docker-systemd

Multi-arch docker containers for systemd/openrc testing. Images are available on:

• ghcr.io
• docker.io

Build

❯ docker build . -f Dockerfile.debian -t systemd-debian-sid  --build-arg base_image=debian:sid-slim
❯ docker build . -f Dockerfile.redhat -t systemd-almalinux-8  --build-arg base_image=almalinux:8
❯ docker build . -f Dockerfile.alpine -t openrc-alpine3.20  --build-arg base_image=alpine:3.20

Example base_system arguments :

• debian:11-slim
• debian:12-slim
• debian:sid-slim
• ubuntu:18.04
• ubuntu:20.04
• ubuntu:22.04
• ubuntu:24.04
• fedora:39
• fedora:40
• fedora:41
• almalinux:8
• almalinux:9
• rockylinux:8
• rockylinux:9
• alpine:3.17
• alpine:3.18
• alpine:3.19
• alpine:3.20
• alpine:3.21

You can also use "non-slim" Debian images (debian:11) but we only build images based on -slim versions of Debian images.

The following containers are available from Docker Hub.

❯ docker pull ghcr.io/fauust/docker-systemd:debian-11
❯ docker pull ghcr.io/fauust/docker-systemd:debian-12
❯ docker pull ghcr.io/fauust/docker-systemd:debian-sid
❯ docker pull ghcr.io/fauust/docker-systemd:ubuntu-18.04
❯ docker pull ghcr.io/fauust/docker-systemd:ubuntu-20.04
❯ docker pull ghcr.io/fauust/docker-systemd:ubuntu-22.04
❯ docker pull ghcr.io/fauust/docker-systemd:ubuntu-24.04
❯ docker pull ghcr.io/fauust/docker-systemd:fedora-39
❯ docker pull ghcr.io/fauust/docker-systemd:fedora-40
❯ docker pull ghcr.io/fauust/docker-systemd:fedora-41
❯ docker pull ghcr.io/fauust/docker-systemd:almalinux-8
❯ docker pull ghcr.io/fauust/docker-systemd:almalinux-9
❯ docker pull ghcr.io/fauust/docker-systemd:rockylinux-8
❯ docker pull ghcr.io/fauust/docker-systemd:rockylinux-9
❯ docker pull ghcr.io/fauust/docker-systemd:alpine-3.17
❯ docker pull ghcr.io/fauust/docker-systemd:alpine-3.18
❯ docker pull ghcr.io/fauust/docker-systemd:alpine-3.19
❯ docker pull ghcr.io/fauust/docker-systemd:alpine-3.20
❯ docker pull ghcr.io/fauust/docker-systemd:alpine-3.21

Usage (docker)

For systemd to start, it is necessary to:

• share the volume /sys/fs/cgroup with container (use read-only mode);
• run the container in privileged mode.

You can also use podman that does not require it, see below.

❯ docker run --name init-test --rm --privileged -d -v /sys/fs/cgroup:/sys/fs/cgroup:ro fauust/docker-systemd:debian-sid
❯ docker exec -it init-test bash
root@59c9e3e924e7:/# apt update && apt install procps
...
root@59c9e3e924e7:/# ps fax
    PID TTY      STAT   TIME COMMAND
     34 pts/0    Ss     0:00 bash
    420 pts/0    R+     0:00  \_ ps fax
      1 ?        Ss     0:00 /lib/systemd/systemd
     24 ?        Ss     0:00 /lib/systemd/systemd-journald

Usage (podman)

Podman is much more "systemd friendly", see https://developers.redhat.com/blog/2019/04/24/how-to-run-systemd-in-a-container/.

Here is how to use those containers with podman:

❯ podman run --name init-test --rm -d fauust/docker-systemd:debian-sid
❯ podman exec -it init-test bash
root@181cc7d48a8a:/# apt update && apt install procps
...
root@181cc7d48a8a:/# ps fax
    PID TTY      STAT   TIME COMMAND
     24 pts/0    Ss     0:00 bash
    859 pts/0    R+     0:00  \_ ps fax
      1 ?        Ss     0:00 /lib/systemd/systemd
     20 ?        Ss     0:00 /lib/systemd/systemd-journald

Notes

For testing purposes only, do not use in production!