Deploying container images in GCP - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Deploying container images

📖 Scenario: You work at a small company that wants to deploy a simple web application using containers on Google Cloud Platform (GCP). You will learn how to prepare and deploy a container image to Google Cloud Run, a service that runs containers without managing servers.

🎯 Goal: Build a basic deployment configuration to run a container image on Google Cloud Run.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a variable with the container image URL

Set a variable for the service name

Write the command to deploy the container image to Cloud Run

Add the region flag to the deployment command

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Deploying container images to Cloud Run is a common task for running scalable web applications without managing servers.

💼 Career

Cloud engineers and developers often need to deploy containerized applications quickly and reliably using command-line tools like gcloud.

1

Set the container image URL

Create a variable called container_image and set it to the exact string gcr.io/cloudrun/hello which is the container image URL.

GCP

# Your code here

Hint

Use a string variable to hold the container image URL exactly as shown.

2

Set the Cloud Run service name

Create a variable called service_name and set it to the exact string hello-service which will be the name of your Cloud Run service.

GCP

container_image = "gcr.io/cloudrun/hello"
# Your code here

Hint

Use a string variable to hold the service name exactly as shown.

3

Write the deployment command

Write a variable called deploy_command that contains the exact string gcloud run deploy hello-service --image gcr.io/cloudrun/hello to deploy the container image to Cloud Run.

GCP

container_image = "gcr.io/cloudrun/hello"
service_name = "hello-service"
# Your code here

Hint

Use a string variable to hold the full deployment command exactly as shown.

4

Add the region flag to the deployment command

Update the deploy_command variable to include the region flag --region us-central1 at the end, so the full command is gcloud run deploy hello-service --image gcr.io/cloudrun/hello --region us-central1.

GCP

container_image = "gcr.io/cloudrun/hello"
service_name = "hello-service"
deploy_command = "gcloud run deploy hello-service --image gcr.io/cloudrun/hello"
# Your code here

Hint

Append the region flag to the existing deployment command string exactly as shown.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of deploying a container image on Google Cloud Run?

easy

A. To run applications without managing servers

B. To create virtual machines manually

C. To store data in a database

D. To write code directly in the cloud console

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand what Cloud Run does

   Cloud Run runs containerized apps without needing you to manage servers.

2. Step 2: Compare options to Cloud Run's purpose

   Options B, C, and D describe other cloud tasks, not Cloud Run's main use.

3. Final Answer:

   To run applications without managing servers -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Cloud Run = serverless app running [OK]

Hint: Cloud Run runs apps without servers [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing Cloud Run with VM creation
• Thinking Cloud Run stores data
• Assuming Cloud Run is a coding environment

2. Which command correctly deploys a container image to Cloud Run in the us-central1 region?

easy

A. gcloud deploy run myapp --image=gcr.io/myproject/myimage --zone=us-central1

B. gcloud run deploy myapp --image=gcr.io/myproject/myimage --region=us-central1

C. gcloud run create myapp --image=gcr.io/myproject/myimage --zone=us-central1

D. gcloud run deploy --image=myimage gcr.io/myproject --region=us-central1

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify correct gcloud command syntax

   The correct command is 'gcloud run deploy' followed by service name, image, and region.

2. Step 2: Check each option for syntax errors

   gcloud run deploy myapp --image=gcr.io/myproject/myimage --region=us-central1 matches correct syntax. Options B, C, and D have wrong commands or argument order.

3. Final Answer:

   gcloud run deploy myapp --image=gcr.io/myproject/myimage --region=us-central1 -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Correct deploy syntax = gcloud run deploy myapp --image=gcr.io/myproject/myimage --region=us-central1 [OK]

Hint: Use 'gcloud run deploy' with --image and --region [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using 'gcloud deploy run' instead of 'gcloud run deploy'
• Confusing --zone with --region
• Incorrect argument order

3. Given this command:
gcloud run deploy myservice --image=gcr.io/myproj/app:v1 --region=us-east1
What happens after running it?

medium

A. The container image is deployed as a Cloud Run service named 'myservice' in us-east1 region

B. A virtual machine named 'myservice' is created in us-east1

C. The image is uploaded to Google Container Registry only

D. The command fails because region must be us-central1

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the deploy command effect

   The command deploys the container image as a Cloud Run service with the given name and region.

2. Step 2: Evaluate other options

   B is wrong because no VM is created. C is wrong because deployment runs the image, not just upload. A is wrong because us-east1 is a valid region.

3. Final Answer:

   The container image is deployed as a Cloud Run service named 'myservice' in us-east1 region -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Deploy command = service deployment [OK]

Hint: Deploy runs container as service, not VM or just upload [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking deploy creates VM
• Confusing upload with deploy
• Assuming region must be us-central1

4. You run:
gcloud run deploy --image=gcr.io/myproj/app:v2 --region=us-west1
But get an error: "Service name is required." What is the fix?

medium

A. Remove the --region flag

B. Change --image to --container-image

C. Add the service name after 'deploy', e.g., 'gcloud run deploy myservice ...'

D. Run the command without 'gcloud run'

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify missing required argument

   The error says service name is missing; the deploy command needs a service name after 'deploy'.

2. Step 2: Fix the command by adding service name

   Add the service name, e.g., 'myservice', after 'deploy' to fix the error.

3. Final Answer:

   Add the service name after 'deploy', e.g., 'gcloud run deploy myservice ...' -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Deploy needs service name [OK]

Hint: Always specify service name after 'deploy' [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Omitting service name
• Changing unrelated flags
• Removing required command parts

5. You want to deploy a new version of your app container image to Cloud Run and keep the same service URL. Which command should you use?

hard

A. gcloud container deploy myapp --image=gcr.io/myproj/app:v2

B. gcloud run create myapp --image=gcr.io/myproj/app:v2 --region=us-central1

C. gcloud run deploy --image=gcr.io/myproj/app:v2 --region=us-central1

D. gcloud run deploy myapp --image=gcr.io/myproj/app:v2 --region=us-central1

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand updating a Cloud Run service

   To update an existing service and keep its URL, use 'gcloud run deploy' with the same service name.

2. Step 2: Check options for correct update command

   gcloud run deploy myapp --image=gcr.io/myproj/app:v2 --region=us-central1 uses 'deploy' with service name and new image, which updates the service. Options A, B, and D are incorrect commands or missing service name.

3. Final Answer:

   gcloud run deploy myapp --image=gcr.io/myproj/app:v2 --region=us-central1 -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Deploy with same service name updates app [OK]

Hint: Use 'deploy' with same service name to update [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using 'create' instead of 'deploy' to update
• Omitting service name
• Using wrong gcloud commands