I'm trying to figure out how to build a Docker image on my local machine, save it as a file, and then copy that file to my NAS (which also runs Docker). I'm looking for a way to load the image from that file into my NAS's Docker installation without using DockerHub since the applications I built are only for personal use. I'm currently using Visual Studio for development. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
5 Answers
You might find it helpful to just check the official Docker docs for saving and loading images. They have a clear breakdown of how to use the `docker image save` and `import` commands, which could really clarify things for you. Here's the link: https://docs.docker.com/reference/cli/docker/image/save/
You can definitely use the `docker save` command to save your image as a tar file, then copy it over to the other machine. Alternatively, consider setting up your own private Docker registry. It's pretty easy with Docker's official `registry` image, and it allows you to build and push multi-architecture images if your NAS and development machine have different CPU types. Check out the official registry image here: https://hub.docker.com/_/registry
Instead of transferring the image file, why not just send the Dockerfile to your NAS and build it there? It might be simpler! If you really want to save the image though, try using the `docker save` command to create a tar file of your image, then copy that over to your NAS and load it there using `docker load`. Much easier!
Have you thought about using GitHub's container registry? It's private, free, and makes it easy to manage your images. Just keep in mind you'll need to authenticate with your GitHub account to use it. You can find the details on how to set it up here: https://docs.github.com/en/packages/working-with-a-github-packages-registry/working-with-the-container-registry
Great suggestion. I use the built-in registry feature from my self-hosted Gitea as well. It makes things a lot easier to see what you've pushed compared to a standard Docker registry.
This might be more advanced, but consider setting up a more robust development environment on your NAS. You could deploy `linuxserver/code-server` to run a VS Code interface right in your browser, then install Docker CLI within that container. From there, you can easily copy your projects to the NAS and manage everything, including a self-hosted Docker registry for pushing and pulling images. Incorporate a VPN for remote access, and you'll have a flexible setup for development on the go!
You can also set up your own Docker registry easily if you're looking for a no-auth option! Just run this command: `docker run -d -p 5000:5000 --restart always --name registry registry:2`. That way, you can push and pull images locally without needing to log in! I personally prefer a self-hosted Gitea instance since it gives me a nice GUI for managing images.