Hey everyone! I'm running a Minecraft server using Docker on my Lenovo ThinkCenter with Ubuntu 24.04, and I'm having trouble figuring out how to access and edit files within the Docker container. I want to download saved games occasionally, modify a plugin's config file, and upload an image file called server.icon.PNG. I read that accessing files inside the container isn't a good practice because changes can be lost after restarts. Can anyone share the best way to manage these files without running into these issues? I initially thought about using FTP for access, but that seems to be complicated. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
2 Answers
You shouldn’t think of containers like virtual machines; they need to be seen as transient. Instead of trying to FTP into the container, use Docker volumes, specifically bind mounts to make sure your files are stored on the host. For example, in your Docker Compose file, you could use:
```
volumes:
- /home/user/minecraft_data:/data
```
This way, the data in `/data` inside the container will actually point to `/home/user/minecraft_data` on your host. Just keep in mind that you might need to restart the container for any file updates to take effect inside it. Don't hesitate to dive into the documentation for Docker volumes—it’s super helpful!
Have you considered using bind mounts? Instead of directly accessing files within the container, it's better to use bind mounts. They allow you to link a directory from your host machine to a path inside the container. This way, any important files remain accessible on your host even if the container restarts. You can check the Docker documentation for more details on how to set this up!
Thanks for clarifying that! I’m new to this, so I appreciate the explanation. Would using bind mounts make accessing files easier for a beginner like me?