--- title: Container Images product: vercel url: /docs/functions/container-images canonical_url: "https://vercel.com/docs/functions/container-images" last_updated: 2026-07-07 type: how-to prerequisites: - /docs/functions related: - /docs/container-registry - /docs/functions/usage-and-pricing - /docs/cli/deploy - /docs/git - /docs/services summary: Deploy OCI container images with a Dockerfile or Containerfile on Vercel Functions. install_vercel_plugin: npx plugins add vercel/vercel-plugin --- # Container Images > **🔒 Permissions Required**: Container Images ## Related pages > **For AI agents:** Follow these links to understand how this page connects to the rest of the Vercel ecosystem. For the full cross-link map (inbound, outbound, prerequisites, and semantic neighbors), see the .graph.md link below. - [Does Vercel support Docker deployments?](https://vercel.com/kb/guide/does-vercel-support-docker-deployments?from=related&source_path=%2Fdocs%2Ffunctions%2Fcontainer-images&source_site=vercel-docs&relationship=related) — Vercel supports deploying OCI-compatible container images through Vercel Functions and Vercel Container Registry, with A - [Bring your Dockerfile to Vercel Functions](https://vercel.com/changelog/bring-your-dockerfile-to-vercel-functions?from=related&source_path=%2Fdocs%2Ffunctions%2Fcontainer-images&source_site=vercel-docs&relationship=related) - [Node.js 20 is being deprecated on October 1, 2026](https://vercel.com/changelog/node-js-20-is-being-deprecated?from=related&source_path=%2Fdocs%2Ffunctions%2Fcontainer-images&source_site=vercel-docs&relationship=related) - [Can I get a fixed IP address for my Vercel deployments?](https://vercel.com/kb/guide/can-i-get-a-fixed-ip-address?from=related&source_path=%2Fdocs%2Ffunctions%2Fcontainer-images&source_site=vercel-docs&relationship=related) — Vercel deployments use dynamic IPs by default. Learn how Static IPs, Secure Compute, and AWS PrivateLink give you a fixe - [Deploy Go apps on Vercel using Docker](https://vercel.com/kb/guide/deploy-go-using-docker-vercel?from=related&source_path=%2Fdocs%2Ffunctions%2Fcontainer-images&source_site=vercel-docs&relationship=related) — Deploy an existing Dockerized Go app to Vercel using Memos as a real-world example, with Neon Postgres for durable data. - [Deploy a Node.js Fastify app on Vercel with Docker](https://vercel.com/kb/guide/deploy-nodejs-on-vercel-with-docker?from=related&source_path=%2Fdocs%2Ffunctions%2Fcontainer-images&source_site=vercel-docs&relationship=related) — Build a Node.js application with Fastify and Docker, then deploy it to Vercel Functions. Learn how to configure environm - [How Docker Compose concepts map to Vercel](https://vercel.com/kb/guide/docker-compose-concepts-on-vercel?from=related&source_path=%2Fdocs%2Ffunctions%2Fcontainer-images&source_site=vercel-docs&relationship=related) — Translate your Docker Compose file to Vercel: Compose services become Vercel Services, networks become bindings, and vol - [Run any Dockerfile on Vercel](https://vercel.com/blog/dockerfile-on-vercel?from=related&source_path=%2Fdocs%2Ffunctions%2Fcontainer-images&source_site=vercel-docs&relationship=related) - [Container Registry limits and pricing](https://vercel.com/docs/container-registry/limits-and-pricing?from=related&source_path=%2Fdocs%2Ffunctions%2Fcontainer-images&source_site=vercel-docs&relationship=related) — Storage pricing, size limits, plan limits, and compatibility limits for Vercel Container Registry. - [Vercel Documentation Sitemap](https://vercel.com/docs/sitemap.md?from=related&source_path=%2Fdocs%2Ffunctions%2Fcontainer-images&source_site=vercel-docs&relationship=related) — Browse Vercel documentation pages with summaries, prerequisites, and topics. Full cross-link map for this page: [/docs/functions/container-images.graph.md](/docs/functions/container-images.graph.md?from=related&source_path=%2Fdocs%2Ffunctions%2Fcontainer-images&source_site=vercel-docs&relationship=graph) Vercel Functions can run Open Container Initiative (OCI) compatible