Containerfile

BuildKit Dockerfile Frontend

Dockerfile and Containerfile parsing in modern Docker is performed by BuildKit's Dockerfile frontend, distributed as a container image (docker/dockerfile). The frontend version is selected via the `# syntax=` directive and adds new features without requiring a BuildKit upgrade.

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API entry from apis.yml

aid: containerfile:buildkit-frontend
name: BuildKit Dockerfile Frontend
description: Dockerfile and Containerfile parsing in modern Docker is performed by BuildKit's Dockerfile
  frontend, distributed as a container image (docker/dockerfile). The frontend version is selected via
  the `# syntax=` directive and adds new features without requiring a BuildKit upgrade.
humanURL: https://github.com/moby/buildkit/blob/master/frontend/dockerfile/docs/reference.md
baseURL: https://github.com
tags:
- BuildKit
- Frontend
- Moby
properties:
- type: Documentation
  url: https://github.com/moby/buildkit/blob/master/frontend/dockerfile/docs/reference.md
- type: GitHubRepository
  url: https://github.com/moby/buildkit
- type: Reference
  url: https://hub.docker.com/r/docker/dockerfile
x-features:
- Versioned Dockerfile frontend images
- Pluggable parser via `# syntax=` directive
- Adds RUN --mount, secret, ssh, and cache features
- Used by docker buildx and BuildKit-based builders
x-useCases:
- Pinning the Dockerfile frontend version for reproducibility
- Adopting new RUN features without upgrading the daemon
- Authoring Dockerfile linting rules and tools