Building and deploying modern applications often comes with its fair share of challenges, especially when dependencies and configurations differ between versions.
For example, Angular applications require a specific Node.js version to match the Angular framework version. Upgrading from Angular 17 to Angular 18 might necessitate updating Node.js and npm, causing disruptions in the development process.
WaveMaker applications are no exception.
Developers frequently face hurdles like managing varying Node.js and npm versions, upgrading build environments, and ensuring secure and optimized deployment configurations for application servers like Tomcat.
To address these pain points, we are excited to introduce a set of Docker images for building and deploying WaveMaker applications. These Docker images streamline the development and deployment process, reducing friction and allowing developers to focus on what they do best — building great applications.
The Problem
Each WaveMaker version may rely on different Node.js and npm versions, leading to frequent updates and configuration changes in developers' local environments & the build systems. This results in:
- Inconsistent build environments: Developers need to manually upgrade their tools to match the requirements of each WaveMaker version.
- Increased setup time: Setting up and maintaining the right environment for builds becomes time-consuming.
Similarly, deploying WaveMaker applications on Tomcat servers introduces challenges such as:
- Ensuring secure configurations for Tomcat.
- Optimizing Tomcat settings to enhance application performance.
These challenges are not unique to WaveMaker and are common across many UI frameworks. However, we recognize the importance of providing tailored solutions to make your journey with WaveMaker seamless.
The Solution: Docker Images
To overcome these challenges, we are thrilled to introduce two specialized Docker images that streamline the entire process:
- WaveMaker App-Builder Docker Image
- WaveMaker App-Runtime-Tomcat Docker Image
Here’s how they help:
1. Standardized Build Environments
Our Docker images come pre-configured with the correct Node.js and npm versions for each WaveMaker release. This eliminates the need for developers to manually manage their local environments, ensuring:
- Consistency across development teams.
- Faster onboarding for new developers.
- Simplified environment upgrades.
2. Simplified Deployment with Optimized Tomcat Configuration
Deploying WaveMaker applications on Tomcat is now more straightforward. The deployment Docker image includes:
- Pre-configured secure settings for Tomcat.
- Performance optimizations tailored for WaveMaker applications.
- An out-of-the-box solution that minimizes manual intervention during deployment.
These images provide an all-in-one containerized solution, simplifying the build and deployment of microservices-enabled WaveMaker applications.
Meet the New WaveMaker Docker Images
WaveMaker App-Builder Docker Image
The App-Builder Docker image is purpose-built to streamline the application build process in a containerized environment, with all essential tools and libraries pre-installed. Available on Docker Hub, it includes Node, npm, Maven, and Java, making it easy to compile and package WaveMaker applications without any additional setup.
This containerized setup ensures a fully isolated and consistent build environment, yielding reliable results across development and production. After the build, this image produces a ready-to-deploy WAR file, seamlessly prepared for the deployment stage.
WaveMaker App-Runtime-Tomcat Docker Image
Built on the Tomcat server, the App-Runtime-Tomcat Docker image is optimized for deploying WaveMaker applications with ease and reliability. Also available on Docker Hub, it’s designed to work directly with the WAR files generated by the App-Builder image, providing a stable production environment for application runtime.
This setup ensures a reliable, WaveMaker-ready environment that simplifies deployment.
Why Use Both Images?
Together, the App-Builder and App-Runtime-Tomcat images provide a complete, containerized CI/CD pipeline for WaveMaker applications. The App-Builder image ensures an isolated, consistent build environment, while the App-Runtime-Tomcat image delivers a standardized runtime, making deployment smooth and compatible. This two-image strategy simplifies build and deployment, enhances reliability, and supports micro-services architectures effectively.
Ready to Transform Your Development Workflow?
Begin utilizing the WaveMaker App-Builder and App-Runtime-Tomcat Docker images today to simplify your workflow, save time, and concentrate on what truly matters—creating outstanding applications.
With the default Dockerfile included in your WaveMaker application starting from WaveMaker Release 11.10 (scheduled to be released on 27th Jan 2025), these two images will be seamlessly integrated for a hassle-free setup as soon as they become available.
Check out the reference document to get started.
Explore these images on Docker Hub and enhance your WaveMaker deployment process with ease.