Missing file in my Dockerfile, whats the path its running from? - docker

Question

My git repo structure
app
- app.server
- server files
- app.client
- node_modules
- public
- src
- .dockerignore
- Dockerfile
- package.json
- package-log.json
I've set up CI/CD with GitHub actions but something is wrong in my Dockerimage for my client application (React)?
Error message: COPY failed: file not found in build context or excluded by .dockerignore: stat package.json: file does not exist
My .dockeringore file:
node_modules
build
.dockerignore
Dockerfile
Dockerfile.prod
My Dockerfile:
# pull official base image
FROM node:13.12.0-alpine
# set working directory
WORKDIR /app.client
# add `/app/node_modules/.bin` to $PATH
ENV PATH /app.client/node_modules/.bin:$PATH
# install app dependencies
COPY package.json ./
COPY package-lock.json ./
RUN npm install --silent
RUN npm install react-scripts#3.4.1 -g --silent
# add app
COPY ./ ./
# start app
CMD ["npm", "start"]
My GitHub action command for invoking the Dockerfile:
docker build app.client/ -t mycontainerregistry.azurecr.io/appdb:${{ github.sha }}
This is part of a publish to Azure Container registry that I'm trying to learn. I guess the Dockerfile works, because before failing at step 4/9 it goes thru the Dockerfile:
Step 1/9 : FROM node:13.12.0-alpine
13.12.0-alpine: Pulling from library/node
aad63a933944: Pulling fs layer
... (and so on)
Step 3/6 : COPY package.json ./
COPY failed: file not found in build context or excluded by .dockerignore: stat package.json: file does not exist
Error: Process completed with exit code 1.

Answer 1

WORKDIR refers to the working directory in the container. The working directory on the host is still the root of your repo.