Having Docker access External files

Question

I am interested in having Docker have access to external files, but I do not wish to include them as a volume. The files that I need access to will change over time, and this means I would need to re-mount repeatedly, unless I can mount a mere directory, and whatever is in that directory is also mounted.

I am just in need of allowing a software program pushed into a container, to run "over" my local system, where this software program has access to files on my local system.

Advice? Is there another way besides adding the files needing to be processed as a volume?

Answer 1

It sounds like mounting a host directory in the container is what you're looking for. You won't have to restart the container to pick up changes to the mounted directory. Link to relevant docs.

Answer 2

I wonder if the ADD command could help you accomplish your goal. For instance, given the Dockerfile line:

ADD /Users/userX/myappfiles /appfiles

and the command line:

docker run myapp --input /myappfiles

myapp would be able to access /Users/userX/myappfiles on the local filesystem to fetch its inputs.

Answer 3

I solved the same problem with below commands

docker run  --mount type=bind,source="$(pwd)"/data,target=/home/data -it <name_of_container>

Note "-it conainter_name" should be the last flags.