# Docker Best Practices for Python Applications
Docker has revolutionized how we deploy Python applications. Here are the essential best practices.
## Multi-Stage Builds
Use multi-stage builds to reduce image size:
```dockerfile
# Build stage
FROM python:3.12-slim as builder
WORKDIR /app
COPY requirements.txt .
RUN pip install --no-cache-dir -r requirements.txt
# Production stage
FROM python:3.12-slim
WORKDIR /app
COPY --from=builder /usr/local/lib/python3.12/site-packages /usr/local/lib/python3.12/site-packages
COPY . .
CMD ["python", "app.py"]
```
## Security Considerations
1. **Use official base images**
2. **Run as non-root user**
3. **Scan for vulnerabilities**
4. **Keep dependencies updated**
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