You may have noticed that if you put a Dockerfile in your home, and launch a docker build you will see a message uploading context, this means docker creates a .tar with all the files in your home and in all the subdirectories, and uploads this tar to the docker daemon.

If you have some huge files, this may take a long time.

So to avoid this you may

1) create a specific directory, where you put your Dockerfile, and all what is needed for your build

2) tell docker to ignore some files during the build

So you may put in the .dockerignore all the files not needed for your build

Answer from user2915097 on Stack Overflow
🌐
Medium
medium.com › @bounouh.fedi › mastering-the-dockerignore-file-boosting-docker-build-efficiency-398719f4a0e1
Mastering the .dockerignore File: Boosting Docker Build Efficiency | by Fedi Bounouh | Medium
November 9, 2024 - As you scale up your Docker projects, managing the build context efficiently becomes increasingly important. So next time you write a Dockerfile, make sure to add a .dockerignore file to the mix — it’s a small trick that can make a big difference!
🌐
Codefresh
codefresh.io › home › blog › do not ignore .dockerignore (it’s expensive and potentially dangerous)
Do not ignore .dockerignore (it's expensive and potentially dangerous) | Codefresh
March 13, 2025 - Best Practices · 7 min read · Alexei LedenevOctober 1, 2019 · In this article we will learn about the docker build context and how to optimize it (using the .dockerignore file). Docker images can run anywhere on cheap cloud services so why bother optimizing them?
People also ask

What should I include in a .dockerignore?
In general, you should ignore:

