Developing machine learning and AI applications often requires powerful GPUs, making local development of API endpoints challenging. A typical development workflow for Serverless would be to write your handler code, deploy it directly to a Serverless endpoint, send endpoint requests to test, debug using worker logs, and repeat. This can have signifcant drawbacks, such as:
  • Slow iteration: Each deployment requires a new build and test cycle, which can be time-consuming.
  • Limited visibility: Logs and errors are not always easy to debug, especially when running in a remote environment.
  • Resource constraints: Your local machine may not have the necessary resources to test your application.
This tutorial shows how to build a “Pod-first” development environment: creating a flexible, dual-mode Docker image that can be deployed as either a Pod or a Serverless worker. Using this method, you’ll leverage a Pod—a GPU instance ideal for interactive development, with tools like Jupyter Notebooks and direct IDE integration—as your cloud-based development machine. The Pod will be deployed with a flexible Docker base, allowing the same container image to be seamlessly deployed to a Serverless endpoint. This workflow lets you develop and thoroughly test your application using a containerized Pod environment, ensuring it works correctly. Then, when you’re ready to deploy to production, you can deploy it instantly to Serverless. Follow the steps below to create a worker image that leverages this flexibility, allowing for faster iteration and more robust deployments.
To get a basic dual-mode worker up and running immediately, you can clone this repository and use it as a base.

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What you’ll learn

In this tutorial you’ll learn how to:
  • Set up a project for a dual-mode Serverless worker.
  • Create a handler file (handler.py) that adapts its behavior based on a user-specified environment variable.
  • Write a startup script (start.sh) to manage different operational modes.
  • Build a Docker image designed for flexibility.
  • Understand and utilize the “Pod-first” development workflow.
  • Deploy and test your worker in both Pod and Serverless environments.

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Requirements

  • You’ve created a RunPod account.
  • You’ve installed Python 3.x and Docker on your local machine and configured them for your command line.
  • Basic understanding of Docker concepts and shell scripting.

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Step 1: Set up your project structure

First, create a directory for your project and the necessary files. Open your terminal and run the following commands: 
mkdir dual-mode-worker
cd dual-mode-worker
touch handler.py start.sh Dockerfile requirements.txt
This creates:
  • handler.py: Your Python script with the RunPod handler logic.
  • start.sh: A shell script that will be the entrypoint for your Docker container.
  • Dockerfile: Instructions to build your Docker image.
  • requirements.txt: A file to list Python dependencies.

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Step 2: Create the handler.py file

This Python script will contain your core logic. It will check for a user-specified environment variable MODE_TO_RUN to determine whether to run in Pod or Serverless mode. Add the following code to handler.py: 
import os
import asyncio
import runpod

# Use the MODEL environment variable; fallback to a default if not set
mode_to_run = os.getenv("MODE_TO_RUN", "pod")
model_length_default = 25000

print("------- ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES -------")
print("Mode running: ", mode_to_run)
print("------- -------------------- -------")

async def handler(event):
    inputReq = event.get("input", {})
    return inputReq

if mode_to_run == "pod":
    async def main():
        prompt = "Hello World"
        requestObject = {"input": {"prompt": prompt}}
        response = await handler(requestObject)
        print(response)

    asyncio.run(main())
else: 
    runpod.serverless.start({
        "handler": handler,
        "concurrency_modifier": 1,
    })
Key features:
  • MODE_TO_RUN = os.getenv("MODE_TO_RUN", "pod"): Reads the mode from an environment variable, defaulting to pod.
  • async def handler(event): Your core logic.
  • if __name__ == '__main__':: This block controls what happens when the script is executed directly.
    • In serverless” mode, it starts the RunPod Serverless worker.
    • In pod mode, it runs a sample test call to your handler function, allowing for quick iteration.

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Step 3: Create the start.sh script

This script will be the entrypoint for your Docker container. It reads the MODE_TO_RUN environment variable and configures the container accordingly. Add the following code to start.sh: 
#!/bin/bash
set -e  # Exit the script if any statement returns a non-true return value

# Set workspace directory from env or default
WORKSPACE_DIR="${WORKSPACE_DIR:-/workspace}"

# Start nginx service
start_nginx() {
    echo "Starting Nginx service..."
    service nginx start
}

# Execute script if exists
execute_script() {
    local script_path=$1
    local script_msg=$2
    if [[ -f ${script_path} ]]; then
        echo "${script_msg}"
        bash ${script_path}
    fi
}

# Setup ssh
setup_ssh() {
    if [[ $PUBLIC_KEY ]]; then
        echo "Setting up SSH..."
        mkdir -p ~/.ssh
        echo "$PUBLIC_KEY" >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys
        chmod 700 -R ~/.ssh
        # Generate SSH host keys if not present
        generate_ssh_keys
        service ssh start
        echo "SSH host keys:"
        cat /etc/ssh/*.pub
    fi
}

