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N0rbert
Asked: 2019-07-29 03:57:52 +0800 CST

Is it possible to run Docker container and show its graphical application window on host?

  • 772

I have created the simpliest (minimal working example) Dockerfile to run graphical application on my Ubuntu 16.04 LTS host system with 19.10 insider container:

mkdir ~/docker-xclock

cat > ~/docker-xclock/Dockerfile << EOF
FROM ubuntu:19.10
RUN apt-get update
RUN apt-get install -y x11-apps
CMD xclock
EOF

Then created container with 

docker build -t ubuntu:xclock ~/docker-xclock

When I try to run this container it shows the error about display:

$ docker run ubuntu:xclock 
Error: Can't open display:

What is wrong?

xorg x11-forwarding container docker

3 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    We need to inform container about running X11 server on host with special syntax [1]:

    docker run -e DISPLAY -v /tmp/.X11-unix:/tmp/.X11-unix --user="$(id --user):$(id --group)" ubuntu:xclock

    xclock on docker

    where [2]:

    -e, --env=[]
    Set environment variables
    -u, --user=""
    Sets the username or UID used and optionally the groupname or GID for the specified command.
    -v|--volume[=[[HOST-DIR:]CONTAINER-DIR[:OPTIONS]]]
    Create a bind mount. If you specify, -v /HOST-DIR:/CONTAINER-DIR, Docker bind mounts /HOST-DIR in the host to /CONTAINER-DIR in the Docker container. If 'HOST-DIR' is omitted, Docker automatically creates the new volume on the host. The OPTIONS are a comma delimited list and can be:

    Reference:

    1. https://forums.docker.com/t/x11-forwarding-with-v-on-docker-run-not-working/17708/4
    2. man docker-run

    Complete reproducible solution:

    mkdir ~/docker-xclock

cat > ~/docker-xclock/Dockerfile << EOF
FROM ubuntu:20.04
RUN apt-get update
RUN apt-get install -y x11-apps
CMD xclock
EOF

docker build -t ubuntu:xclock ~/docker-xclock

docker run -e DISPLAY -v /tmp/.X11-unix:/tmp/.X11-unix --user="$(id --user):$(id --group)" ubuntu:xclock
    • 6

  2. if you're still getting error like:

    No protocol specified
Error: Can't open display: :0

    make sure you run

    $ xhost local:docker

    *-from https://github.com/jessfraz/dockerfiles/issues/6#issuecomment-266230114

    • 2

  3. Create Dockerfile in the folder docker-xclock.

    mkdir ~/docker-xclock

cat > ~/docker-xclock/Dockerfile << EOF
FROM ubuntu:19.04
ENV https_proxy="xxx"
ENV http_proxy="xxx"
ENV no_proxy="xxx"
RUN apt-get update
RUN apt-get install -y x11-apps
CMD xclock
EOF

docker build -t ubuntu:xclock ~/docker-xclock

docker run -e DISPLAY -v /tmp/.X11-unix:/tmp/.X11-unix --user="$(id --user):$(id --group)" ubuntu:xclock

    NB: ubuntu:xclock put at the end of the command. Using X11 for GUI interaction .

    • 0