Docker in Development

Learn how Docker can streamline the development process and help create consistent environments across teams and machines.

Using Docker for Local Development

Docker allows developers to containerize their applications, making it easy to replicate the same environment on any machine. By defining services in a docker-compose.yml file, you can spin up a complete development stack with just one command. This eliminates the “works on my machine” problem and ensures consistent dependencies across the team.

Volume Mapping and Hot Reloading

During development, it's crucial to see changes reflected in real time without rebuilding the container. Docker supports volume mapping, which links your host machine's source code to the container's filesystem. This enables hot reloading — changes made in the local files are immediately available inside the container.

For example, in docker-compose.yml:

volumes:

  - .:/app

This maps the current directory to /app in the container, allowing live edits without restarting the service.

Debugging Containers

Docker provides several tools for debugging containers. You can use docker exec to run commands inside a running container:

docker exec -it my_container_name /bin/bash

Logs are easily accessible via:

docker logs my_container_name

For advanced debugging, IDEs like VS Code and JetBrains offer integrations that support containerized debugging, breakpoints, and remote terminal access, enhancing productivity while keeping the environment isolated.