Docker of server with cli question
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Hi everybody!
I'm making a decentralised hosting software, and I often get the question "is there a docker?" from people wanting to try it out. There isn't so I have tried making one, but I don't really know how to set it all up...
The soft is split in two:
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A server that is connected to the internet (both ways, so a port forward is needed)
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A command line utility
There is also a storage space (in some /data/ folder) and a database (a SQLite one living in some /db/ folder).
Compiling a docker image for the server seems somewhat easy, the user have to provide the two folders and forward the port I guess.
But the command line tool is where I have no idea how to make it not a user experience nightmare in a docker image. Should I publish the soft as a cli or should I try to integrate it into the/a docker image anyways? Security is of importance, so maybe people don't want to run an "unknown" cli on their PC but would be okay if it's all docker used.
Thank you all!
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-
Hi everybody!
I'm making a decentralised hosting software, and I often get the question "is there a docker?" from people wanting to try it out. There isn't so I have tried making one, but I don't really know how to set it all up...
The soft is split in two:
-
A server that is connected to the internet (both ways, so a port forward is needed)
-
A command line utility
There is also a storage space (in some /data/ folder) and a database (a SQLite one living in some /db/ folder).
Compiling a docker image for the server seems somewhat easy, the user have to provide the two folders and forward the port I guess.
But the command line tool is where I have no idea how to make it not a user experience nightmare in a docker image. Should I publish the soft as a cli or should I try to integrate it into the/a docker image anyways? Security is of importance, so maybe people don't want to run an "unknown" cli on their PC but would be okay if it's all docker used.
Thank you all!
wrote last edited by [email protected]How much CLI is required? Easiest to put it in the container and give instructions to use it via
docker exec -it server_container clitool [args].Instructions should include mount points for the DB, so it can be persisted. Providing a docker compose file is usually the best way to do that.
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How much CLI is required? Easiest to put it in the container and give instructions to use it via
docker exec -it server_container clitool [args].Instructions should include mount points for the DB, so it can be persisted. Providing a docker compose file is usually the best way to do that.
wrote last edited by [email protected]Thanks! Yup a docker compose is probably the way to go.
Can the cli load/save files from outside its environment? The cli "inserts" data (day an image), and also saves links locally (in user space). Can that be done? I feel the instructions via your "docker exec..." will be executed only in the docker environment, if that makes any sense?
Edit: I guess I can provide some sort of intermediate /work/ directory if nothing else.
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Thanks! Yup a docker compose is probably the way to go.
Can the cli load/save files from outside its environment? The cli "inserts" data (day an image), and also saves links locally (in user space). Can that be done? I feel the instructions via your "docker exec..." will be executed only in the docker environment, if that makes any sense?
Edit: I guess I can provide some sort of intermediate /work/ directory if nothing else.
You can define where you want the volumes mounted so you can just have a folder where the cli utility will do it's work.
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Thanks! Yup a docker compose is probably the way to go.
Can the cli load/save files from outside its environment? The cli "inserts" data (day an image), and also saves links locally (in user space). Can that be done? I feel the instructions via your "docker exec..." will be executed only in the docker environment, if that makes any sense?
Edit: I guess I can provide some sort of intermediate /work/ directory if nothing else.
wrote last edited by [email protected]Yeah, it runs inside the container, so that won't have access to the external filesystem's. And intermediate directory might work, but itll be a bit fiddly.
Maybe you could supply a script that does something like:
docker cp $FILE server_container:/tmp/workfile.jpg docker exec -it cli_tool /tmp/workfile.jpgCould do a reverse script as well for download?
Edit: you can also pipe the files to stdin of the command:
cat input.jpg | docker exec -it server_container cli_tool uploaddocker exec - it server_container cli_tool download > output.jpg -
You can define where you want the volumes mounted so you can just have a folder where the cli utility will do it's work.
Yeah, lot's of copying and extra work for the user though.
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Yeah, it runs inside the container, so that won't have access to the external filesystem's. And intermediate directory might work, but itll be a bit fiddly.
Maybe you could supply a script that does something like:
docker cp $FILE server_container:/tmp/workfile.jpg docker exec -it cli_tool /tmp/workfile.jpgCould do a reverse script as well for download?
Edit: you can also pipe the files to stdin of the command:
cat input.jpg | docker exec -it server_container cli_tool uploaddocker exec - it server_container cli_tool download > output.jpgYeah I probably have to build some sort of "pass through" script if I want the cli in a docker, which sort of defies the purpose of ease of use.
Maybe a simple script (just forwarding things and copying files) would be better "tolerated" as it can be checked more easily for bad code. Or I could just "make it work" so people can have a go at it at least I guess.
Thanks again!
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Yeah, lot's of copying and extra work for the user though.
symlinks?
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symlinks?
wrote last edited by [email protected]Can you link from inside a docker with that?? Or do you mean setting them up on the go in the working director?
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Can you link from inside a docker with that?? Or do you mean setting them up on the go in the working director?
Not from inside but the volume can be placed anywhere on the filesystem. You'd define where they'd go on the docker compose. Look at a couple examples in https://www.linuxserver.io/ Great examples all around.