

Dockerfile
FROM ghcr.io/codbex/codbex-gaia:0.26.0

COPY <your-application> target/dirigible/repository/root/registry/public/<your-application>
COPY node_modules/@codbex target/dirigible/repository/root/registry/public/

ENV DIRIGIBLE_HOME_URL=/services/web/<your-application>/index.html

Key Notes:

  • Replace <your-directory> with the actual application folder name (e.g., application or application-data-sample).
  • The base image codbex-gaia includes runtime essentials but excludes tools like the Web IDE for improved security.
  • Always include @codbex/ide-branding in your package.json dependencies, or your own custom branding module.
  • You can set additional Eclipse Dirigible environment variables.

package.json ​

The package.json file manages build-time dependencies and scripts. Here's an example:

json
{
  "scripts": {
    "login": "npm login --scope=@codbex --auth-type=legacy --registry=https://npm.pkg.github.com"
  },
  "dependencies": {
    "@codbex/codbex-package1": "0.1.0",
    "@codbex/codbex-package2": "0.1.0",
    "@codbex/ide-branding": "0.1.0"
  }
}

Why package.json?

  • Ensures consistent dependency management across builds.
  • Specifies required npm packages in the dependencies section.

Automating with GitHub Actions ​

GitHub Actions simplifies CI/CD by automating Docker builds and releases. Place workflow files in the .github/workflows/ folder of your repository.

Main Branch Workflow ​

Trigger builds automatically on every main branch push. Here’s an example build.yaml:

yaml
name: Build - Application

on:
  push:
    branches:
      - main

jobs:
  application:
    uses: codbex/codbex-infra/.github/workflows/application-build.yaml@main
    with:
      application-name: codbex-application
      install-dependencies: true
      dockerfile-location: application/
    secrets: inherit

  application-data-sample:
    uses: codbex/codbex-infra/.github/workflows/application-build.yaml@main
    with:
      application-name: codbex-application-data-sample
      install-dependencies: true
      dockerfile-location: application-data-sample/
    secrets: inherit

Highlights:

  • The codbex/codbex-infra repository provides reusable workflows like application-build.yaml.
  • Dependencies are installed automatically if install-dependencies is set to true.
  • Secrets are passed securely via secrets: inherit.

Pull Request Workflow ​

For pull requests, skip deployments but still build Docker images. Here’s a sample configuration:

yaml
name: Pull Request - Application

on:
  pull_request:
    branches:
      - main

jobs:
  application:
    uses: codbex/codbex-infra/.github/workflows/application-pull-request.yaml@main
    with:
      application-name: codbex-application
      install-dependencies: true
      dockerfile-location: application/
    secrets: inherit

Release Workflow ​

Trigger releases manually via workflow_dispatch to push versioned Docker images. Example:

yaml
name: Release - Application

on:
  workflow_dispatch:
    inputs:
      release-version:
        description: Release Version
        required: true
        default: 1.0.0

jobs:
  application:
    uses: codbex/codbex-infra/.github/workflows/application-release.yaml@main
    with:
      application-name: codbex-application
      install-dependencies: true
      dockerfile-location: application/
      release-version: ${{ inputs.release-version }}
    secrets: inherit

Releasing the Docker Image ​

  1. Navigate to the Actions tab in your repository.
  2. Select the Release - Application workflow.
  3. Input the release version (e.g., 1.0.0) and click Run workflow.

Once complete, your Docker image will be available in GitHub Container Registry (GHCR).

Key Takeaways ​

By integrating Docker and GitHub Actions, codbex achieves:

  • Automated Builds: Push changes, and the pipeline handles the rest.
  • Consistency: Ensure uniform builds and deployments.
  • Scalability: Simplify development across teams and projects.

Start streamlining your development today and unleash the full potential of CI/CD with Docker and GitHub Actions!