container images stored in [Vercel Container Registry (VCR)](/docs/container-registry). Functions scale up and down automatically based on demand, and use [Active CPU](/docs/functions/usage-and-pricing) pricing. You are only billed for CPU when your code is actively running, not while waiting for I/O or sleeping. ## Usage ### Dockerfile Get started by creating a `Dockerfile.vercel` (or `Containerfile.vercel`) file placed at the root of your project. Vercel automatically detects these files and adds a rewrite rule to route all traffic to the container image: #### \['Node.js and srvx dynamic server' ```docker filename="Dockerfile.vercel" FROM node:26-alpine RUN npm i -g srvx WORKDIR /app COPY server.ts . # srvx listens on $PORT by default CMD ["srvx", "--prod"] ``` ```ts filename="server.ts" export default { fetch(req: Request) { return Response.json({ ip: req.headers.get("x-forwarded-for") }) } } ``` #### 'Nginx static server'] ```docker filename="Dockerfile.vercel" FROM nginx:alpine COPY . /usr/share/nginx/html ``` ```html filename="index.html"

Hello from Vercel Functions running a custom OCI image!

``` Deploy your application using the [Vercel CLI](/docs/cli/deploy) or by pushing to a [Git repository](/docs/git). During the build step, the image will be built and pushed to [VCR](/docs/container-registry). You can also develop and test locally using `vercel dev`. This requires the `docker` CLI and Docker daemon to be available on your machine. ### Services You can use [services](/docs/services) to deploy multiple applications, backends or frontends, within the same Vercel project. Traffic is routed to the correct service with the `rewrites` configuration: ```json {5,9} filename="vercel.json" { "services": { "frontend": { "root": "frontend/", "entrypoint": "Dockerfile.vercel" }, "backend": { "root": "backend/", "entrypoint": "Dockerfile.vercel" } }, "rewrites": [ { "source": "/api/(.*)", "destination": { "service": "backend" } }, { "source": "/(.*)", "destination": { "service": "frontend" } } ] } ``` ```docker filename="frontend/Dockerfile.vercel" FROM nginx:alpine ... ``` ```docker filename="backend/Dockerfile.vercel" FROM node:26-alpine ... ``` Set the `entrypoint` key to the path of your dockerfile, relative to the service's `root`, for each service that uses a custom container image. See [services](/docs/services) for more information on configuring services. ## Observability You can view [runtime logs](/docs/functions/logs) from the container's `stdout` and `stderr` streams. Because these logs are not tied to a specific request, they are broadcast to all inflight requests of the instance. [Vercel Observability](/docs/observability) metrics are available like any regular Vercel Function. ## Port resolution Vercel Functions running container images are expected to open an HTTP server to receive traffic on. The default port is `80`, and it can be overridden by setting the `PORT` [environment variable](/docs/environment-variables) in the project settings. ## Scale in behavior Functions not receiving any traffic for 5 minutes in production environments, and 30 seconds in preview environments, will automatically scale down. When a function instance is scaled down, the container receives a `SIGTERM` signal with a 30 seconds grace period to clean up before being forcefully terminated. Learn more about the [`SIGTERM` signal](/docs/functions/functions-api-reference#sigterm-signal). ## Limits and pricing The same [limits](/docs/functions/limitations) and [Active CPU pricing model](/docs/functions/usage-and-pricing) of Vercel Functions apply to custom container images. [Secure Compute](/docs/networking/secure-compute) and [Static IPs](/docs/networking/static-ips) are not yet supported with custom container images. ## Related - [Vercel Functions](/docs/functions) - [Vercel Container Registry](/docs/container-registry) - [Container Images Demo template](https://vercel.com/templates/container-images/container-images-demo) --- [View full sitemap](/docs/sitemap)