How to Build Multi-Architecture Docker Images with BuildX | Deploy containers to x86 and ARM!

As ARM-based processors become more common, it is increasingly important to be able to build multi-architecture docker images to support x86 and ARM development systems and deployment targets.

In this video, I walk through how docker supports multi-architecture images and demonstrate how to use the buidx command to build a sample application and deploy onto x86 and ARM AWS servers.

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Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
00:18 - Processor architecture overview
00:42 - The rise of ARM
01:26 - Who cares?
02:03 - Multi-architecture docker manifests
02:56 - Combining individual manifests (the old method)
03:35 - BuildX
03:54 - Build farm
04:06 - Using QEMU to emulate multiple architectures
04:38 - Demo setup
04:50 - Demo source code
05:40 - Buildx setup
06:46 - Dockerhub repo setup
06:59 - Building the images!
07:47 - Running the container
08:36 - Deploying to AWS (m5 & a1)
09:17 - Potential gotchas
10:05 - Final thoughts

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Community size at time of posting:
- Subscribers: 8561
- Channel Views: 196290

[joshuaward]

This video was so clear and easy to follow, kudos!

I've been confused as buildx is the "new way" to do multi arch images, yet having multiple Dockerfiles or multiple build stages to produce different images (very easy to find yourself in this situation, mind you...) immediately breaks the "new way." I spent too much time trying to figure out how buildx accounts for this very common use case and sounds like the answer is "it doesn't."

I guess I'll stick to the "old way" for now (docker manifest) for anyone that didn't watch the whole video.

[kymaster]

Thank you very much. Just experienced that pain after moving my workflow on Macbook Air M1. We use some precompiled binaries in our container, so it can't be built in aarch64.
For those who wondering, how to built containers in preffered platform with docker-compose:
1. change docker-compose.yml "version" parameter to "2.4"
2. add "platform: linux/amd64" in desired service options
3. rebuild

[iiilllii]

Thank you, this explains everything I wanted to know. Now I understand multiarch builds.

[kevinnguyen]

Thank you for such a great tutorial. Every thing I need in 10 minutes to build images for multiple platform.

[diionberisha]

Kudos! Very simple and straight forward explanation.

[Akhanu]

Perfect video, No crap and absolutely right information and context.

[CodingAfterThirty]

Nice video. Excited to see the transition to more ARM based servers.

[mrakesh]

Concise & very well explained. I got a clear understanding of this topic. Great job man!

[newshatavakoli]

Thanks for the short and understandable explanation

[wilcosec]

Great overview! Perfect level of detail. Thanks for this video.

[igorbatista]

One of the best tutoriais I've seen, keep it up man! You got another subscriber :D

[edwinroman]

Thanks for sharing Sirr, simple and useful way of teaching. Congratulation!

[roylevy]

Thanks for a great explanation! Really helped my work with buildx

[jankothyson]

This was so helpful! Thanks a lot for taking the time!

[Gezhified]

Whaou! Very well explained! Thanks a lot

[gabrielguimaraesdealmeida]

Nice video! It helped a lot!! Reminder for the newbies like me: do not forget to write the username correctly or else it will give you an "not authorized error"

[kazakman]

Dockerized some python script and pushed to my dockerhub. Created ec2 in aws installed docker. Pulled that image and tried to run it. Failed because of architecture. Even tried with --platform arm64. Failed. Now u saved my #a#sss.
Thank u so much

[SameerJethvaniSamdSoft]

Thanks for covering & explaining things in lucid way . Appreciate
I am in a situation where in as part of developer's environment, I want to build docker image for one huge multi-language (django-python, java etc) monolith app(for linux os, jailrooted, having diff services like postgres, celery jobs & few java processes in it), which should be compatible with x86_64 intel based & arm64 M1 based mac, as few employees has intel macs, while new ones are getting m1 mac .

I guess in my case rather then investing much amount of time on buildx, I should go with an older approach of having 2 macs by my side 1 with intel chip & another with arm64 M1 chip . Also in my case as build process of creating docker image of that monolith app is too complex, I would have to create separate Dockerfile for each architecture.

Any thoughts on this ?

[davidlee]

my company refused to support my arm64 for now, saying too much change in the CI part.

[saivivekvangaveti]

how to support for linux, mac and windows machine using buildx