9 Docker Best Practices You Must Know

1. Use official images

This ensures security, reliability, and regular updates.

2. Use a specific image version

The default latest tag is unpredictable and causes unexpected behavior.

3. Multi-Stage builds

Reduces final image size by excluding build tools and dependencies.

4. Use .dockerignore

Excludes unnecessary files, speeds up builds, and reduces image size.

5. Use the least privileged user

Enhances security by limiting container privileges.

6. Use environment variables

Increases flexibility and portability across different environments.

7. Order matters for caching

Order your steps from least to most frequently changing to optimize caching.

8. Label your images

It improves organization and helps with image management.

9. Scan images

Find security vulnerabilities before they become bigger problems.

Over to you: Which other Docker best practices will you add to the list?