Running a Bun Application with Docker: Part 2

In this guide, we'll walk through how to run a Bun application using Docker. We'll cover everything from installing Bun to creating and managing Docker containers.

Prerequisites: Installing Bun

Before we start with Docker, you'll need to have Bun installed on your system. Here's how to do it:

1. First, update your package manager and install unzip:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install unzip

2. Install Bun using the official installer:

curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash

3. Verify the installation:

bun --version

Setting Up Docker Configuration

Dockerfile Setup

Create a Dockerfile in your project root with the following configuration:

# Use an official Node.js image as the base image
FROM node:18

# Set the working directory inside the container
WORKDIR /app

# Install Bun
RUN curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash

# Add Bun to PATH
ENV PATH="/root/.bun/bin:${PATH}"

# Copy package.json
COPY package.json .

# Install dependencies using Bun
RUN bun install

# Copy the rest of your application files
COPY . .

# Expose the port the app will run on
EXPOSE 3000

# Run the app with Bun
CMD ["bun", "dev"]

Configure Your Application Scripts

Ensure your package.json includes the necessary scripts. For example, if you're using a TypeScript setup:

{
  "scripts": {
    "dev": "bun --hot src/index.tsx",
    "start": "NODE_ENV=production bun src/index.tsx",
    "build": "bun run build.ts"
  }
}

Building and Running the Docker Container

Build Your Docker Image

Create the Docker image for your application:

docker build -t my-bun-app .

Run Your Container

Start a new container from your image:

docker run -p 3000:3000 my-bun-app

Managing Docker Containers

View Running Containers

To see all currently running containers:

docker ps

View All Containers

To list all containers, including stopped ones:

docker ps -a

Starting an Existing Container

To start a stopped container:

docker start <container_id>

Troubleshooting Tips

If you encounter a "Script not found" error:

1. Check that your package.json scripts are correctly defined
2. Ensure the dev script matches your application's startup requirements
3. Rebuild your Docker image after any changes to package.json
4. Verify that all files are being correctly copied into the container

Remember to rebuild your Docker image whenever you make changes to your Dockerfile or application code:

docker build -t my-bun-app .

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This concludes our two-part guide on Docker installation and running a Bun application in Docker. You should now have a fully functional Docker environment running your Bun application.