Packer Docker Container

How we build packer docker images. We push these to https://hub.docker.com/r/hashicorp/packer/ after every packer release.

Releases are tagged from the light version.

Usage

This repository automatically builds containers for using the packer command line program. It contains two distinct varieties of build, a light version, which just contains the binary, and a full version while compiles the binary from source inside the container before exposing it for use. Which you want will depend on use.

light (default)

The light version of this container will copy the current stable version of the binary into the container, and set it for use as the default entrypoint. This will be the best option for most uses, and if you are just looking to run the binary from a container. The latest tag also points to this version.

You can use this version with the following:

docker run <args> hashicorp/packer:light <command>

Running a build:

The easiest way to run a command that references a configuration with one or more template files, is to mount a volume for the local workspace.

Running packer init

docker run \
    -v `pwd`:/workspace -w /workspace \
    -e PACKER_PLUGIN_PATH=/workspace/.packer.d/plugins \
    hashicorp/packer:latest \
    init .

~> Note: packer init is available from Packer v1.7.0 and later

The command will mount the working directory (pwd) to workspace, which is the working directory (-w) inside the container. Any plugin installed with packer init will be installed under the directory specified under the PACKER_PLUGIN_PATH environment variable. PACKER_PLUGIN_PATH must be set to a path inside the volume mount so that plugins can become available at packer build.

Running packer build

docker run \
    -v `pwd`:/workspace -w /workspace \
    -e PACKER_PLUGIN_PATH=/workspace/.packer.d/plugins \
    hashicorp/packer:latest \
    build .

Building old-legacy JSON templates

For old-legacy JSON, the build command must specify the template file(s).

docker run \
    -v `pwd`:/workspace -w /workspace \
    hashicorp/packer:latest \
    build template.json

For the manual installation of third-party plugins, we recommended that plugin binaries are placed under a sub-directory under the working directory. Add -e PACKER_PLUGIN_PATH=/workspace/<subdirectory_plugin_path> to the command above to tell Packer where the plugins are.

To pass a var file (var.json) to the build command:

docker run \
    -v `pwd`:/workspace -w /workspace \
    hashicorp/packer:latest \
    build --var-file var.json template.json

var.json is expected to be inside the local working directory (pwd) and in the container's workspace mount.