feat: add --load flag to docker build command

[solimander]

#37 with a signed commit

[claude]

Claude finished @solimander's task —— View job

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PR Review: Add --load flag to docker build command

Todo List:

• Read the changed file to understand the modification
• Review CLAUDE.md for repo guidelines
• Analyze code quality and best practices
• Check for potential bugs or issues
• Evaluate performance considerations
• Assess security concerns
• Review test coverage needs
• Provide comprehensive feedback

Review Summary

This PR adds the --load flag to the docker buildx build command in buildDockerImage() at pkg/commands/utils/build_utils.go:343. The change ensures built images are automatically loaded into the local Docker daemon.

✅ Positives

1. Correct Implementation

• The --load flag is properly positioned in the command arguments
• Follows Docker buildx best practices for making images locally available
• Aligns with the commit message's stated goal of "local image availability"

2. Strategic Placement

• The flag is added to the right function that handles all Docker builds in the codebase
• Consistent with other buildx arguments already present (--platform, --progress=plain)

📝 Code Quality Assessment

Best Practices: ✅ Good

• Clean, minimal change that follows existing patterns
• Proper argument ordering in the command construction
• No unnecessary complexity added

Potential Issues: ⚠️ Minor Concerns

1. Missing Documentation: The change lacks inline comments explaining why --load is needed. Consider adding a brief comment:

   cmd := exec.Command("docker", "buildx", "build",
       "--platform", DockerPlatform,
       "-t", tag,
       "-f", dockerfilePath,
       "--load", // Ensure image is available in local Docker daemon
       "--progress=plain",
       buildContext,
   )

2. Context-Dependent Behavior: The --load flag forces single-platform builds and loads to local daemon. This might not be desired in all contexts (e.g., CI/CD where you only push to registry).

🔍 Technical Analysis

Performance: ✅ Neutral

• The --load flag itself doesn't significantly impact build time
• Makes images immediately available locally, potentially avoiding separate pull operations later

Security: ✅ No Concerns

• No security implications from this change
• The flag only affects local Docker daemon interaction

Compatibility: ✅ Good

• Compatible with existing buildx usage patterns
• Maintains platform specification (--platform linux/amd64)

🧪 Test Coverage

Current State: ❌ No Tests Found

• No unit tests exist for buildDockerImage() function in the utils package
• The change is not covered by automated tests

Recommendations:

• Consider adding tests for buildDockerImage() to verify command construction
• Integration tests could verify that built images are actually available locally

🎯 Functional Impact

Positive Impact:

• Solves the common issue where docker buildx build creates images that aren't available in the local daemon
• Eliminates the need for separate docker pull operations for locally built images
• Improves developer experience when building and testing locally

Potential Edge Cases:

• Multi-platform builds: --load only works for single-platform builds (current code already specifies linux/amd64, so this is fine)
• Large images: Loading large images to local daemon might consume significant disk space

📊 Overall Assessment

This is a solid, focused improvement that addresses a real usability issue. The implementation is correct and follows existing patterns in the codebase.

Rating: ✅ Approve with Minor Suggestions

💡 Suggestions for Follow-up

1. Add inline documentation explaining the --load flag's purpose
2. Consider test coverage for the buildDockerImage function
3. Monitor disk usage impact in development environments with frequent builds

The change is ready to merge as-is, with the suggestions being nice-to-have improvements rather than blockers.