Include only necessary context – use a .dockerignore file (like .gitignore in git). Avoid installing unnecessary packages – it will consume extra disk space. Use cache - add context that changes a lot at the end of Dockerfile to utilize Docker cache effectively. Be careful with volumes - because volumes are persistent, the next container will use data from the volume created by the previous container. Use environment variables (in RUN, EXPOSE, VOLUME) - it will make your Dockerfile more flexible.

The short list of benefits includes a faster development process, handy application encapsulation, the same behaviour on local machine / dev / staging / production servers, easy and clear monitoring, and ease to scale.

The Django Stars engineers who contributed to this guide have extensive experience developing Python and Django applications. Contact them via the contact form on this page - it is the easiest way to hire qualified and Docker-savvy developers for your project.