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Go Development Environment with Docker Compose and Air

Setting Up a Go Development Environment with Docker Compose and Air

Docker Compose provides a streamlined way to manage multi-container applications, while Air enhances the development workflow by enabling hot reloading for Go applications. In this guide, we will break down how to create a Go development setup using Docker Compose and Air, based on an improved setup.

Dockerfile

# Specify the base image
FROM --platform=linux/arm64 golang:1.23.4-alpine

WORKDIR /app

# Install essential utilities
RUN apk add --no-cache git bash

# Set the GOPATH and include it in the PATH
ENV GOPATH=/go
ENV PATH=$GOPATH/bin:/usr/local/go/bin:$PATH

# Install Air for hot reloading
RUN go install github.com/air-verse/air@latest

# Copy the project files into the container
COPY . .

# Set the default command to run the application using Air
CMD ["air"]

Docker Compose Configuration (`docker-compose.yml`)

version: '3.8'
services:
  app:
    build:
      context: .
      dockerfile: Dockerfile
    ports:
      - "8080:8080"
    volumes:
      - .:/app
    command: air
    environment:
      - GOPATH=/go
      - PATH=/go/bin:/usr/local/go/bin:$PATH

Benefits of Using Docker Compose with Air

Simplified Management: Single command to start and stop services.
Hot Reloading: Automatically reloads the application when code changes are detected.
Consistent Development Environment: Same setup across all team members.

Running the Setup

Build and Start the Project:
```
docker-compose up --build
```
Access the Application:
- Visit http://localhost:8080

Useful Links

Conclusion

This improved setup ensures a modern, efficient Go development environment using Docker Compose and Air. The hot reloading feature provided by Air makes the development process faster and more efficient.

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