# Generate SSH host keys
generate_ssh_keys() {
    ssh-keygen -A
}

# Export env vars
export_env_vars() {
    echo "Exporting environment variables..."
    printenv | grep -E '^RUNPOD_|^PATH=|^_=' | awk -F = '{ print "export " $1 "=\"" $2 "\"" }' >> /etc/rp_environment
    echo 'source /etc/rp_environment' >> ~/.bashrc
}

# Start jupyter lab
start_jupyter() {
    echo "Starting Jupyter Lab..."
    mkdir -p "$WORKSPACE_DIR" && \
    cd / && \
    nohup jupyter lab --allow-root --no-browser --port=8888 --ip=* --NotebookApp.token='' --NotebookApp.password='' --FileContentsManager.delete_to_trash=False --ServerApp.terminado_settings='{"shell_command":["/bin/bash"]}' --ServerApp.allow_origin=* --ServerApp.preferred_dir="$WORKSPACE_DIR" &> /jupyter.log &
    echo "Jupyter Lab started without a password"
}

# Call Python handler if mode is serverless or both
call_python_handler() {
    echo "Calling Python handler.py..."
    python $WORKSPACE_DIR/handler.py
}

# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
#                               Main Program                                   #
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- #

start_nginx

echo "Pod Started"

setup_ssh

case $MODE_TO_RUN in
    serverless)
        echo "Running in serverless mode"
        call_python_handler
        ;;
    pod)
        echo "Running in pod mode"
        start_jupyter
        ;;
    *)
        echo "Invalid MODE_TO_RUN value: $MODE_TO_RUN. Expected 'serverless', 'pod', or 'both'."
        exit 1
        ;;
esac

export_env_vars

echo "Start script(s) finished"

sleep infinity
Key features:
  • case $MODE_TO_RUN in ... esac: This structure directs the startup based on the mode.
  • serverless mode: Executes handler.py, which then starts the RunPod Serverless worker. exec replaces the shell process with the Python process.
  • pod mode: Starts up the JupyterLab server for Pod development, then runs sleep infinity to keep the container alive so you can connect to it (e.g., via SSH or docker exec). You would then manually run python /app/handler.py inside the Pod to test your handler logic.

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Step 4: Create the Dockerfile

This file defines how to build your Docker image. Add the following content to Dockerfile: 
# Use an official RunPod base image
FROM runpod/pytorch:2.0.1-py3.10-cuda11.8.0-devel-ubuntu22.04

# Environment variables
ENV PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1 

# Supported modes: pod, serverless
ARG MODE_TO_RUN=pod
ENV MODE_TO_RUN=$MODE_TO_RUN

# Set up the working directory
ARG WORKSPACE_DIR=/app
ENV WORKSPACE_DIR=${WORKSPACE_DIR}
WORKDIR $WORKSPACE_DIR

# Install dependencies in a single RUN command to reduce layers and clean up in the same layer to reduce image size
RUN apt-get update --yes --quiet && \
    DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get install --yes --quiet --no-install-recommends \
    software-properties-common \
    gpg-agent \
    build-essential \
    apt-utils \
    ca-certificates \
    curl && \
    add-apt-repository --yes ppa:deadsnakes/ppa && \
    apt-get update --yes --quiet && \
    DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get install --yes --quiet --no-install-recommends

# Create and activate a Python virtual environment
RUN python3 -m venv /app/venv
ENV PATH="/app/venv/bin:$PATH"

# Install Python packages
RUN pip install --no-cache-dir \
    asyncio \
    requests \
    runpod

# Install requirements.txt
COPY requirements.txt ./requirements.txt
RUN pip install --no-cache-dir --upgrade pip && \
    pip install --no-cache-dir -r requirements.txt
    
# Delete's the default start.sh file from RunPod (so we can replace it with our own below)
RUN rm ../start.sh

# Copy all of our files into the container
COPY handler.py $WORKSPACE_DIR/handler.py
COPY start.sh $WORKSPACE_DIR/start.sh

# Make sure start.sh is executable
RUN chmod +x start.sh

# Make sure that the start.sh is in the path
RUN ls -la $WORKSPACE_DIR/start.sh

# depot build -t justinrunpod/pod-server-base:1.0 . --push --platform linux/amd64
CMD $WORKSPACE_DIR/start.sh
Key features:
  • FROM runpod/pytorch:2.0.1-py3.10-cuda11.8.0-devel-ubuntu22.04: Starts with a RunPod base image that comes with nginx, runpodctl, and other helpful base packages.
  • ARG WORKSPACE_DIR=/workspace and ENV WORKSPACE_DIR=${WORKSPACE_DIR}: Allows the workspace directory to be set at build time.
  • WORKDIR $WORKSPACE_DIR: Sets the working directory to the value of WORKSPACE_DIR.
  • COPY requirements.txt ./requirements.txt and RUN pip install ...: Installs Python dependencies.
  • COPY . .: Copies all application files into the workspace directory.
  • ENV MODE_TO_RUN="pod": Sets the default operational mode to “pod”. This can be overridden at runtime.
  • CMD ["$WORKSPACE_DIR/start.sh"]: Specifies start.sh as the command to run when the container starts.

