multi-stage-dockerfile

Name: multi-stage-dockerfile
Author: github

Build optimized, secure multi-stage Dockerfiles for any language or framework. Structures builds with separate builder and runtime stages, copying only necessary artifacts to minimize final image size and attack surface Emphasizes layer caching optimization by ordering commands from least to most frequently changing, combined with .dockerignore and command consolidation Recommends minimal base images (Alpine, distroless, or official slim variants) with exact version pinning for reproducibility Covers security hardening: non-root users, build tool removal, vulnerability scanning, and secrets isolation through multi-stage separation Includes performance patterns like build arguments, environment variable optimization, and healthcheck configuration for production readiness

INSTALLATION

npx skills add https://github.com/github/awesome-copilot --skill multi-stage-dockerfile

Run in your project or agent environment. Adjust flags if your CLI version differs.

SKILL.md

$2a

Organize commands to maximize layer caching

Place commands that change frequently (like code changes) after commands that change less frequently (like dependency installation)

Use .dockerignore to prevent unnecessary files from being included in the build context

Combine related RUN commands with && to reduce layer count

Consider using COPY --chown to set permissions in one step

Security Practices

Avoid running containers as root - use USER instruction to specify a non-root user

Remove build tools and unnecessary packages from the final image

Scan the final image for vulnerabilities

Set restrictive file permissions

Use multi-stage builds to avoid including build secrets in the final image

Performance Considerations

Use build arguments for configuration that might change between environments

Leverage build cache efficiently by ordering layers from least to most frequently changing

Consider parallelization in build steps when possible

Set appropriate environment variables like NODE_ENV=production to optimize runtime behavior

Use appropriate healthchecks for the application type with the HEALTHCHECK instruction

multi-stage-dockerfile

SKILL.md

Security Practices

Performance Considerations

Let your agent run on any real-world website

Related skills

Stop writing automation&scrapers