---
description: How to use Docker's development environment
keywords: development, inception, container, image Dockerfile, dependencies, Go, artifacts
title: Work with a development container
---
In this section, you learn to develop like the Docker Engine core team.
The `docker` repository includes a `Dockerfile` at its root. This file defines
Docker's development environment. The `Dockerfile` lists the environment's
dependencies: system libraries and binaries, Go environment, Go dependencies,
etc.
Docker's development environment is itself, ultimately a Docker container.
You use the `docker` repository and its `Dockerfile` to create a Docker image,
run a Docker container, and develop code in the container. Docker itself builds,
tests, and releases new Docker versions using this container.
If you followed the procedures that <a href="/opensource/project/set-up-git/" target="_blank">
set up Git for contributing</a>, you should have a fork of the `docker/docker`
repository. You also created a branch called `dry-run-test`. In this section,
you continue working with your fork on this branch.
## Task 1. Remove images and containers
Docker developers run the latest stable release of the Docker software (with
Docker Machine if their machine is macOS). They clean their local hosts of
unnecessary Docker artifacts such as stopped containers or unused images.
Cleaning unnecessary artifacts isn't strictly necessary, but it is good
practice, so it is included here.
To remove unnecessary artifacts:
1. Verify that you have no unnecessary containers running on your host.
```none
$ docker ps -a
```
You should see something similar to the following:
```none
CONTAINER ID IMAGE COMMAND CREATED STATUS PORTS NAMES
```
There are no running or stopped containers on this host. A fast way to
remove old containers is the following:
```none
$ docker rm $(docker ps -a -q)
```
This command uses `docker ps` to list all containers (`-a` flag) by numeric
IDs (`-q` flag). Then, the `docker rm` command removes the resulting list.
If you have running but unused containers, stop and then remove them with
the `docker stop` and `docker rm` commands.
2. Verify that your host has no dangling images.
```none
$ docker images
```
You should see something similar to the following:
```none
REPOSITORY TAG IMAGE ID CREATED SIZE
```
This host has no images. You may have one or more _dangling_ images. A
dangling image is not used by a running container and is not an ancestor of
another image on your system. A fast way to remove dangling image is
the following:
```none
$ docker rmi -f $(docker images -q -a -f dangling=true)
```
This command uses `docker images` to list all images (`-a` flag) by numeric
IDs (`-q` flag) and filter them to find dangling images (`-f dangling=true`).
Then, the `docker rmi` command forcibly (`-f` flag) removes
the resulting list. If you get a "docker: "rmi" requires a minimum of 1 argument."
message, that means there were no dangling images. To remove just one image, use the
`docker rmi ID` command.
## Task 2. Start a development container
If you followed the last procedure, your host is clean of unnecessary images and
containers. In this section, you build an image from the Engine development
environment and run it in the container. Both steps are automated for you by the
Makefile in the Engine code repository. The first time you build an image, it
can take over 15 minutes to complete.
1. Open a terminal.
For Mac users, use `docker-machine status your_vm_name` to make sure your VM is running. You
may need to run `eval "$(docker-machine env your_vm_name)"` to initialize your
shell environment.
2. Change into the root of the `docker-fork` repository.
```none
$ cd ~/repos/docker-fork
```
If you are following along with this guide, you created a `dry-run-test`
branch when you <a href="/opensource/project/set-up-git/" target="_blank">
set up Git for contributing</a>.
3. Ensure you are on your `dry-run-test` branch.
```none
$ git checkout dry-run-test
```
If you get a message that the branch doesn't exist, add the `-b` flag (`git checkout -b dry-run-test`) so the
command both creates the branch and checks it out.
4. Use `make` to build a development environment image and run it in a container.
```none
$ make BIND_DIR=. shell
```
The command returns informational messages as it runs. The first build may
take a few minutes to create an image. Using the instructions in the
`Dockerfile`, the build may need to download source and other images. A
successful build returns a final message and opens a Bash shell into the
container.
```none
Successfully built 3d872560918e
docker run --rm -i --privileged -e BUILDFLAGS -e KEEPBUNDLE -e DOCKER_BUILD_GOGC -e DOCKER_BUILD_PKGS -e DOCKER_CLIENTONLY -e DOCKER_DEBUG -e DOCKER_EXPERIMENTAL -e DOCKER_GITCOMMIT -e DOCKER_GRAPHDRIVER=devicemapper -e DOCKER_INCREMENTAL_BINARY -e DOCKER_REMAP_ROOT -e DOCKER_STORAGE_OPTS -e DOCKER_USERLANDPROXY -e TESTDIRS -e TESTFLAGS -e TIMEOUT -v "home/ubuntu/repos/docker/bundles:/go/src/github.com/docker/docker/bundles" -t "docker-dev:dry-run-test" bash
root@f31fa223770f:/go/src/github.com/docker/docker#
```
At this point, your prompt reflects the container's BASH shell.
5. List the contents of the current directory (`/go/src/github.com/docker/docker`).
You should see the image's source from the `/go/src/github.com/docker/docker`
directory.
6. Make a `docker` binary.
```none
root@a8b2885ab900:/go/src/github.com/docker/docker# hack/make.sh binary
...output snipped...
bundles/1.12.0-dev already exists. Removing.
