Can you run GUI applications in a Docker container?

Question

How can you run GUI applications in a Docker container?

Are there any images that set up vncserver or something so that you can - for example - add an e

Answer 1

I'm late to the party, but for Mac users who don't want to go down the XQuartz path, here is a working example that builds a Fedora Image, with a Desktop Environment (xfce) using Xvfb and VNC. It's simple, and works:

• https://github.com/ddual/docker_recipes#fedora-with-an-x-window-system
• https://github.com/ddual/docker_recipes/tree/master/fedora_gui

On a Mac, you can just access it using the Screen Sharing (default) application, connecting to localhost:5901.

Dockerfile:

FROM fedora

USER root

# Set root password, so I know it for the future
RUN echo "root:password123" | chpasswd

# Install Java, Open SSL, etc.
RUN dnf update -y --setopt=deltarpm=false  \
 && dnf install -y --setopt=deltarpm=false \
                openssl.x86_64             \
                java-1.8.0-openjdk.x86_64  \
                xorg-x11-server-Xvfb       \
                x11vnc                     \
                firefox                    \
                @xfce-desktop-environment  \
 && dnf clean all

# Create developer user (password: password123, uid: 11111)
RUN useradd -u 11111 -g users -d /home/developer -s /bin/bash -p $(echo password123 | openssl passwd -1 -stdin) developer

# Copy startup script over to the developer home
COPY start-vnc.sh /home/developer/start-vnc.sh
RUN chmod 700 /home/developer/start-vnc.sh
RUN chown developer.users /home/developer/start-vnc.sh

# Expose VNC, SSH
EXPOSE 5901 22

# Set up VNC Password and DisplayEnvVar to point to Display1Screen0
USER developer
ENV  DISPLAY :1.0
RUN  mkdir ~/.x11vnc
RUN  x11vnc -storepasswd letmein ~/.x11vnc/passwd

WORKDIR /home/developer
CMD ["/home/developer/start-vnc.sh"]

start-vnc.sh

#!/bin/sh

Xvfb :1 -screen 0 1024x768x24 &
sleep 5
x11vnc -noxdamage -many -display :1 -rfbport 5901 -rfbauth ~/.x11vnc/passwd -bg
sleep 2
xfce4-session &

bash
# while true; do sleep 1000; done

Check the linked readme for build and run commands if you want/need.