What is the difference between Dockerfile and Docker Compose?

What is the difference between Dockerfile and Docker Compose?

Dockerfile is a script for building Docker images, while Docker Compose is a tool for defining and running multi-container applications.

Can you give me an example of a Dockerfile?

Sure! A simple Dockerfile might look like this:

FROM python:3.8-slim
COPY . /app
WORKDIR /app
RUN pip install -r requirements.txt
CMD ["python", "app.py"]

This builds a Python application image.

And how would I use Docker Compose with that?

You would create a docker-compose.yml file like this:

version: '3'
services:
  web:
    build: .
    ports:
      - "5000:5000"

This defines a service that builds from the Dockerfile and maps port 5000.

When should I use Dockerfile vs Docker Compose?

Use Dockerfile to create images for individual services, and Docker Compose to manage multi-container applications and their configurations.