Deploy your application without a Dockerfile by using Buildpacks.

Buildpacks are a powerful tool for transforming application source code into container images. It automate the process of detecting dependencies, compiling code, and packaging applications into ready-to-run containers, simplifying the containerization workflow.

Here's a breakdown of what Buildpacks is and how they work:

What are Buildpacks?

• Automated Containerization: Buildpacks automate the process of creating container images from application source code.

• Language-Specific Support: They provide language-specific detection and build logic, eliminating the need for manual Dockerfile creation in many cases.

• Cloud Native Buildpacks (CNBs): The Cloud Native Buildpacks specification standardizes how Buildpacks are built and used, promoting interoperability and portability.

• Abstraction: They abstract away the complexities of containerization, allowing developers to focus on writing code.

• Reproducible Builds: Buildpacks promote reproducible builds, ensuring that the same source code always produces the same container image.

How Buildpacks Work:

1. Detection:

   • Buildpacks analyze the application's source code to determine the programming languages and frameworks used.

   • They use detection scripts to identify dependencies and configuration files.

2. Build:

   • Based on the detected languages and frameworks, Buildpacks select the appropriate buildpacks to use.

   • Buildpacks then download and install necessary dependencies, compile the code, and package the application into a container image.

   • They create a runnable app directory inside of the container image.

3. Export:

   • The buildpacks tool then exports that runnable app directory, and the needed OS level files, into a container image.

Key Components:

• Buildpacks: Individual components that handle specific languages or frameworks.

• Builders: Collections of Buildpacks and a build environment that provide a complete build process.

• Lifecycle: The core logic that orchestrates the Buildpack execution.

• Stack: The base operating system and system libraries used in the container image.

Benefits of Using Buildpacks:

• Simplified Containerization: Developers don't need to write complex Dockerfiles.

• Increased Productivity: Automates the build process, saving time and effort.

• Improved Security: Buildpacks often include security best practices and dependency management.

• Reproducible Builds: Ensures consistent container images.

• Portability: Cloud Native Buildpacks are portable across different platforms.

• Dependency Management: Automatically handles dependency installation and updates.

Tools and Implementations:

• pack CLI: The command-line tool for interacting with Cloud Native Buildpacks.

• Paketo Buildpacks: A popular collection of Cloud Native Buildpacks.

• Google Cloud Buildpacks: Another set of CNBs.

• Heroku Buildpacks: Older, but still used in some cases, these are the forerunners to the CNB specification.

Buildpacks are particularly useful for developers who want to focus on writing code rather than dealing with the complexities of containerization.

Deploy NodeJS application using Cloud Native Buildpacks

Pre-requisites:

• AWS account

• An Ubuntu EC2 machine t2.micro (t2.micro is ok, if you are using simple application)

• Docker installed

Steps:

• Update your machine

sudo apt update

• To install Docker, update your machine with sudo apt update and then proceed with the Docker installation.

sudo apt install docker.io -y

• Add the Ubuntu user to the Docker group.

sudo usermod -aG docker $USER && newgrp docker

• Install the pack utility to build the image.

      sudo add-apt-repository ppa:cncf-buildpacks/pack-cli
      sudo apt-get update
      sudo apt-get install pack-cli
  

• Clone your code.

https://github.com/Ankita2295/node-todo-cicd.git

• Navigate into the directory.

cd node-todo-cicd

• Delete the Dockerfile and docker-compose file to ensure they are not used for building the image.

rm -rv Dockerfile
rm -rv docker-compose.yaml

• Use the following command to obtain the pack builder.

pack build suggest

It will suggest a builder to help us build our image smoothly.

Copy the google builder and paste it into the command below.

pack build --builder=<your-builder-from-above-command> notes-app
.
.
pack build notes-app --builder paketobuildpacks/builder:base
pack build notes-app --builder paketobuildpacks/builder:base

[!Note] > This build will take some time, so please be patient.

After the build, check the images.

docker images

• Run the image as a container using the appropriate Docker command.

docker run -itd --name nodeapp -p 8000:8000 django-notes-app

Note: This application runs on port 8000, that's why we mentioned 8000 in the above command.

• Open port 8000 in the security groups to access your application.

http://<public-ip>:8000

**
The build process has 5 stages in the build pack:**

1. Analyzing: In this stage, the system reviews the application to identify its dependencies and configuration, determining what is needed to build and run the app efficiently.

2. Detecting: In this stage, the system identifies suitable buildpacks for the application, determining which ones can provide the necessary environment and tools.

3. Restoring involves retrieving cached layers from previous builds to speed up the process by reusing existing components instead of creating them from scratch.

4. Building During this stage, the application is compiled and packaged into a runnable image with all its dependencies.

5. Exporting: The final step involves exporting the built image for deployment, either by saving it to a registry or making it available to run as a container.

   Here, we have Deploy your application without a Dockerfile by using Buildpacks…!

   Happy learning…!