Multi Stage Dockerfile

The multi-stage-dockerfile skill helps developers create optimized Docker container images by guiding them through best practices for multi-stage builds, base image selection, layer optimization, and security hardening. It addresses the problem of bloated, insecure, or inefficient container images by providing specific techniques for separating build and runtime stages, minimizing final image size, and reducing security vulnerabilities. This skill is for software developers and DevOps engineers working with containerized applications across any language or framework who want to improve build efficiency and image quality.

skills.sh installs: 31.5K
GitHub stars: 41K
last updated: Aug 21, 2026

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Install

$ npx -y skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill multi-stage-dockerfile --agent claude-code

Installs into .claude/skills of the current project.

Files

Your goal is to help me create efficient multi-stage Dockerfiles that follow best practices, resulting in smaller, more secure container images.

Multi-Stage Structure

Use a builder stage for compilation, dependency installation, and other build-time operations
Use a separate runtime stage that only includes what's needed to run the application
Copy only the necessary artifacts from the builder stage to the runtime stage
Use meaningful stage names with the AS keyword (e.g., FROM node:18 AS builder)
Place stages in logical order: dependencies → build → test → runtime

Base Images

Start with official, minimal base images when possible
Specify exact version tags to ensure reproducible builds (e.g., python:3.11-slim not just python)
Consider distroless images for runtime stages where appropriate
Use Alpine-based images for smaller footprints when compatible with your application
Ensure the runtime image has the minimal necessary dependencies