This document provides an introduction to Cloud Native Buildpacks (CNB). It discusses the key concepts of CNB including stacks, builders, buildpacks, and the build process. It also highlights some of the benefits of using CNB such as composability, smart caching, and easy rebasing. Resources for learning more about CNB are provided at the end.

1. CLOUD NATIVE BUILDPACKS.

2. ● Zander Mackie
● VMware (Pivotal) 2+ years
● OSS Contributor for a while
● Lots of weird jobs before
software (cheesemaker, etc.)
● (That isn’t me with the fish)

3. Disclaimer
● Introductory talk
● Docker != required
● Please dig more

4. Agenda
● Vocab
● CN Buildpacks
● Why
● Resources

5. App
OS
bit
$ENV
node_m
odules

7. 2011 2013 2015 2018 2020
1.0? +
YOU!

8. The big picture
stack
build image run image
build image
lifecycle
buildpack C
buildpack B
buildpack A
builder image
</>
source
run image
...
dependencies
app
app image
platform

9. DEMO TIME!
● Built App (pack build)
● Ran App (docker run)
● Modified app
● Rebuilt (pack build)
● Re-ran app (docker run)

10. </>
source Container
Image

11. App image is fully...
● Runnable
● Reproducible
● Deployable
OS
app
dependencies

12. Anatomy of a Buildpack
/detect
● Runs against source to determine buildpack applicability
● Examples:
○ A Java CNB might look for .java files or a .jar
○ An NPM CNB might look for package.json
/build
● Downloads build-time and run-time dependencies
● Compiles source (if needed)
● Sets launch command

13. Stacks & builders
Stack: two images that provide...
● Build-time environment
● Run-time environment (OS)
build image
run image
stack
Builder: context for building
● Buildpack binaries
● Public builders by VMw &
Heroku
● pack suggest-builders
build image
lifecycle
buildpack C
buildpack B
buildpack A

14. The big picture
stack
build image run image
build image
lifecycle
buildpack C
buildpack B
buildpack A
builder image
</>
source
run image
...
dependencies
app
app image
platform
Role of a platform
● Execute each lifecycle phase in order
(instance of builder image per phase)
● Examples: pack, kpack, Tekton template

16. Dockerfile Best Practices
https://docs.docker.com/develop/develop-images/dockerfile_best-practices/
● Create ephemeral containers
● Understand build context
● Pipe Dockerfile through stdin
○ Build an image using a dockerfile from stdin, without sending build context
○ Build from a local build context, using a dockerfile from stdin
○ Build from a remote build context, using a dockerfile from stdin
● Exclude with .dockerignore
● Use multi-stage builds
● Don’t install unnecessary packages
● Decouple applications
● Minimize the number of layers
● Sort multi-line arguments
● Leverage build cache

17. . . . WAT?

19. Why use Cloud Native Buildpacks?
● Focus on providing value for end users
● Composable (python + bash + java)
● Build any app with the same set of buildpacks (no custom needed)
● Only rebuild layers that have changed (smart caching)
● Rebasing without rebuild (plop your app on a new base layer)

20. Resources
● Buildpacks.io
○ Docs
○ Tutorials
● Slack: slack.buildpacks.io
● GitHub – stars welcome ;)
○ Lots of examples: github.com/buildpacks/samples
○ Pack CLI: github.com/buildpacks/pack
○ CNB Specification: github.com/buildpacks/spec
● WG Meetings: Wed. 3-4, Thurs. 2-3 (EST).
○ Reach out on slack to get added. Working on public calendar + recordings.
● Twitter: @buildpacks_io