---
title: "Use Paicku to containerize and test any app with buildpacks and Node.js"
description: "Paicku is a command-line tool and Node.js library that wraps the Pack CLI to containerize applications using Cloud Native Buildpacks. It can be installed globally via npm install -g paicku or run with npx. It downloads and configures Pack for the host OS and container runtime, eliminating manual setup. Users build images with npx paicku build, defaulting to builder paketobuildpacks/builder-ubi8-base, and can list available builders with the suggest command. The Node.js librarys createPaicku function provides a build method returning an image object with run and stop for integration tests; an example test builds an app, starts the container, and asserts HTTP 200. Paicku detects Docker or Podman and supports any language a builder supports, such as Node.js and Java, by only changing the application path."
---

# Use Paicku to containerize and test any app with buildpacks and Node.js

[Red Hat](https://yomu.fyi/company/red-hat) · Costas Papastathis · Oct 7, 2026

**Type:** Tutorial

## Summary

Paicku is a command-line tool and Node.js library that wraps the Pack CLI to containerize applications using Cloud Native Buildpacks. It can be installed globally via npm install -g paicku or run with npx. It downloads and configures Pack for the host OS and container runtime, eliminating manual setup. Users build images with npx paicku build, defaulting to builder paketobuildpacks/builder-ubi8-base, and can list available builders with the suggest command. The Node.js librarys createPaicku function provides a build method returning an image object with run and stop for integration tests; an example test builds an app, starts the container, and asserts HTTP 200. Paicku detects Docker or Podman and supports any language a builder supports, such as Node.js and Java, by only changing the application path.

## Context

Containerizing applications ensures consistency across environments but requires setup. Paicku simplifies this by integrating buildpacks into Node.js workflows, reducing configuration overhead.

## Approach / What changed

Paicku wraps the Pack CLI to containerize applications using Cloud Native Buildpacks, providing a CLI and Node.js library that automates Pack configuration and allows programmatic image building and container management for integration testing.

## Takeaways

- Paicku wraps the Pack CLI and automatically downloads and configures it for the host OS, eliminating manual setup for buildpacks.
- As a Node.js library, Paicku provides a createPaicku function whose build method returns an object with run and stop methods, enabling integration tests.
- Paicku detects Docker or Podman and allows explicit runtime selection via the –container-runtime flag or containerRuntime option.

## FAQ

### How do I install Paicku?

Install globally with npm install -g paicku, or use npx paicku without installation.

### Can I specify a custom builder?

Yes, specify a builder with --builder in the CLI or builder option in the library. Default is paketobuildpacks/builder-ubi8-base.

### Does Paicku support Docker and Podman?

Paicku detects Docker or Podman automatically and lets you choose via --container-runtime flag or containerRuntime option.

**Tags:** [CLI](https://yomu.fyi/topic/cli), [Cloud Native Buildpacks](https://yomu.fyi/topic/cloud-native-buildpacks), [Containers](https://yomu.fyi/topic/containers), [Node.js](https://yomu.fyi/topic/node-js), [Testing](https://yomu.fyi/topic/testing)

- Source: [Red Hat](https://developers.redhat.com/articles/2026/10/07/use-paicku-to-containerize-and-test-any-app-with-buildpacks-and-node-js)
- Source URL: https://developers.redhat.com/articles/2026/10/07/use-paicku-to-containerize-and-test-any-app-with-buildpacks-and-node-js
- Ingested by Yomu: 2026-10-07T15:00:10.870Z

[Read original post](https://developers.redhat.com/articles/2026/10/07/use-paicku-to-containerize-and-test-any-app-with-buildpacks-and-node-js)