Docker + Nginx config to route multiple Apps

First, lets create a network to make all the containers accesible by name.

# docker network create <network-name>
docker network create nginx-network

• Run an App1 binded to nginx-network

docker run \
  --name app1 \
  --net nginx-network \
  -d \
  -w /usr/src/app \
  -v $(pwd)/app:/usr/src/app \
  -p 3001:3000 \
  mhart/alpine-node \
  node server.js

• Run an App2 binded to nginx-network

docker run \
  --name app2 \
  --net nginx-network \
  -d \
  -w /usr/src/app \
  -v $(pwd)/app:/usr/src/app \
  -p 3002:3000 \
  mhart/alpine-node \
  node server.js

Creating a nginx config for each app, inside the conf.d

• app1 config
• app2 config

• Run nginx.

docker run \
  --name nginx \
  --net nginx-network \
  -d \
  -p 80:80 \
  -p 443:443 \
  -v $(pwd)/conf.d:/etc/nginx/conf.d:ro \
  nginx:alpine

If you add a new server, just reload the nginx server

docker exec -it nginx nginx -s reload

Test it

• Should return Nginx page

curl http://192.168.99.100

# with a DNS config

curl http://docker.dev

• Should return App1 page

curl -H "Host: app1.docker.dev" http://192.168.99.100

# or (with a DNS config)

curl http://app1.docker.dev

• Should return App2 page

curl -H "Host: app2.docker.dev" http://192.168.99.100

# or (with a DNS config)

curl http://app2.docker.dev