nethost/node is a minimal, production-ready container base image for Node.js applications, built from and fully compatible with Google’s distroless nodejs-debian12 images.
This image includes only the essential runtime environment for Node.js (without shell, package managers, or debugging tools) and is perfect for secure, lightweight, and modern cloud-native deployments.
- Ultra lightweight: Images are only a few MB, enabling fast pulls and container startup.
- Maximum security: No shell, no package manager, no debugging tools – reduces vulnerabilities and attack surface.
- LTS versions: Built for Node.js 24, 22, and 20, covering current and recent LTS releases.
- Cloud-native ready: Ideal for Kubernetes, serverless, CI/CD pipelines, and production workloads.
nethost/node:24nethost/node:22nethost/node:20
All tags correspond directly to the matching distroless nodejsXX-debian12 images.
Assuming your Node.js project is built and you want to run app.js:
# Stage 1: Build your app (if needed)
FROM nethost/node:24-builder AS builder
WORKDIR /app
COPY . .
RUN npm install && npm run build
# Stage 2: Minimal runtime
FROM nethost/node:24
WORKDIR /app
COPY --from=builder /app /app
CMD ["app.js"]- All application logs should go to stdout/stderr for best container practice.
- These images do not include a shell (
sh/bash), package managers (npm/yarn), or debugging tools. - All dependencies (including
node_modulesand config files) should be installed during the build phase and copied in. - For troubleshooting, use a debug sidecar container or ephemeral containers provided by your orchestrator.
- Production deployment of Node.js microservices
- Environments with strict security or supply chain requirements
- Any workflow demanding minimal image size and fast startup
These images are fully compatible with and follow the licensing of Google’s distroless nodejs-debian images.