Building Multi-Platform Docker Images for ARM64 in GitHub Actions

Docker images package software and its dependencies into portable executables built from Dockerfiles, and growing adoption of Arm64 hardware such as AWS Graviton, Raspberry Pi devices, and Apple M-series Macs has increased the need for images supporting both AMD64 and Arm64. Docker Buildx can target these platforms with platform-specific build flags, but building Arm64 images on common x86-64 CI runners often relies on QEMU emulation, which can substantially slow builds, increase CI costs, and occasionally create compatibility problems. Native Arm64 runners avoid these limitations by executing Arm64 builds directly on matching hardware, improving speed and reliability. The discussion presents Blacksmith’s managed Arm64 GitHub Actions runners as an option for native builds, claiming lower costs than GitHub-hosted runners, and shows how a CI matrix can assign AMD64 and Arm64 builds to separate native runners before pushing architecture-specific images.

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