What are the best practices for minimizing the size of Docker images?

When deploying your Python application with Docker you can utilize several approaches. The most common method is using environment variables, which can be set differently for each environment, whether it's a development, testing, or production environment. Another approach involves using configuration files that are injected into your Docker containers during deployment. Docker Compose can be valuable for managing these settings.

You can also consider using secret management tools provided by Docker or your server/cloud platform to securely store sensitive configurations, such as API keys or database passwords, while allowing easy access for your application.