Docker Plugin

Docker images describe how to set up a container for running an application, including what files are present, and what program to run.

https://docs.docker.com/introduction/understanding-docker/ provides an introduction to Docker. https://docs.docker.com/reference/builder/ describes the Dockerfile; a file which describes how to set up the image.

sbt-native-packager focuses on creating a Docker image which can “just run” the application built by SBT.

Requirements

You need the docker console client installed and version 1.3 or higher is required. SBT Native Packager doesn’t use the REST API, but instead uses the CLI directly.

It is currently not possible to provide authentication for Docker repositories from within the build. The docker binary used by the build should already have been configured with the appropriate authentication details. See https://docs.docker.com/reference/commandline/cli/#login.

Build

sbt docker:publishLocal

Required Settings

enablePlugins(DockerPlugin)

Spotify java based docker client

You can also use the java-based spotify Docker client. Add this to your build.sbt

enablePlugins(DockerSpotifyClientPlugin)

and this to your plugins.sbt

libraryDependencies += "com.spotify" % "docker-client" % "3.5.13"

The Docker-spotify client is a provided dependency so you have to add it on your own. It brings a lot of dependenciesthat could slow your build times. This is the reason the dependency is marked as provided.

Configuration

Settings and Tasks inherited from parent plugins can be scoped with Docker.

mappings in Docker := mappings.value

Settings

Informational Settings

packageName in Docker
The name of the package for Docker (if different from general name). This will only affect the image name.
version in Docker
The version of the package for Docker (if different from general version). Often takes the form x.y.z.
maintainer in Docker
The maintainer of the package, required by the Dockerfile format.

Environment Settings

dockerBaseImage
The image to use as a base for running the application. It should include binaries on the path for chown, mkdir, have a discoverable java binary, and include the user configured by daemonUser (daemon, by default).
daemonUser in Docker
The user to use when executing the application. Files below the install path also have their ownership set to this user.
dockerExposedPorts
A list of ports to expose from the Docker image.
dockerExposedVolumes in Docker
A list of data volumes to make available in the Docker image.
dockerEntrypoint in Docker
Overrides the default entrypoint for docker-specific service discovery tasks before running the application. Defaults to the bash executable script, available at bin/<script name> in the current WORKDIR of /opt/docker.

Publishing Settings

dockerRepository
The repository to which the image is pushed when the docker:publish task is run. This should be of the form [username] (assumes use of the index.docker.io repository) or [repository.host]/[username].
dockerUpdateLatest
The flag to automatic update the latest tag when the docker:publish task is run. Default value is FALSE.

Tasks

The Docker support provides the following commands:

docker:stage
Generates a directory with the Dockerfile and environment prepared for creating a Docker image.
docker:publishLocal
Builds an image using the local Docker server.
docker:publish
Builds an image using the local Docker server, and pushes it to the configured remote repository.

Customize

There are some predefined settings, which you can easily customize. These settings are explained in some detail in the next sections. If you want to describe your Dockerfile completely yourself, you can provide your own docker commands as described in Custom Dockerfile.

Docker Image Name

packageName in Docker := packageName.value

version in Docker := version.value

Docker Base Image

dockerBaseImage := "dockerfile/java"

Docker Repository

dockerRepository := Some("dockeruser")

Docker Image Customization

dockerExposedPorts := Seq(9000, 9443)

dockerExposedVolumes := Seq("/opt/docker/logs")

In order to work properly with USER daemon the exposed volumes are first created (if they do not existend) and chowned.

Install Location

The path to which the application is written can be changed with the setting. The files from mappings in Docker are extracted underneath this directory.

defaultLinuxInstallLocation in Docker := "/opt/docker"

Custom Dockerfile

All settings before are used to create a single sequence of docker commands. You have the option to write all of them on your own, filter or change existing commands or simply add some.

First of all you should take a look what you docker commands look like. In your sbt console type

> show dockerCommands
[info] List(Cmd(FROM,dockerfile/java:latest), Cmd(MAINTAINER,Your Name <y.n@yourcompany.com>), ...)

Remove Commands

SBT Native Packager added some commands you may not need. For example the chowning of a exposed volume.

import com.typesafe.sbt.packager.docker._

// we want to filter the chown command for '/data'
dockerExposedVolumes += "/data"

dockerCommands := dockerCommands.value.filterNot {

  // ExecCmd is a case class, and args is a varargs variable, so you need to bind it with @
  case ExecCmd("RUN", args @ _*) => args.contains("chown") && args.contains("/data")

  // dont filter the rest
  case cmd                       => false
}

Add Commands

Adding commands is as straightforward as adding anything in a list.

import com.typesafe.sbt.packager.docker._

dockerCommands += Cmd("USER", daemonUser.value)

dockerCommands ++= Seq(
  // setting the run script executable
  ExecCmd("RUN",
    "chmod", "u+x",
     s"${(defaultLinuxInstallLocation in Docker).value}/bin/${executableScriptName.value}"),
  // setting a daemon user
  Cmd("USER", "daemon")
)

Write from Scratch

You can simply wipe out all docker commands with

dockerCommands := Seq()

Now let’s start adding some Docker commands.

import com.typesafe.sbt.packager.docker._

dockerCommands := Seq(
  Cmd("FROM", "dockerfile/java:latest"),
  Cmd("MAINTAINER", maintainer.value),
  ExecCmd("CMD", "echo", "Hello, World from Docker")
)

Busybox/Ash Support

The default shell support for the Java archetype (JavaAppPackaging) is bash, with a Windows bat file also generated. Busybox is a popular minimal Docker base image that uses ash, a much more limited shell than bash. The result is that if you build a Docker image for Busybox the generated bash launch script will likely not work.

Optionally you can use an ash-compatible archetype that derives from JavaAppPacking called AshScriptPlugin. Enable this by including:

enablePlugins(AshScriptPlugin)

With this plugin enabled an ash-compatible launch script will be generated in your Docker image.

Just like for JavaAppPackaging you have the option of overriding the default script by supplying your own src/templates/ash-template file. When overriding the file don’t forget to include ${{template_declares}} somewhere to populate $app_classpath $app_mainclass from your sbt project. You’ll likely need these to launch your program.