Deployment & Docker – Flask Tutorial Series #10

In this tutorial, we will cover the deployment of a Flask application using Docker. Docker is a platform for developers and sysadmins to build, ship, and run applications. It allows you to package your application and its dependencies into a virtual container that can run on any Linux server.

Why Use Docker for Deployment?

Using Docker for deployment has several benefits:

• Consistency: Docker containers are isolated environments that ensure your application runs consistently across different environments.
• Portability: Docker containers can be easily moved from one environment to another without any changes to the underlying code.
• Scalability: Docker containers can be easily scaled up or down based on demand, allowing your application to handle varying levels of traffic.

Steps to Deploy a Flask Application using Docker

1. Create a Dockerfile: A Dockerfile is a text document that contains all the commands needed to build a Docker image of your application. It specifies the base image, environment variables, dependencies, and commands to run your application.
2. Build the Docker image: Use the `docker build` command to build the Docker image based on the Dockerfile you created.
3. Run the Docker container: Use the `docker run` command to run the Docker container based on the Docker image you built. You can specify the port mapping, environment variables, and other configurations as needed.

Conclusion

Deployment using Docker is a powerful tool for ensuring consistency, portability, and scalability of your Flask applications. By following the steps outlined in this tutorial, you can easily deploy your Flask application using Docker and take advantage of its benefits.