Running a simple ASP.NET 4.7.2 Framework Web application on Docker

This guide walks you through to building a simple Docker Windows Server Core container running the latest 1803 version that comes with a lot of enhancements (such as: half in size :), networking improvements, etc.). The good thing is that the dotnet framework SDK image on Docker Hub with tag 4.7.2-sdk-windowsservercore-1803 already allows room for us to target either 4.0, 4.5.2, 4.6.2 or 4.7.2 to build our app, you can read more about it here. We can run this on the image microsoft/aspnet:4.7.2-windowsservercore-1803.

Follow these steps to run

1. File -> New -> Project
2. Select ASP.NET Framework
   • Target any .NET Frameworks from this list - 4.0, 4.5.2, 4.6.2, 4.7.2
3. Create a simple Dockerfile similar to the sample here

FROM microsoft/dotnet-framework:4.7.2-sdk-windowsservercore-1803 AS build
WORKDIR /app

# copy csproj and restore as distinct layers
COPY *.sln .
COPY <path-to>/*.csproj ./<path-to>/
COPY <path-to>/*.config ./<path-to>/
RUN nuget restore

# copy everything else and build app
COPY <path-to>/. ./<path-to>/
WORKDIR /app/<path-to>
RUN msbuild /p:Configuration=Release


FROM microsoft/aspnet:4.7.2-windowsservercore-1803 AS runtime
WORKDIR /inetpub/wwwroot
COPY --from=build /app/<path-to>/. ./

4. Run docker build --pull -t <docker image name> . in the CLI to build a docker image
   • Make sure you have set Docker to run Windows containers
5. Run docker run --rm -it -p 8000:80 <docker image name> in the CLI to run the docker container
6. Follow this guide to view the ASP.NET app in a running container on Windows or follow the steps below:
   • Open up another command prompt.
   • Check the name of the conatiner by running docker ps and look at the CONTAINER ID or NAMES section that maps to your conatiner image
   • Run docker exec <container name> ipconfig
   • Copy the container IP address and paste into your browser (for example, 172.29.245.43).

References

1. Dockerfile for 4.7.2-windowsservercore-1803 SDK
2. View the ASP.NET app in a running container on Windows
3. dotnet framework on docker hub
4. ASP.NET on docker hub