Using a docker container querying an AWS RDS Instance

Question

I am developing an application that is going to be deployed using a docker container. This app connect and queries a Aurora database on AWS RDS.

I would like to make some QA tests, pointing to test database instead of Aurora db production.

What is the best approach?

Create a database replica on the same RDS ?

Put and MySQL instance inside the app container and point to it, and make the QA tests?

Or create a simple container with MySQL installed and points my app to it?

Answer 1

Put and MySQL instance inside the app container

That is generally not advised, as a container is supposed to represent a service in a fixed state, and should not change during runtime.

create a simple container with MySQL installed and points my app to it?

That is closer, although, if possible, I would again not change the existing running app container, but launch a new app one, with --link to a test MySQL container.
That way, you keep separate whatever prod runtime environment from your test environment.