Using Docker Container with Sitefinity CMS

Running various applications in containers instead of using virtual machines is gaining much popularity in the IT world. This technology is rapidly growing in the software industry because it simplifies the process of developing and shipping applications.

Docker is now a buzzword in the IT world and if you are thinking why, then the answer is the value that the containers and development with Docker offers to the software developers and admins.

Latest technologies like Sitefinity development have started to run applications from a Docker container. Since Sitefinity CMS is an ASP.Net application, deploying in a Docker container is possible and easy. Its adoption rate has increased rapidly and for good reasons.

For some developers it may be something confusing or hard, but with some knowledge you can easily use its immense benefits by hiring a Sitefinity development company.

What is Docker?

Docker is an open source platform that allows the users to easily pack, manage and distribute applications within the containers. It automates the deployment of the applications inside the software containers and makes it easy to create, deploy and also run the applications. The containers help the developers to pack an application with all the parts that it needs that include the libraries and also other dependencies and then ship all as a single package.

It is by doing so that the developers can assure that the application will run on any machine regardless of the customized settings that the machine might have.

How to Run Sitefinity from a Docker Container?

The first step is to create an image that is used to spawn containers so as to host Sitefinity CMS development. After installing the Docker desktop, you have to switch to Windows Containers as Sitefinity development needs a Windows Kernel.

1. Create a working directory called the docker-test
2. Create a PowerShell script that configures the IIS instance on the container to host Sitefinity. Create a file named “ docker-test\iis-config.ps.1.
3. Next create a file docker-test\Dockerfile which will be used for creating images. the ServiceMonitor.exe is downloaded as it needs to run when the container based on the image is run.
4. Then you need to instruct the container that is based on this image to start with the process when running.
5. Finally build the image with the command docker build –t Sitefinity-image . The Dot at the end of the command represents that the current working directory is used to search for dockerfile and other essential files.
6. Start the container
7. Then run the command to get the IP
8. Browse the container’s website by using its IP

Advantages of Using Docker Container for Sitefinity Web Development:

• Standardization and productivity: Docker containers ensure high consistency across Sitefinity web developments, release cycles, and standardizing the environment. One biggest advantage is that Docker offers repeatable development, build and test environments and the architecture is actually standardization. It is fast and allows to achieve redundancy.
• Isolation: Dependencies or setting within the container don’t affect any installations or any configurations on the computer or even any other containers that may be running. It is by using separate containers for each component of the particular application that you can easily avoid conflicting dependencies.
• Compatibility: One of the benefits of using Docker container with Sitefinity CMS development is parity. This means that the images run the same way irrespective of the server or laptop they are running on.
• Continuous deployment and testing: Docker containers ensure consistent environments starting from development to production. The containers are configured to maintain various configurations and dependencies and one can use the same container from development to production with no discrepancies or manual intervention.