---
title: About custom images
description: To develop customized Docker images, start with ForgeRock's evaluation-only images. Then, build up your configuration profile iteratively as you customize the platform to meet your needs. Building Docker images from time to time integrates your custom configuration profile into new Docker images that are based on ForgeRock's evaluation-only images.
component: forgeops
version: 7.4
page_id: forgeops::cdk/develop/custom-images
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/forgeops/7.4/cdk/develop/custom-images.html
keywords: ["CDK", "Docker"]
section_ids:
  in_development: In development
  in_production: In production
  next_step: Next step
---

# About custom images

## In development

To develop customized Docker images, start with ForgeRock's evaluation-only images. Then, build up your configuration profile iteratively as you customize the platform to meet your needs. Building Docker images from time to time integrates your custom configuration profile into new Docker images that are based on ForgeRock's evaluation-only images.

To develop a customized AM Docker image, refer to [`am` image](am.html).

To develop a customized IDM Docker image, refer to [`idm` image](idm.html).

![Brief overview of containers for developers.](../../_images/containerization-dev.svg)

## In production

Before you deploy the platform in production, you'll need to stop using Docker images that are based on ForgeRock's evaluation-only images. Instead, you'll need to build your own base images and integrate your configuration profiles into them.

To create Docker images for production deployment of the platform, see [Base Docker images](../../how-to/base-docker-images.html).

![Brief overview of containers used in production.](../../_images/containerization-prod.svg)

## Next step

* [icon: check-square-o, set=fa][Perform additional setup](setup.html)

* [icon: check-square-o, set=fa][Understand custom images](#)

* [icon: square-o, set=fa]*[Understand types of configuration](fr-data.html)*

* [icon: square-o, set=fa][Understand property value substitution](value-substitution.html)

* [icon: square-o, set=fa][Customize the AM image](am.html)

* [icon: square-o, set=fa][Customize the IDM image](idm.html)