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Dockerizing a Remotion app

We recommend the following structure for your Dockerfile. Read below about the individual steps and whether you need to adjust them.

Dockerfile
docker
FROM debian:bookworm
RUN apt-get update
RUN apt-get install -y nodejs="18.13.0+dfsg1-1" npm="9.2.0~ds1-1" ffmpeg="7:5.1.2-3" chromium="111.0.5563.110-1"
# Copy everything from your project to the Docker image. Adjust if needed.
COPY package.json package*.json yarn.lock* pnpm-lock.yaml* tsconfig.json* remotion.config.* ./
COPY src ./src
COPY public ./public
# Specify the location of the Chromium browser
ENV PUPPETEER_EXECUTABLE_PATH=/usr/bin/chromium
# Install the right package manager and dependencies - see below for Yarn/PNPM
RUN npm i
# Run your application
COPY render.mjs render.mjs
CMD ["node", "render.mjs"]
Dockerfile
docker
FROM debian:bookworm
RUN apt-get update
RUN apt-get install -y nodejs="18.13.0+dfsg1-1" npm="9.2.0~ds1-1" ffmpeg="7:5.1.2-3" chromium="111.0.5563.110-1"
# Copy everything from your project to the Docker image. Adjust if needed.
COPY package.json package*.json yarn.lock* pnpm-lock.yaml* tsconfig.json* remotion.config.* ./
COPY src ./src
COPY public ./public
# Specify the location of the Chromium browser
ENV PUPPETEER_EXECUTABLE_PATH=/usr/bin/chromium
# Install the right package manager and dependencies - see below for Yarn/PNPM
RUN npm i
# Run your application
COPY render.mjs render.mjs
CMD ["node", "render.mjs"]
note

Click here to see an example for a render.mjs script you can use.

note

This Dockerfile is unable to render WebGL content. Suggestions on how to improve the Dockerfile to support it are welcomed.

Line-by-line​

1
Specify the base image for the Dockerfile. In this case, we use Debian. It is recommended to pin the version to prevent unexpected changes in the future,

docker
FROM debian:bookworm-20230320-slim
docker
FROM debian:bookworm-20230320-slim

2
Update the package lists on the Debian system.

docker
RUN apt-get update
docker
RUN apt-get update

3
Download Remotion's dependencies: Node.JS (with NPM), FFmpeg and Chromium. We pin the versions to minimize chance of future breakage.

docker
RUN apt-get install -y nodejs="18.13.0+dfsg1-1" npm="9.2.0~ds1-1" ffmpeg="7:5.1.2-3" chromium="111.0.5563.110-1"
docker
RUN apt-get install -y nodejs="18.13.0+dfsg1-1" npm="9.2.0~ds1-1" ffmpeg="7:5.1.2-3" chromium="111.0.5563.110-1"

4
Copy the files from your project. If you have additional source files, add them here. If some files do not exist, remove them. The COPY syntax allows multiple files, but at least one file must exist. It is assumed package.json, src and public exist in your project, but you can adjust this to your needs.

docker
COPY package.json package*.json yarn.lock* pnpm-lock.yaml* tsconfig.json* remotion.config.* ./
COPY src ./src
COPY public ./public
docker
COPY package.json package*.json yarn.lock* pnpm-lock.yaml* tsconfig.json* remotion.config.* ./
COPY src ./src
COPY public ./public

5
Tell Remotion where the Chromium executable is located.

docker
ENV PUPPETEER_EXECUTABLE_PATH=/usr/bin/chromium
docker
ENV PUPPETEER_EXECUTABLE_PATH=/usr/bin/chromium
note

If you are on Remotion v3.3.81 or higher, you don't need this line.

6
Install the right package manager and dependencies.

  • If you use NPM, put the following in your Dockerfile:

    docker
    RUN npm i
    docker
    RUN npm i

  • If you use Yarn or PNPM, add the packageManager field to your package.json (example: "packageManager": "pnpm@7.7.1") and remove the npm line from step 3. Then put following in your Dockerfile:

    If you use PNPM
    docker
    RUN corepack enable
    RUN pnpm i
    If you use PNPM
    docker
    RUN corepack enable
    RUN pnpm i
    If you use Yarn
    docker
    RUN corepack enable
    RUN yarn
    If you use Yarn
    docker
    RUN corepack enable
    RUN yarn

7
Run your code. It can be a CLI command or a Node.JS app.

docker
COPY render.mjs render.mjs
CMD ["node", "render.mjs"]
docker
COPY render.mjs render.mjs
CMD ["node", "render.mjs"]

Example render script​

render.mjs
js
import { bundle } from "@remotion/bundler";
import { getCompositions, renderMedia } from "@remotion/renderer";
import { createRequire } from "node:module";
const require = createRequire(import.meta.url);
const bundled = await bundle({
  entryPoint: require.resolve("./src/index.ts"),
  // If you have a Webpack override, make sure to import it here
  webpackOverride: (config) => config,
});
const compositions = await getCompositions(bundled);
const composition = compositions[0];
console.log("Starting to render composition", composition.id);
await renderMedia({
  codec: "h264",
  composition,
  serveUrl: bundled,
  outputLocation: `out/${composition.id}.mp4`,
});
console.log(`Rendered composition ${composition.id}.`);
render.mjs
js
import { bundle } from "@remotion/bundler";
import { getCompositions, renderMedia } from "@remotion/renderer";
import { createRequire } from "node:module";
const require = createRequire(import.meta.url);
const bundled = await bundle({
  entryPoint: require.resolve("./src/index.ts"),
  // If you have a Webpack override, make sure to import it here
  webpackOverride: (config) => config,
});
const compositions = await getCompositions(bundled);
const composition = compositions[0];
console.log("Starting to render composition", composition.id);
await renderMedia({
  codec: "h264",
  composition,
  serveUrl: bundled,
  outputLocation: `out/${composition.id}.mp4`,
});
console.log(`Rendered composition ${composition.id}.`);

Building the Docker image​

Run

sh
docker build -t remotion-app .
sh
docker build -t remotion-app .

to build a Docker image called remotion-app.
Use the following command to run the image:

sh
docker run remotion-app
sh
docker run remotion-app

Changelog​

April 3rd, 2023: Changed the Alpine Docker image to a Debian one, since the versions of Alpine packages cannot be pinned. This makes the Debian one less likely to break.