`flox containerize` command

Warning: This command is experimental and its behaviour is subject to change

NAME

flox-containerize - export an environment as a container image

SYNOPSIS

flox [<general-options>] containerize
     [-d=<path> | -r=<owner/name>]
     [-f=<file> | --runtime=<runtime>]
     [--tag=<tag>]

DESCRIPTION

Export a Flox environment as a container image. The image is written to the specified output target. With --file|-f <file> a tarball is writtent to the specified file. When - is passed as <file> the image is instead written to stdout. The --runtime <runtime> flag supports docker and podman, and expects the selected runtime to be found in PATH.

When neither option is provided, the container is loaded into a supported runtime, docker or podman, whichever is found first on the PATH. If no supported runtime is found, the container is written to ./<env name>-container.tar instead.

Running the container will behave like running flox activate. Running the container interactively with docker run -it <container id>, will launch a bash subshell in the container with all your packages and variables set after running the activation hook. This is akin to flox activate.

Running the container non-interactively with docker run <container id> allows you to run a command within the container without launching a subshell, similar to flox activate --.

Note: The containerize command is currently only available on Linux. The produced container however can also run on macOS.

OPTIONS

-f, --file
Write the container image to <file>. If <output target> is -, writes to stdout.

--runtime
Load the image into the specified <runtime>. <runtime> may bei either docker or podman. The specified binary must be found in PATH.

Environment Options

If no environment is specified for an environment command, the environment in the current directory or the active environment that was last activated is used.

-d, --dir
Path containing a .flox/ directory.

-r, --remote
A remote environment on FloxHub, specified in the form <owner>/<name>.

General Options

-h, --help
Prints help information.

The following options can be passed when running any flox subcommand but must be specified before the subcommand.

-v, --verbose
Increase logging verbosity. Invoke multiple times for increasing detail.

-q, --quiet
Silence logs except for errors.

EXAMPLES

Create a container image file and load it into Docker:

$ flox containerize -f ./mycontainer.tar
$ docker load -i ./mycontainer.tar

Load the image into Docker:

$ flox containerize --runtime docker

# or through stdout e.g. if `docker` is not in `PATH`:

$ flox containerize -f - | /path/to/docker

Run the container interactively:

$ flox init
$ flox install hello
$ flox containerize -f - | docker load
$ docker run --rm -it <container id>
[floxenv] $ hello
Hello, world!

Run a specific command from within the container, but do not launch a subshell.

$ flox init
$ flox install hello
$ flox containerize -f - | docker load
$ docker run <container id> hello
Hello, world

Create a container with a specific tag:

$ flox init
$ flox install hello
$ flox containerize --tag 'v1' -f - | docker load
$ docker run --rm -it <container name>:v1
[floxenv] $ hello
Hello, world!

flox containerize command