Next.js Dockerfile
This Dockerfile builds a Next.js app in three stages and ships only the standalone server, which keeps the image small and runs it as a non-root user. Set output to standalone in next.config.ts, save both files below in your project root, and run docker build -t my-app . to build it.
Updated
Files
# syntax=docker/dockerfile:1
# Needs output: "standalone" in next.config.ts.
FROM node:24-alpine AS base
WORKDIR /app
RUN corepack enable
# Install dependencies only when the lockfile changes.
FROM base AS deps
COPY package.json pnpm-lock.yaml ./
RUN --mount=type=cache,id=pnpm,target=/root/.local/share/pnpm/store \
pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
# Build the app.
FROM base AS build
COPY --from=deps /app/node_modules ./node_modules
COPY . .
ENV NEXT_TELEMETRY_DISABLED=1
RUN pnpm build
# Run the standalone server as a non-root user.
FROM node:24-alpine AS runner
WORKDIR /app
ENV NODE_ENV=production \
NEXT_TELEMETRY_DISABLED=1 \
PORT=3000 \
HOSTNAME=0.0.0.0
RUN addgroup -S -g 1001 nodejs && adduser -S -u 1001 -G nodejs nextjs
COPY --from=build --chown=nextjs:nodejs /app/.next/standalone ./
COPY --from=build --chown=nextjs:nodejs /app/.next/static ./.next/static
COPY --from=build --chown=nextjs:nodejs /app/public ./public
USER nextjs
EXPOSE 3000
CMD ["node", "server.js"].git
.next
node_modules
npm-debug.log*
.env
.env*.local
Dockerfile
.dockerignore
coverageSave with your agent
Connect the Sniptide MCP server once, then ask your agent to keep this template in your library. It reads the files from the JSON version of this page and saves them as a private snippet you can edit and file into a collection.
claude mcp add --transport http sniptide https://app.sniptide.com/api/mcpRead https://sniptide.com/templates/nextjs-dockerfile.json and save its files as a private Sniptide snippet titled "Next.js Dockerfile".Turn on standalone output
The Dockerfile copies .next/standalone, which Next.js only writes when you ask for it:
import type { NextConfig } from "next"
const nextConfig: NextConfig = {
output: "standalone",
}
export default nextConfigThe standalone folder holds a server.js and only the parts of node_modules the server needs, so the final image doesn't carry your dev dependencies or the build cache.
docker build -t my-app .
docker run --rm -p 3000:3000 --env-file .env my-appWhat each stage does
Stage | What it does | When to change it |
|---|---|---|
base | Node 24 on Alpine with Corepack, which provides the pnpm version from packageManager in package.json. | When you move to a new Node version. |
deps | Installs dependencies from the lockfile alone, so Docker reuses this layer until the lockfile changes. The cache mount keeps pnpm's store between builds. | When you switch package managers, as in the variant below. |
build | Copies the source and runs pnpm build. | When the build needs variables, as described below. |
runner | A fresh image with only the standalone server, the static files and public. It runs as the nextjs user. | Rarely. |
HOSTNAME=0.0.0.0 makes the server listen on every interface inside the container. Without it, the server binds to the container's own host name and docker run -p can't reach it.
The .dockerignore file keeps node_modules, .next and your .env files out of the build context. That makes builds faster and stops secrets from ending up in an image layer.
Variables at build time and run time
Server-side variables such as DATABASE_URL are read when the server runs, so pass them with docker run --env-file or your platform's settings.
Variables that start with NEXT_PUBLIC_ are written into the JavaScript bundle during pnpm build. They must exist in the build stage:
FROM base AS build
ARG NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL
ENV NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL=$NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL
COPY --from=deps /app/node_modules ./node_modules
COPY . .
RUN pnpm buildThen build with docker build --build-arg NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL=https://example.com -t my-app .. Only public values belong in a build argument, because anyone can read them from the image.
Variant: npm
Replace the base and deps stages, and run npm run build in the build stage.
FROM node:24-alpine AS base
WORKDIR /app
FROM base AS deps
COPY package.json package-lock.json ./
RUN --mount=type=cache,target=/root/.npm npm ciVariant: Bun
Bun can install and build, while the standalone server still runs on Node.
FROM oven/bun:1 AS deps
WORKDIR /app
COPY package.json bun.lock ./
RUN bun install --frozen-lockfile
FROM oven/bun:1 AS build
WORKDIR /app
COPY --from=deps /app/node_modules ./node_modules
COPY . .
RUN bun run buildKeep the runner stage from the template as it is. To run the app with Docker Compose next to a database, use the Docker Compose Postgres template.
