Command to run already built image

[saulshanabrook]

Often, I would like to play with what volumes are mounted, or what command is executed, without having to rebuild the docker image.

This takes a long time when working on a JupyterLab extension that depends on JupyterLab master and so has to rebuild all of JupyterLab every image build.

Currently, I am looking for the image name manually with docker image ls and running it manually. This isn't ideal, because then it isn't run in the same way as repo2docker is running it. You pass some extra options on start, like a port and the custom display URL. I would like to keep all these nicetities and not have to hunt in the image list for the most recent one.

I thought this is what the --no-build argument would do, but I guess it not only doesn't build but doesn't start. For example, docker-compose up has a --no-build argument that won't build the images, but will start up the services.

[betatim]

This would be a great feature to have. I think it would make a good first issue for people who are already familiar with docker, the concept of images and containers.

A way to get started is to look at the mechanism used to generate the docker image names used by repo2docker, check if there is already one (with a similar name) and then launch that instead when the user specifies a particular command-line flag.

If someone wants to work on this please open a PR. It doesn't have to be perfect and it is even encouraged that you open a PR long before you think it is ready as a way to get feedback and help when needed.

[tmtaybah]

Hi, can I work on this issue?

[betatim]

Yes please! A good way to "claim" an issue is to start work on it and soon after open a Pull Request with [WIP] at the start of the title. That way we know ho is working on what. The WIP tag means "this is still work in progress, not ready to be reviewed".

[betatim]

@saulshanabrook does the new docker build caching (fast builds if you don't edit environment.yml) and --editable solve your use case?