LOCAL_DEV_ENV.md

How to build and test images locally

Prerequisites

• Install and run Docker Desktop. Make sure it is running Windows containers.
• Install BcContainerHelper PS module (latest available version). Install-Module BCContainerHelper -AllowPrerelease would do.

Build a new image locally

If you want to build a new docker image locally you can use the build.ps1 script. The following will produce a new docker image based on Windows Server Core 2025.

    $GenericTag = "1.2.3.4"
    $baseImage = "mcr.microsoft.com/dotnet/framework/runtime:4.8.1-windowsservercore-ltsc2025"
    $imageName = ./build/build.ps1 -BaseImage $baseImage -LtscTag 'ltsc2025' -FilesOnly $false -Only24 $false -GenericTag $GenericTag

If you'd rather use a different base image, you can also use one of the following:

• mcr.microsoft.com/dotnet/framework/runtime:4.8-windowsservercore-ltsc2016
• mcr.microsoft.com/dotnet/framework/runtime:4.8-windowsservercore-ltsc2019
• mcr.microsoft.com/dotnet/framework/runtime:4.8.1-windowsservercore-ltsc2022
• mcr.microsoft.com/dotnet/framework/runtime:4.8.1-windowsservercore-ltsc2025

Create a docker container with the image

Once you have a local image you can use New-BCContainer to spin up a Business Central container that uses your image.

    New-BcContainer -accept_eula -accept_insiderEula -containerName "MyTestContainer" -artifactUrl (Get-BCArtifactUrl -select NextMajor -accept_insiderEula -country W1) -useGenericImage $imageName