WORKDIR instruction for directory in Docker - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Using WORKDIR Instruction in Dockerfile

📖 Scenario: You are creating a Docker image for a simple web application. You want to organize your files inside the container by setting a working directory.

🎯 Goal: Learn how to use the WORKDIR instruction in a Dockerfile to set the working directory for subsequent commands.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a Dockerfile with a base image

Set a working directory using WORKDIR

Add a file inside the working directory

Print the current working directory inside the container

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Setting a working directory in Docker images is common to keep files organized and commands simple.

💼 Career

Understanding <code>WORKDIR</code> is essential for writing clean Dockerfiles used in software development and deployment.

1

Create a Dockerfile with base image

Create a Dockerfile and write the line FROM alpine:latest to use the Alpine Linux base image.

Docker

# Your code here

Need a hint?

The FROM instruction sets the base image for your Dockerfile.

2

Set the working directory

Add the line WORKDIR /app to set the working directory inside the container to /app.

Docker

FROM alpine:latest
# Your code here

Need a hint?

The WORKDIR instruction sets the directory where commands will run inside the container.

3

Add a file inside the working directory

Add the line RUN echo "Hello from /app" > message.txt to create a file named message.txt inside the /app directory.

Docker

FROM alpine:latest
WORKDIR /app
# Your code here

Need a hint?

The RUN instruction executes commands inside the container. Here it creates a file in the working directory.

4

Print the current working directory

Add the line CMD ["pwd"] to print the current working directory when the container runs.

Docker

FROM alpine:latest
WORKDIR /app
RUN echo "Hello from /app" > message.txt
# Your code here

Need a hint?

The CMD instruction defines the command to run when the container starts.