I'm setting up a multi-service application using Docker, and I need to pass API keys, database passwords, and tokens to my containers. I know embedding these directly in the Dockerfile or docker run commands is a bad practice, but what are the recommended alternatives?
Environment Variables vs. Secrets
I've seen environment variables used frequently, but I'm worried they might be exposed in docker inspect output. On the other hand, Docker Swarm and Kubernetes offer dedicated secret management. For a standalone Docker setup without orchestration, is there a built-in way to keep sensitive data out of plain sight, or should I rely on external tools?
Also, how does this approach differ when using docker-compose versus a production registry like Docker Hub? I want to make sure I'm not accidentally leaking credentials during the build or push process.
