Deploying Node.js to AWS with Docker

Containerize with a small image

DOCKERFILE
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FROM node:20-alpine
WORKDIR /app
COPY package.json pnpm-lock.yaml ./
RUN corepack enable && pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
COPY . .
CMD ["node", "dist/index.js"]

Push to ECR

Bash
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aws ecr get-login-password | docker login --username AWS --password-stdin <account>.dkr.ecr.<region>.amazonaws.com

ECS task definition notes

• Use task roles for AWS access, never access keys.
• Inject secrets from SSM Parameter Store.
• Configure autoscaling based on request count, not CPU alone.

Health checks matter

Add both container and load balancer health checks or you'll chase phantom deploy failures.