Running docker with boot2docker on mac os x? - macos

Question

Trying to run docker on my mac os x with boot2docker.
Everything seems fine, but i cannot run docker images. I must be missing something obvious.
Guides i've used:
NodeJs Web App
Docker on Mac OS X
My docker file:
FROM ubuntu:12.04
# Build dependencies
RUN apt-get -y update
RUN apt-get install build-essential -y
RUN apt-get install curl -y
# Install NodeJS
RUN curl -L http://nodejs.org/dist/v0.10.22/node-v0.10.22.tar.gz | tar -xz
RUN cd /node-v0.10.22 && ./configure
RUN cd /node-v0.10.22 && make && make install && make clean
# Global NPM installs
RUN npm install --silent -g express lodash ejs forever
RUN mkdir /app
ADD server.js /app/server.js
ADD dist /app/dist
ADD lib /app/lib
Add test.js /app/test.js
CMD ["node", "/app/test.js"]
EXPOSE 8080
Docker build output:
#xp (master) ~/work/front-portal: docker build -t front-portal .
Uploading context 118.7 MB
Uploading context
Step 0 : FROM ubuntu:12.04
---> 9cd978db300e
Step 1 : RUN apt-get -y update
---> Using cache
---> ee9a4b864ffb
Step 2 : RUN apt-get install build-essential -y
---> Using cache
---> e7dd304d6f92
Step 3 : RUN apt-get install curl -y
---> Using cache
---> ded30df6d5c2
Step 4 : RUN curl -L http://nodejs.org/dist/v0.10.22/node-v0.10.22.tar.gz | tar -xz
---> Using cache
---> d132c9cdd09c
Step 5 : RUN cd /node-v0.10.22 && ./configure
---> Using cache
---> 9036f0ce77d2
Step 6 : RUN cd /node-v0.10.22 && make && make install && make clean
---> Using cache
---> c29bcfa1d058
Step 7 : RUN npm install --silent -g express lodash ejs forever
---> Using cache
---> d389052f5e49
Step 8 : RUN mkdir /app
---> Using cache
---> 33576951eb9b
Step 9 : ADD server.js /app/server.js
---> Using cache
---> 2a4aa2230170
Step 10 : ADD dist /app/dist
---> Using cache
---> 4350b786481c
Step 11 : ADD lib /app/lib
---> Using cache
---> 58b0a3850c01
Step 12 : Add test.js /app/test.js
---> Using cache
---> 441d63b47297
Step 13 : CMD ["node", "/app/test.js"]
---> Using cache
---> 013aaa78b0a5
Step 14 : EXPOSE 8080
---> Running in 8962747dd91a
---> 7410cc1bdbed
Successfully built 7410cc1bdbed
Contents of test.js:
var express = require('express');
// Constants
var PORT = 8080;
// App
var app = express();
app.get('/', function (req, res) {
res.send('Hello World\n');
});
app.listen(PORT)
console.log('Running on http://localhost:' + PORT);
Boot2docker is running:
g#xp (master) ~/work/front-portal: ./boot2docker status
[2014-02-12 18:32:50] boot2docker-vm is running.
g#xp (master) ~/work/front-portal:
But i cannot launch docker:
g#xp (master) ~/work/front-portal: DEBUG=1 docker run front-portal
[debug] commands.go:2484 [hijack] End of stdout
[debug] commands.go:2079 End of CmdRun(), Waiting for hijack to finish.
g#xp (master) ~/work/front-portal:
Though simple echo works:
g#xp (master) ~/work/front-portal: DEBUG=1 docker run front-portal echo "test"
test
[debug] commands.go:2484 [hijack] End of stdout
[debug] commands.go:2079 End of CmdRun(), Waiting for hijack to finish.
g#xp (master) ~/work/front-portal:
And my node test.js file is ok:
g#xp (master) ~/work/front-portal: node test.js
Running on http://localhost:8080
g#xp (master) ~/work/front-portal: DEBUG=1 docker run front-portal ls -al /app/test.js
-rw-r--r-- 1 501 dialout 232 Feb 12 2014 /app/test.js
[debug] commands.go:2484 [hijack] End of stdout
[debug] commands.go:2079 End of CmdRun(), Waiting for hijack to finish.
g#xp (master) ~/work/front-portal:

Answer 1

You need to explicitly enable the ports for NAT pass-through.
The "docker" port is already configured this way, as is SSH. But application-specific ports still need to be enabled.
You can use something like
VBoxManage modifyvm "boot2docker-vm" --natpf1 "tcp-port4000,tcp,,4000,,4000"
to add a new forwarding rule via the commandline. That example adds port 4000. Or you could use the VirtualBox GUI to do the same thing.
See also http://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch06.html#natforward

Answer 2

I don't think you are passing the correct arguments to the run command.
Add a "-d" option for detached to run it in the background. And if that does not work, you can start bash on your container by running the following (note, your container can be overridden b/c you use CMD instead of ENTRYPOINT in your dockerfile. If someone has ENTRYPOINT, you won't be able to override it and start bash with the container).
docker run -i -t image_id /bin/bash
Also, you will need to do some port forwarding if you want to be able to hit the port that your service will be listening on. The expose command in your docker file will allow other containers running on your docker host to be able to hit the port, but it doesn't allow your host or the boot2docker vm to see it. I think you might be able to do a docker inspect $container_id and find the correct ip and port to hit, but I found it easier to just setup port forwarding. You will need to forward the port from the container to the vm and from the vm to your host. For the forwarding from the container to the host, use the -p option:
docker run -p :80:8080 image_name
This will forward 8080 on the container to 0.0.0.0:80 on your boot2docker-vm. To setup forwarding from the vm to your host, open up virtualbox and enter in a rule like:
open_80 0.0.0.0 :80 _blank_ :80
That rule is forwarding from the vm's port 80 to your local computer's port 80. The port forwarding can be setup from the command line (like what Andy pointed out above), but you would need to stop boot2docker.