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Payload CMS Dockerfile generator

Generate a production Dockerfile for Payload 3, which runs inside Next.js — standalone output, sharp support and a non-root runtime.

Configure

Used for the image tag, the compose service and the OCI labels.
The port the app listens on inside the container. Keep it above 1024 so the process can bind it without root.
Adds the database to docker-compose.yml with a healthcheck, a named volume and a DATABASE_URL wired into the app.
Adds Redis to docker-compose.yml and exposes REDIS_URL to the app.

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What this Dockerfile does

2 items need attention

  • Needs attention: Requires output: "standalone" and serverExternalPackages

    Set `output: "standalone"` in next.config, and make sure sharp is listed in `serverExternalPackages` so Next does not try to bundle its native binary.

  • Needs attention: PAYLOAD_SECRET and DATABASE_URI are required

    Payload refuses to start without them. Pass them at runtime — a secret baked into an image layer is readable by anyone who can pull it.

  • Good practice: Multi-stage build (4 stages)

    Compilers, dev dependencies and source files stay in the build stages. Only the runtime artefacts are copied into the final image.

  • Good practice: Runs as node, not root

    A container escape from a root process is a host root process. Dropping privileges is the cheapest hardening step there is.

  • Good practice: .dockerignore keeps secrets out of the build context

    `.git`, `.env` and local dependency folders never reach the daemon, so they cannot end up in a layer or in `docker history`.

  • Good practice: Dependency cache persists across builds

    BuildKit cache mounts keep the package manager store outside the image. Rebuilds after a lockfile change reuse everything already downloaded, and the cache adds nothing to the final size.

  • Good practice: Healthcheck defined

    Docker, Compose and Easypanel can tell the difference between a running process and a working app, and restart it when it wedges.

  • Note: Requires BuildKit

    BuildKit is the default builder in Docker 23 and later. On anything older, export `DOCKER_BUILDKIT=1` before building.

  • Note: Estimated image size: ~130–220 MB

    A rough band for the final stage, before your own dependencies. Run `docker images` after a build for the real number.

How to use it

Everything runs locally. Nothing is uploaded, and no account is needed.

  1. Drop the files into your project root

    Every generated file belongs next to your package manifest — the Dockerfile references paths relative to the build context, so nesting them in a subfolder breaks the COPY lines.

  2. Build the image

    docker build -t payload .

  3. Run it

    docker run --rm -p 3000:3000 payload

  4. Or bring up the whole stack

    docker compose up --build

Payload CMS in Docker

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