---> Making bundle: binary (in bundles/1.12.0-dev/binary)
Building: bundles/1.12.0-dev/binary/docker-1.12.0-dev
Created binary: bundles/1.12.0-dev/binary/docker-1.12.0-dev
Copying nested executables into bundles/1.12.0-dev/binary
```
7. Copy the binary to the container's `**/usr/bin/**` directory.
```none
root@a8b2885ab900:/go/src/github.com/docker/docker# cp bundles/1.12.0-dev/binary-client/docker* /usr/bin/
root@a8b2885ab900:/go/src/github.com/docker/docker# cp bundles/1.12.0-dev/binary-daemon/docker* /usr/bin/
```
8. Start the Engine daemon running in the background.
```none
root@a8b2885ab900:/go/src/github.com/docker/docker# docker daemon -D&
...output snipped...
DEBU[0001] Registering POST, /networks/{id:.*}/connect
DEBU[0001] Registering POST, /networks/{id:.*}/disconnect
DEBU[0001] Registering DELETE, /networks/{id:.*}
INFO[0001] API listen on /var/run/docker.sock
DEBU[0003] containerd connection state change: READY
```
The `-D` flag starts the daemon in debug mode. The `&` starts it as a
background process. You'll find these options useful when debugging code
development.
> **Note**: The following command automates the `build`,
> `install`, and `run` steps above.
```none
hack/make.sh binary install-binary run
```
9. Inside your container, check your Docker version.
```none
root@5f8630b873fe:/go/src/github.com/docker/docker# docker --version
Docker version 1.12.0-dev, build 6e728fb
```
Inside the container you are running a development version. This is the version
on the current branch. It reflects the value of the `VERSION` file at the
root of your `docker-fork` repository.
10. Run the `hello-world` image.
```none
root@5f8630b873fe:/go/src/github.com/docker/docker# docker run hello-world
```
11. List the image you just downloaded.
```none
root@5f8630b873fe:/go/src/github.com/docker/docker# docker images
REPOSITORY TAG IMAGE ID CREATED SIZE
hello-world latest c54a2cc56cbb 3 months ago 1.85 kB
```
12. Open another terminal on your local host.
13. List the container running your development container.
```none
ubuntu@ubuntu1404:~$ docker ps
CONTAINER ID IMAGE COMMAND CREATED STATUS PORTS NAMES
a8b2885ab900 docker-dev:dry-run-test "hack/dind bash" 43 minutes ago Up 43 minutes hungry_payne
```
Notice that the tag on the container is marked with the `dry-run-test` branch name.
## Task 3. Make a code change
At this point, you have experienced the "Docker inception" technique. That is,
you have:
* forked and cloned the Docker Engine code repository
* created a feature branch for development
* created and started a Engine development container from your branch
* built a Docker binary inside of your Docker development container
* launched a `docker` daemon using your newly compiled binary
* called the `docker` client to run a `hello-world` container inside
your development container
Running the `make shell` command mounted your local Docker repository source into
your Docker container. When you start to develop code though, you'll
want to iterate code changes and builds inside the container. If you have
followed this guide exactly, you have a BASH shell running a development
container.
Try a simple code change and see it reflected in your container. For this
example, you'll edit the help for the `attach` subcommand.
1. If you don't have one, open a terminal in your local host.
2. Make sure you are in your `docker-fork` repository.
```none
$ pwd
/Users/mary/go/src/github.com/moxiegirl/docker-fork
```
Your location should be different because, at least, your username is
different.
3. Open the `cli/command/container/attach.go` file.
4. Edit the command's help message.
For example, you can edit this line:
```go
flags.BoolVar(&opts.noStdin, "no-stdin", false, "Do not attach STDIN")
```
And change it to this:
```go
flags.BoolVar(&opts.noStdin, "no-stdin", false, "Do not attach STDIN (standard in)")
```
5. Save and close the `cli/command/container/attach.go` file.
6. Go to your running docker development container shell.
7. Rebuild the binary by using the command `hack/make.sh binary` in the docker development container shell.
8. Copy the binaries to **/usr/bin** by entering the following commands in the docker development container shell.
```
cp bundles/1.12.0-dev/binary-client/docker* /usr/bin/
cp bundles/1.12.0-dev/binary-daemon/docker* /usr/bin/
```
9. To view your change, run the `docker attach --help` command in the docker development container shell.
```bash
root@b0cb4f22715d:/go/src/github.com/docker/docker# docker attach --help
Usage: docker attach [OPTIONS] CONTAINER
Attach to a running container
--detach-keys Override the key sequence for detaching a container
--help Print usage
--no-stdin Do not attach to STDIN (standard in)
--sig-proxy=true Proxy all received signals to the process
```
You've just done the basic workflow for changing the Engine code base. You made
your code changes in your feature branch. Then, you updated the binary in your
development container and tried your change out. If you were making a bigger
change, you might repeat or iterate through this flow several times.
## Where to go next
Congratulations, you have successfully achieved Docker inception. You've had a
small experience of the development process. You've set up your development
environment and verified almost all the essential processes you need to
contribute. Of course, before you start contributing, [you'll need to learn one
more piece of the development process, the test framework](test-and-docs.md).