Docker VMs & Bind Mounting

Using Docker containers as VMs to access external files via bind mounting

guides (note they dont have ‘.’ after build which is needed?)

• https://danielmangum.com/posts/simple-linux-command-line-using-docker/
• https://flaviocopes.com/docker-access-files-outside-container/

example Dockerfile (no extension):

FROM ubuntu:latest

cmds from within the folder:

docker build . -t dockvm
docker run -t -d --name my_dvm -v //c/Users/Roark/external_dir:/internal_dir dockvm
docker ps
docker exec -i -t my_dvm /bin/bash

docker kill my_dvm
docker rm my_dvm
docker ps -a

docker start my_dvm

so build sets up the Dockerfile, run creates a new container running in the bkg -d with a unique --name that has access -v to an external directory internally under an alias, ps lists the containers to show it running (or not), and exec connects you to the terminal of the container ‘vm’, kill stops it immediately and rm removes to so that the --name doesnt overlap next time, can verify its gone by checking ps -a to list all containers, can also just use start next time instead of run so you wont have to remove it but you won’t be able to change the dir

side note docker build not really nec here, docker compose or pull should be fine for this