Duplicating docker container for debugging

Question

I have a running docker container. I have done some useful works in the running docker container. I have done these works not part of dockerfile, i have done it inside the container.[Eg: I have installed ping inside the container, not from docker file]

Now, i got stuck at a place. I am not sure if i debug in the same container, i may loose the thing that i have done so far inside that container.

So i would like to create a duplicate copy of it with all the things available in that running container[like i don't want to build a container from image and repeat all the suucessful steps achieved in the running container and then start my debuggging. I don't want to re-install ping in my second container].

Totally, How can i duplicate a container? If not what are all the possibilities?

Answer 1

1. Create a base image and run it

   docker run -it <base_image> /bin/bash 

2. Make necessary changes

   yum install ping 

3. Commit it with a new name

   docker commit <hash tag of running container> new_image 

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Now if you open new_image by running

docker run -it new_image /bin/bash 

You can see ping is installed in it.

Open base_image and there is no ping installed in it.

Hope it answered your question.