Flask and Docker Testing

Setup

Create a .env file with the following contents in the root directory:

FLASK_APP="app.py"
PORT="8000"
HOST="0.0.0.0"

The port can be adjusted if you are already using it for something else.

Usage

Assuming you are in the directory with the compose.yml file:

• Run with:

  docker compose up -d

• Stop with:

  docker compose down

• Access the app at: http://localhost:8000

Additional Notes

Code changes will be reflected without needing to rebuild or reload the container, unless the app crashes. In that case, run docker compose up -d again.

I used docker init to generate the initial docker-related files.

Exercise for the reader: What's up with the -d flag? What happens if you don't use it?