How to develop node js (create-react-app) without installing node js using docker

Question

Hi I wanted to develop create-react-app based project using docker without installing NodeJS on my machine. I have this Dockerfile.dev file

FROM node:lts
VOLUME ./:/usr/src/app # mount my react project on container
WORKDIR /usr/src/app
RUN npm install
RUN npm start

However, when I run docker build -f .\\Dockerfile.dev . I get this error

npm ERR! enoent ENOENT: no such file or directory, open '/usr/src/app/package.json'
npm ERR! enoent This is related to npm not being able to find a file.

I can see that maybe the VOLUME command wasn't successful. How do I fix or make it work? Maybe docker-compose is better?

PS: I don't want to copy project files, since it's not production or deployment scenario, and auto refresh on file change won't work.

Answer 1

VOLUME in Dockerfile is not what you need , just use -v option and set your dockerfile as :

FROM node:lts
WORKDIR /usr/src/app
CMD npm install && npm start

build and start the container:

docker build -t MYIMAGE . && docker run -tid -v ./app:/usr/src/app MYIMAGE

compose:

volumes:
       - ./app:/usr/src/app

command:

docker-compose up -d --build