
Ask HN: Are you using Docker as a build environment vs. deployment system and how? - jcoffland
I&#x27;ve been using Docker mainly to setup build environments to target and test bulids for multiple Linux distros and even for cross-compiling for Windows and macOS.  I believe that the biggest problem with software longevity is that the required build environment is often lost because it is not codified in any lasting way.  Docker somewhat solves this problem.  Is anyone else using Docker in this way?
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cghendrix
Disclaimer: I have been a regular dev for a few years and recently have worked
the last 6 months in my new role as the "devops" guy. It's been interesting
and quite a lot of learning.

Anyway, we are using it similarly. However we aren't necessarily targeting
different Os's but rather different environments at the build level (ex.
different versions of sencha CMD to build our frontend) as well as the
deployment application server (ex. different version of tomcat or weblogic for
our Java backend)

It really is hard to say what's the best or what's the worst but either way I
think you are spot on in the problem you see with software longetivity. There
was a recent post here (sorry can't find the link at the moment) about devops
addressing that very issue and the proposed solution was to automate
everything and think of the infrastructure as code itself that can be
versioned just the same as your actual application code.

The techops at my job guys use Ansible to do specifically that. I think you
can do it docker but it's not specifically for that.

Read this: [http://devopscube.com/devops-tools-for-infrastructure-
automa...](http://devopscube.com/devops-tools-for-infrastructure-automation/)

I've heard good things about chef and would like to learn more when I have a
chance.

More experienced guys: please refute any bullshit you see in my comment. I
truly would like to learn how to be better at devops. A lot is objective but a
lot is so psychological in how people work together which is fascinating.

