Windsurf
integration
Dockerfile Missing System Dependencies in Windsurf Project
Your Windsurf-generated Dockerfile builds fail or the container crashes at runtime because system-level dependencies are missing. Node.js native modules like sharp, canvas, bcrypt, or puppeteer require system packages (libvips, libc, chromium) that aren't installed in the Docker image.
Cascade generates a Dockerfile that works for pure JavaScript apps but doesn't account for native dependencies. The build may fail during npm install when compiling native modules, or worse, it may build successfully but crash at runtime when the native module is first loaded.
This is especially common when deploying to production for the first time after developing locally, where system dependencies were already present on the development machine.
Error Messages You Might See
Error: Cannot find module 'sharp'
Error: libvips.so.42: cannot open shared object file
Error: Failed to launch the browser process (Puppeteer)
gyp ERR! build error - native module compilation failed
Error: /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libm.so.6: version 'GLIBC_2.29' not found
Common Causes
- Sharp requires libvips — The sharp image processing library needs libvips and its dependencies installed at the OS level
- Puppeteer needs Chromium — Puppeteer requires a Chromium installation with many system libraries (libx11, libgbm, libnss3, etc.)
- Canvas requires build tools — The node-canvas package needs build-essential, libcairo2-dev, libpango1.0-dev, and libjpeg-dev
- bcrypt requires compilation tools — Native bcrypt (not bcryptjs) needs python3 and build-essential to compile during npm install
- Alpine image too minimal — Cascade used node:alpine which is missing many libraries. Some packages need the full node:slim or node:bookworm image
- Multi-stage build drops dependencies — A multi-stage Dockerfile installs deps in the build stage but doesn't copy the system libraries to the runtime stage
How to Fix It
- Identify which native modules you use — Check package.json for sharp, canvas, bcrypt, puppeteer, better-sqlite3, or other packages that compile native code
- Add apt-get install for each dependency — Add a RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y [packages] layer before npm install. Each native module documents its required system packages
- Use node:slim instead of node:alpine — Alpine uses musl libc which causes issues with many native modules. node:slim (Debian-based) has better compatibility
- Copy system libraries in multi-stage builds — If using multi-stage, COPY --from=builder /usr/lib/ and other library paths needed by native modules
- Use pre-built binaries where possible — Sharp and bcrypt offer pre-built binaries for common platforms. Ensure your Dockerfile platform matches and npm can download them
- Test the Docker build locally — Run docker build and docker run locally before deploying. Test the specific features that use native modules
Real developers can help you.
Anthony Akpan
Developer with 8 years of experience building softwares fro startups
Milan Surelia
Milan Surelia is a Mobile App Developer with 5+ years of experience crafting scalable, cross-platform apps at 7Span and Meticha. At 7Span, he engineers feature-rich Flutter apps with smooth performance and modern UI. As the Co-Founder of Meticha, he builds open-source tools and developer-focused products that solve real-world problems.
Expertise:
💡 Developing cross-platform apps using Flutter, Dart, and Jetpack Compose for Android, iOS, and Web.
🖋️ Sharing insights through technical writing, blogging, and open-source contributions.
🤝 Collaborating closely with designers, PMs, and developers to build seamless mobile experiences.
Notable Achievements:
🎯 Revamped the Vepaar app into Vepaar Store & CRM with a 2x performance boost and smoother UX.
🚀 Launched Compose101 — a Jetpack Compose starter kit to speed up Android development.
🌟 Open source contributions on Github & StackOverflow for Flutter & Dart
🎖️ Worked on improving app performance and user experience with smart solutions.
Milan is always happy to connect, work on new ideas, and explore the latest in technology.
Matthew Jordan
I've been working at a large software company named Kainos for 2 years, and mainly specialise in Platform Engineering. I regularly enjoy working on software products outside of work, and I'm a huge fan of game development using Unity. I personally enjoy Python & C# in my spare time, but I also specialise in multiple different platform-related technologies from my day job.
Alvin Voo
I’ve watched the tech landscape evolve over the last decade—from the structured days of Java Server Pages to the current "wild west" of Agentic-driven development. While AI can "vibe" a frontend into existence, I specialize in the architecture that keeps it from collapsing.
My expertise lies in the critical backend infrastructure: the parts that must be fast, secure, and scalable. I thrive on high-pressure environments, such as when I had only three weeks to architect and launch an Ethereum redemption system with minimal prior crypto knowledge, turning it into a major revenue stream.
What I bring to your project:
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Sanity in the Age of AI: I bridge the gap between "best practices" and modern speed, ensuring your project isn't just built fast, but built to last.
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Richard McSorley
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15+ years building iOS and web apps at startups and enterprise companies. I want to use that experience to help builders ship real products - when something breaks, I'm here to fix it.
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Senior PHP/Symfony developer and DevOps engineer with 20+ years of professional experience, running opcode.pl (web development agency, est. 2004).
Day job: I'm the sole backend developer at merketing company where I own and maintain 11 PHP/Symfony microservices on AWS (ECS Fargate, RDS, S3, CloudFront), handle the full CI/CD pipeline (Bitbucket Pipelines, Docker), and manage monitoring with Sentry and CloudWatch. These services handle high request volumes in production every month.
What I bring to AI-built apps:
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Based in Poland (CET timezone). Available for async work and calls during EU/US business hours.
hanson1014
Full-stack developer experienced in fixing and deploying AI-generated apps from Lovable, Bolt.new, Cursor, and Replit. I specialize in debugging Supabase integration issues (auth flows, RLS policies, database connections), fixing broken deployments, resolving routing/blank screen problems, and cleaning up messy React/Vite codebases. I also build production apps with the Claude API and have shipped a Mac desktop dev tool (Nexterm from scratch. Based in Hong Kong, fast turnaround.
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I am a Full Stack Developer experienced in building Websites, Web apps and Cross Platform Mobile Apps for Startups and Companies.
You don't need to be technical. Just describe what's wrong and a verified developer will handle the rest.
Get HelpFrequently Asked Questions
Should I use node:alpine or node:slim for my Dockerfile?
Use node:slim (Debian-based) unless you specifically need Alpine's small size and have verified all your dependencies work on Alpine. Alpine uses musl libc instead of glibc, which breaks many native Node.js modules like sharp, canvas, and bcrypt.
Why does my app work locally but crash in Docker?
Your local machine has system libraries pre-installed (from Homebrew, apt, etc.) that your Docker image doesn't have. Docker starts with a minimal OS, so every system dependency must be explicitly installed in the Dockerfile.