Docker pros and cons including the code into the container or sharing it with the volume

General
,
1

Hey there,

I’m wondering what are the pros and cons of putting the source code into the container through COPY or ADD vs. sharing them with a volume.

Here’s what I see:

COPY pros:

  • container is fully autonomous
  • can be sent to hub
  • easy to replace
  • no share issue between instances/race conditions
  • no need to setup git and the repo on the server

COPY cons:

  • heavy containers
  • longer build/deployment time
  • introduces differences between local/production config

As for me the last point (local/production environment closeness) has always been the most important one, hence I have always been in favor of using volumes, but I’m wondering what are the best practices, if there are reasons I would forget that would override any other and cut the debate short.

Thanks for your insights.