dockerfile when the repository already contains a Dockerfile, or when the build needs credentials through BuildKit’s protected secret path. Towbar builds the committed revision, then runs the resulting image on the selected server.
Example manifest
This is the validated example from the Towbarexamples/platform-modes project. Replace the documentation IP, domain, and image choices with values for your environment.
.towbar/apps/dockerfile.app.yml
Configure it
The example builds onlyexamples/platform-modes/node-app and selects its runtime stage. context limits the files sent to Docker; dockerfile points to the file in that context. Keep both paths inside the repository checkout. The declared container.port and health.path describe the result after build.
If this app needs private packages during build, declare a build secret name in the app manifest and use a BuildKit secret mount in the Dockerfile. Do not put credentials in build arguments or a committed file. A cache is workload-scoped unless an authorized shared cache.scope is configured.
Map the named environment to a branch, register and prepare its server, then sync the repository. Start with a manual deployment and verify the running service before opting into automation. See Application manifest for shared fields and Deployment modes to compare modes.