---
# System prepended metadata

title: Setting up a Docker Container for an Authentication Application

---

# Setting up a Docker Container for an Authentication Application
Docker is a powerful tool for creating, deploying, and running applications in containers. Containers are lightweight, portable, and self-sufficient, which makes them ideal for running applications in a variety of environments. In this article, we'll show you how to set up a Docker container for an authentication application.

## Installing Docker
First, you'll need to install Docker on your machine. You can download the appropriate version for your operating system from the Docker website. Once Docker is installed, you can begin creating your container.

## Creating a Dockerfile
To create a container, you'll first need to create a Dockerfile. This file contains instructions for building the container, including what image to use and what commands to run. Here's an example of a basic Dockerfile for an authentication application:

```
FROM node:14

WORKDIR /app

COPY package.json .
RUN npm install

COPY . .

CMD ["npm", "start"]
```
This Dockerfile starts with the node:14 image, which is a base image that includes Node.js 14. It then sets the working directory to /app and copies the package.json file into the container. It runs the command npm install to install the dependencies for the application. Finally, it copies all the other files and runs the command npm start to start the application.

## Building the Container
To build the container, you can run the following command:

`docker build -t my-auth-app .`
This command will build the container and tag it with the name "my-auth-app".

## Running the Container
Once the container is built, you can run it using the following command:

`docker run -p 3000:3000 my-auth-app`
This command will start the container and map port 3000 on the host to port 3000 in the container.

At this point, your authentication application should be up and running. However, it's not very convenient to have to set up and manage your own containers. That's where Ory Network comes in!

## Ory Network
Ory Network is a platform that makes it easy to host your authentication application. With Ory Network, you can focus on building and improving your application, while we take care of the rest. Sign up for Ory Network today and let us take the hassle out of hosting your authentication application!