title: Is `FROM` clause required in Dockerfile?
body: <p>For all the Dockerfiles I've come across thus (which admittedly is not many), all of them have used a <code>FROM</code> clause to base off an existing image, even if it's <code>FROM scratch</code>. </p>
  
  <p>Is this clause required? Is it possible to have a Dockerfile with no <code>FROM</code> clause? Will this container created thus be able to do anything?</p>
  
  <p>EDIT<br>
  I read</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>A Dockerfile with no FROM directive has no parent image, and is called
    a base image.</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p><a href="https://docs.docker.com/glossary/?term=parent%20image" rel="noreferrer">https://docs.docker.com/glossary/?term=parent%20image</a></p>
  
  <p>But I think this may be an error. </p>