dockerfile

# It is a plain text file with no file extension.
# It contains instructions for Docker to build an image.
# Example: /api-gateway/Dockerfile should look like this:
# dockerfile

# ✅ When Can You Remove the Dockerfile?
# 🚫 You can remove /api-gateway/Dockerfile if:

# You are using a prebuilt Docker image (like node:18 or a published API image from Docker Hub).
# You don’t need custom environment setups, package installs, or additional dependencies.
# ✅ You must keep the Dockerfile if:

# You need to install dependencies (npm install) inside the container.
# You want a consistent runtime environment (same Node.js version, same dependencies).
# You don’t want to manually install dependencies before running the container.

#Example

# # Use Node.js base image
FROM node:18

# # Set working directory inside the container
WORKDIR /app

# # Copy package.json and install dependencies
COPY package.json package-lock.json ./
RUN npm install

# # Copy application files
COPY . .

# # Expose port 8000 for API
EXPOSE 3001

# # Start the API Gateway
CMD ["npm", "run", "dev"]