What is the role of the ".dockerignore" file in the Docker image build process, and how can it help optimize build times?

Similarly to a ".gitignore" file, the ".dockerignore" file specifies which files and directories should be excluded from the build context, preventing unnecessary files from being included in the image.

By excluding these files, you reduce the image size of the build context, resulting in faster image builds and smaller final image sizes. So, to use ".dockerignore" effectively, list all the files and directories that don't contribute to the application's runtime, but are still present in the project directory. Typically, these exclusions include development files, logs, and cache directories.