Build only option?

[ofir-petrushka]

We can either build or run the containers defined in docker-compose.
But can we have some images which are only for build since others relay on them but we don't want to actually run them?

Example:

Base container (docker hub)

• language container
  • service container

So I want docker-compose build to build the "language container" to it will later be able to build the "service container" but I only want "service container" to run. I don't want docker-compose run to run "language container".

[ghost]

The section in yml file does not refer to container (nor image) but service. So it makes no sence to have build-only services.
But compose can be more useful for development if I can point service to my image build system to provide image for it. Or if there was a way to include one to compose it self.

For now I recommend use image tag and build them by your self.

[dnephin]

There are a bunch of issues related to this (#942, #1284, etc). Going to close as a duplicate.

Also keep an eye on #1417 which should provide a better definition for what is "in scope" for compose.