Next.js Docker build fails (works locally) – Alpine + next.config.ts

Question

I’m seeing a Docker-only build failure with Next.js:
Setup
Next.js 16 (with next.config.ts)
Node 20
Docker multi-stage build
ECS (Linux)
Base image: node:20-alpine
Behavior
✅ next build works locally
❌ Fails during Docker build with:
Failed to load next.config.ts
Error: No prebuild or local build of @parcel/watcher found
Tried @parcel/watcher-linux-x64-musl
Notes
Happens only inside Docker
I already tried libc6-compat
Looks like a musl vs glibc / native dependency issue
Error surfaces while loading next.config.ts
Questions
Is Alpine unsupported / risky for Next.js builds due to native deps?
Is switching to node:*-slim the recommended fix for ECS?
Any known best practices here?
Appreciate any insights 🙏

"dependencies": {
"@headlessui/react": "^2.2.9",
"@reduxjs/toolkit": "^2.11.0",
"axios": "^1.13.2",
"embla-carousel-auto-scroll": "^8.6.0",
"embla-carousel-autoplay": "^8.6.0",
"embla-carousel-react": "^8.6.0",
"newrelic": "^13.8.1",
"next": "^16.0.1",
"next-auth": "^4.24.11",
"next-intl": "^4.0.0",
"react": "^19.2.0",
"react-dom": "^19.2.1",
"react-loading-skeleton": "^3.5.0",
"react-redux": "^9.2.0",
"react-toastify": "^11.0.5",
"tailwindcss-rtl": "^0.9.0"
},
"devDependencies": {
"@commitlint/cli": "^20.1.0",
"@commitlint/config-conventional": "^20.0.0",
"@eslint/eslintrc": "^3.1.0",
"@playwright/test": "^1.51.1",
"@tailwindcss/postcss": "^4",
"@types/lodash": "^4.17.5",
"@types/node": "^20.14.5",
"@types/react": "^19.2.0",
"@types/react-dom": "^19.2.3",
"@types/newrelic": "^9.14.8",
"commitlint": "^20.1.0",
"eslint": "^9.38.0",
"eslint-config-next": "^16.0.1",
"husky": "^9.1.7",
"lint-staged": "^16.2.6",
"prettier": "^3.6.2",
"tailwindcss": "^4",
"typescript": "^5.9.3"
},

Poodle · Answer

Alpine + native Node dependencies = pain. The @parcel/watcher issue is because Alpine uses musl libc, not glibc, and the prebuilt binaries don't exist for musl.Two fixes:Option 1: Switch to slim (recommended)FROM node:20-slimUses glibc, prebuilt binaries work out of the box. This is the safer choice for Next.js builds with native deps.Option 2: Stay on Alpine but install build toolsFROM node:20-alpine
RUN apk add --no-cache python3 make g++ libc6-compatThis lets npm compile native deps from source, but adds build time and image size.My recommendation: Just use node:20-slim for your build stage. Alpine is great for tiny images but not worth the native dependency headaches with Next.js. The size difference is minimal compared to the debugging pain.Your ECS deployment will thank you.

Next.js Docker build fails (works locally) – Alpine + next.config.ts

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