Node_modules/, vendor/
Log files, *.log
Build artifacts, dist/, target/
Sensitive files, .env This will make your Docker image smaller and more secure.
🌐
cyberpanel.net
cyberpanel.net › blog › dockerignore-file
Mastering the .dockerignore file for Optimized Docker builds
If my .dockerignore file is not working?
Review your pattern syntax ensure the file is at the root of your build context and look for any conflicting patterns. You can also try with --no-cache to avoid the cached issues.
🌐
cyberpanel.net
cyberpanel.net › blog › dockerignore-file
Mastering the .dockerignore file for Optimized Docker builds
Does the dockerignore file contain case sensitivity?
Yes, the .dockerignore file and dockerignore are case-sensitive. Therefore, make sure to match exactly the case of file and directory names.
🌐
cyberpanel.net
cyberpanel.net › blog › dockerignore-file
Mastering the .dockerignore file for Optimized Docker builds
🌐
CloudBees
cloudbees.com › blog › leveraging-the-dockerignore-file-to-create-smaller-images
Leveraging the dockerignore File to Create Smaller Images
In this article, we covered how to leverage the .dockerignore file to exclude unnecessary files and directories from the container build. As we found out, the usage of the .dockerignore file is very simple. Do you have any .dockerignore tips or tricks?
🌐
Mrugesh Mohapatra
mrugesh.dev › blog › how-to-use-a-dockerignore-file-a-comprehensive-guide-with-examples
How to Use a .dockerignore File: A Comprehensive Guide with Examples • Mrugesh Mohapatra
May 25, 2023 - Like the .gitignore file, which tells Git which files to ignore, the .dockerignore file tells Docker which files to exclude from the build context.
🌐
Docker
docs.docker.com › manuals › docker build › best practices
Best practices | Docker Docs
To exclude files not relevant to the build, without restructuring your source repository, use a .dockerignore file.
🌐
LinkedIn
linkedin.com › pulse › securing-docker-builds-comprehensive-guide-usage-best-ilyas-ou-sbaa
Securing Docker Builds: A Comprehensive Guide to .dockerignore Usage and Best Practices
July 17, 2023 - Securing development environments: ... Docker images. For example, you can exclude configuration files with passwords, API keys, or other secrets that should not be distributed with the image....
Find elsewhere
🌐
GitHub
github.com › upenn-libraries › DevOps › blob › master › docker-best-practices › dockerignore.md
DevOps/docker-best-practices/dockerignore.md at master · upenn-libraries/DevOps
Exclude any file or directory not required by the container runtime. Common examples are the .git directory, Dockerfile, .dockerignore, .gitignore, README.md, etc.
Author   upenn-libraries
🌐
CyberPanel
cyberpanel.net › blog › dockerignore-file
Mastering the .dockerignore file for Optimized Docker builds
July 17, 2025 - The .dockerignore is a simple text file Docker uses to tell it which files and directories should not be included in the build context when performing a build of a Docker image. In practice, it works pretty much the same way as a .gitignore in a Git repository, using patterns that match unnecessary files to ensure you only copy over relevant code and assets into your Docker image, which can speed up your builds and shave valuable bytes off your image size.
🌐
Medium
medium.com › @mark.birbeck › getting-control-of-your-dockerignore-files-b4543b04756c
Getting Control Of Your .dockerignore Files | by Mark Birbeck | Medium
December 8, 2018 - Thankfully it’s never been a .env file or an SSH key, but even so, any unused file or directory takes up space in the image and makes that image slower to build and pass around. Best practice suggests using the oft-neglected .dockerignore ...
🌐
OneUptime
oneuptime.com › home › blog › how to use .dockerignore to speed up docker builds
How to Use .dockerignore to Speed Up Docker Builds
January 16, 2026 - Learn how to use .dockerignore to exclude unnecessary files from Docker build context, dramatically reducing build times and image sizes.
🌐
Vokal
engineering.vokal.io › Systems › docker.md.html
Docker best practices
The official Docker documentation ...ockerfile_best-practices/. This document highlights some of those items while also pointing out some Vokal specific practices. You can easily exclude unnecessary files and directories from a Docker image you are building by using a .dockerignore ...
🌐
Balaji S
balajidevops.hashnode.dev › dockerfile-best-practices
Dockerfile Best Practices: - Balaji S
December 19, 2023 - Create a .dockerignore file to exclude unnecessary files from being copied into the Docker image.
🌐
Letsupdateskills
letsupdateskills.com › article › how-to-use-a-dockerignore-file
How to Use a .dockerignore File Effectively | Docker Build Optimization Guide
Learn how to use a .dockerignore file to optimize Docker builds, reduce image size, improve security, and speed up deployments. This in-depth guide covers syntax, examples, best practices, and FAQs.
🌐
Support Tools
support.tools › effective-dockerignore-patterns
Effective .dockerignore Patterns: Optimizing Docker Build Context // Support Tools
June 15, 2025 - Learn how to effectively use .dockerignore files to reduce build context size, improve build performance, and maintain clean Docker images. Includes practical patterns and real-world examples.
🌐
Medium
medium.com › @vikramgyawali57 › understanding-the-dockerignore-file-why-its-essential-and-how-to-use-it-1df9b716d9e5
Understanding the .dockerignore File: Why It's Essential and How to Use It | by Bikram Gyawali | Medium
November 26, 2024 - Including unnecessary files in your image (e.g., node_modules, logs, or temporary files) inflates its size. A bloated image takes longer to build, transfer, and deploy. The .dockerignore file allows you to exclude these files, keeping your image lightweight and fast.
🌐
GoLinuxCloud
golinuxcloud.com › home › docker › unlock the power of .dockerignore for efficient docker builds
Unlock the Power of .dockerignore for Efficient Docker Builds | GoLinuxCloud
October 20, 2023 - Drawing parallels with .gitignore, the concept seems familiar. .gitignore instructs Git which files or directories to exclude from version control, ensuring that specific files remain untracked. Similarly, .dockerignore fine-tunes what goes into your Docker build context.
🌐
Docker
docs.docker.com › manuals › docker build › build context
Build context | Docker Docs
You can use a .dockerignore file to exclude files or directories from the build context.
🌐
GeeksforGeeks
geeksforgeeks.org › how-to-use-a-dockerignore-file
How to Use a .dockerignore File? - GeeksforGeeks
April 8, 2024 - It is true that you can also mention the dockerfile inside the .dockerignore file and exclude it from the Docker build context. In fact, it is a common practice than you might have thought.