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Step 5: Build and push your Docker image

Instead of building and pushing your image via Docker Hub, you can also deploy your worker from a GitHub repository.
Now, build your Docker image and push it to a container registry like Docker Hub.
1

Build your Docker image

Build your Docker image, replacing [YOUR_USERNAME] with your Docker Hub username and choosing a suitable image name:
docker build --platform linux/amd64 --tag [YOUR_USERNAME]/dual-mode-worker .
The --platform linux/amd64 flag is important for compatibility with RunPod’s infrastructure.
2

Push the image to your container registry

docker push [YOUR_USERNAME]/dual-mode-worker:latest
You might need to run docker login first.

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Step 6: Testing in Pod mode

Now that you’ve finished building our Docker image, let’s explore how you would use the Pod-first development workflow in practice. Deploy the image to a Pod by following these steps:
  1. Go to the Pods page in the RunPod console and click Create Pod.
  2. Choose a GPU.
  3. For “Docker Image Name”, enter [YOUR_USERNAME]/dual-mode-worker:latest.
  4. Under Pod Template, select Edit Template.
  5. Under Public Environment Variables, select Add environment variable. Set variable key to MODE_TO_RUN and the value to pod.
  6. Select Set Overrides, then deploy your Pod.
After connecting to the Pod, navigate to /app and run your handler directly: 
python handler.py
This will execute the Pod-specific test harness in your handler.py, giving you immediate feedback. You can edit handler.py within the Pod and re-run it for rapid iteration.

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Step 7: Deploy to a Serverless endpoint

Once you’re confident with your handler.py logic tested in Pod mode, you’re ready to deploy your dual-mode worker to a Serverless endpoint.
  1. Go to the Serverless section of the RunPod console.
  2. Click New Endpoint.
  3. Under Custom Source, select Docker Image, then select Next.
  4. In the Container Image field, enter your Docker image URL: docker.io/[YOUR_USERNAME]/dual-mode-worker:latest.
  5. Under Advanced Settings > Environment Variables, set MODE_TO_RUN to serverless.
  6. Configure GPU, workers, and other settings as needed.
  7. Select Create Endpoint.
The same image is used, but start.sh will now direct it to run in Serverless mode, starting the runpod.serverless.start worker.

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Step 8: Test your endpoint

After deploying your endpoint in to Serverless mode, you can test it with the following steps:
  1. Navigate to your endpoint’s detail page in the RunPod console.
  2. Click the Requests tab.
  3. Use the following JSON as test input:
{
    "input": {
        "prompt": "Hello World!",
    }
}
  1. Click Run.
After a few moments for initialization and processing, you should see output similar to this: 
{
    "delayTime": 12345, // This will vary
    "executionTime": 3050, // This will be around 3000ms + overhead
    "id": "some-unique-id",
    "output": {
        "output": "Processed prompt: 'Hello Serverless World!' after 3s in Serverless mode."
    },
    "status": "COMPLETED"
}

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Explore the Pod-first development workflow

Congratulations! You’ve successfully built, deployed, and tested a dual-mode Serverless worker. Now, let’s explore the recommended iteration process for a Pod-first development workflow:
1

Develop using Pod mode

  1. Deploy your initial Docker image to a RunPod Pod, ensuring MODE_TO_RUN is set to pod (or rely on the Dockerfile default).
  2. Connect to your Pod (via SSH or web terminal).
  3. Navigate to the /app directory.
  4. As you develop, install any necessary Python packages (pip install [PACKAGE_NAME]) or system dependencies (apt-get install [PACKAGE_NAME]).
  5. Iterate on your handler.py script. Test your changes frequently by running python handler.py directly in the Pod’s terminal. This will execute the test harness you defined in the elif MODE_TO_RUN == "pod": block, giving you immediate feedback.
2

Update your Docker image

Once you’re satisfied with a set of changes and have new dependencies:
  1. Add new Python packages to your requirements.txt file.
  2. Add system installation commands (e.g., RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y [PACKAGE_NAME]) to your Dockerfile.
  3. Ensure your updated handler.py is saved.
3

Deploy and test in Serverless mode

  1. Deploy your worker image to a Serverless endpoint using Docker Hub or GitHub.
  2. During deployment, ensure that the MODE_TO_RUN environment variable for the endpoint is set to serverless.
For instructions on how to set environment variables during deployment, see Manage endpoints.
  1. After your endpoint is deployed, you can test it by sending API requests.
This iterative loop—write your handler, update the Docker image, test in Pod mode, then deploy to Serverless—allows for rapid development and debugging of your Serverless workers.

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Next steps

Now that you’ve mastered the dual-mode development workflow, you can: