Depot Container Builds

Depot Container Builds

Use this skill when building Docker images with Depot instead of local docker build or docker buildx.

What It Owns

• depot build and depot bake usage
• multi-platform image builds
• cache behavior and remote builder tradeoffs
• registry push / load / save behavior
• debugging common Depot build failures

Core Rules

• Prefer depot build as the direct replacement for docker buildx build.
• Use --push, --load, or --save intentionally; do not assume local images exist after a remote build.
• Prefer native multi-platform builds instead of emulation when Depot supports the target architectures.
• Treat remote cache behavior as the default, not an add-on.

Typical Workflow

1. Confirm the target Dockerfile, build context, and output mode.
2. Choose whether the image should be loaded locally, pushed, or saved remotely.
3. Run the narrowest useful build command first.
4. If builds fail, debug Dockerfile issues before assuming Depot-specific problems.

Important Caveats

• Remote builds do not automatically load into the local Docker daemon.
• Provenance settings can affect registry platform metadata.
• Secrets, SSH forwarding, and registry auth should be configured explicitly.