While writing a Dockerfile is easier than ever (AI can help you generate a sample in a second!), but the resulting images might not be good enough. In this talk, we will discover a comprehensive guide to optimizing Docker images for JVM applications. Learn a series of tactics to reduce image size, speed up build time, and enhance overall performance and developer experience. We will illustrate the performance improvements achieved by applying these tactics to commonly used web frameworks. Additionally, we will explore the use of Gradle plugins to streamline the optimization process. By attending this session, you will gain a deeper understanding of Docker's packaging process and apply those techniques right away.