Docker change directory in CMD command

Question

I'm trying to use docker for a firebase project, for firebase the package.json is in a sub folder called functions. I'm using the node:alpine image.

In my Dockerfile, I need to cd into the functions directory then run npm run start. How do I do this, please?

I have tried CMD [ "cd", "functions", ";", "npm", "run", "serve" ], I got this error /usr/local/bin/docker-entrypoint.sh: exec: line 8: cd: not found

FROM node:alpine

WORKDIR '/app'

RUN npm install -g firebase-tools

COPY functions/package*.json functions/

RUN cd functions && npm install && cd ..

COPY . .

CMD [ "cd", "functions", ";", "npm", "run", "serve" ]

That's because there is no external "cd" executable; it's a built-in shell command. When using [], the command is being executed directly, not via a shell. That also means that the ";" would be passed as a parameter and not be interpreted as a command separator. Basically, you tried the equivalent of /bin/cd function \; npm run serve — Brian White
– Brian White, Commented Feb 6, 2023 at 13:50

Christian Sauer · Accepted Answer · 2020-01-14 08:52:08Z

10

If you have the dockerfile under control, simply add a line BEFORE CMD:

WORKDIR '/functions'

answered Jan 14, 2020 at 8:52

Christian Sauer

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LinPy · Accepted Answer · 2020-01-14 08:55:09Z

9

the correct way is to use workdir:

WORKDIR /functions
CMD [ "npm", "run", "serve" ]

or just use:

CMD [ "/bin/sh" , "-c" , "cd /functions && npm run serve" ]

answered Jan 14, 2020 at 8:55

LinPy

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3 Comments

its_tayo Over a year ago

I got this error while running with "/functions": can't cd to /functions: No such file or directory, but using "functions" works just fine.

Christian Sauer Over a year ago

Your data are in /app/functions. Take a look at the the workdir and copy commands in your dockerfile

David Maze Over a year ago

CMD cd /functions && npm run serve is equivalent to the last line (Docker in fact expands it to an identical form).

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