Passing environment variables to Docker containers

Question

Currently using Elastic Beanstalk to run Docker containers, I need to pass important information as environment variables to my containers.

My current Dockerrun.aws.json looks like this:

{
    "AWSEBDockerrunVersion": "1",
    "Image": {
        "Name": "b2boost/rabbitelasticdockstash",
        "Update": "true"
    },
    "Ports": [
        {
            "ContainerPort": "80"
        }
    ],
    "environment": [
        {
            "name": "RABBITMQ_HOST",
            "value": "RABBITMQ_HOST"
        },
        {
            "name": "RABBITMQ_PASSWORD",
            "value": "RABBITMQ_PASSWORD"
        },
        {
            "name": "RABBITMQ_USER",
            "value": "RABBITMQ_USER"
        },
        {
            "name": "RABBITMQ_VHOST",
            "value": "RABBITMQ_VHOST"
        },
        {
            "name": "ELASTICSEARCH_HOST",
            "value": "ELASTICSEARCH_HOST"
        },
        {
            "name": "ELASTICSEARCH_PASSWORD",
            "value": "ELASTICSEARCH_PASSWORD"
        },
        {
            "name": "ELASTICSEARCH_PORT",
            "value": "ELASTICSEARCH_PORT"
        },
        {
            "name": "ELASTICSEARCH_PROTOCOL",
            "value": "ELASTICSEARCH_PROTOCOL"
        },
        {
            "name": "ELASTICSEARCH_USER",
            "value": "ELASTICSEARCH_USER"
        }
    ],
    "Volumes": [
    ],
    "Logging": "/var/log/eb-activity.log"
}

This doesn't work however. When SSHing to my beanstalk instance then getting the content of the environment variables, I can see that they weren't initialized:

[ec2-user@myip ~]$ sudo docker exec goofy_curie env

PATH=/opt/logstash/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:bin
HOSTNAME=HOSTNAME
LANG=C.UTF-8
JAVA_VERSION=7u79
JAVA_DEBIAN_VERSION=7u79-2.5.5-1~deb8u1
LOGSTASH_MAJOR=1.5
LOGSTASH_VERSION=1:1.5.1-1
HOME=/root

How can I set the environment variables in my containers? The Dockerrun.aws.json doesn't seem to work for me.

Did you try this option: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/28298101/elastic-beanstalk-environment-variables-for-docker-host ? — Alex V, Jul 01 '15 at 20:06
If you do not wish to keep the information on VCS, you can use the web console. It works well for my dockerized environments. http://stackoverflow.com/a/17878600/1102395 — Samar, Jul 01 '15 at 21:10

score 26 · Accepted Answer · edited Jan 26 '16 at 18:47

26

The "environment" field is not allowed in the Dockerrun.aws.json for single containers.

You can however specify the environment variables in a .config file with the following procedure (look at the documentation for more information):

Create a folder .ebextensions
Create a .config file in the folder
Fill the config file:

option_settings:  
  - option_name: RABBITMQ_HOST
    value: RABBITMQ_HOST
  - option_name: RABBITMQ_PASSWORD
    value: RABBITMQ_PASSWORD
  - option_name: RABBITMQ_USER
    value: RABBITMQ_USER
  - option_name: RABBITMQ_VHOST
    value: RABBITMQ_VHOST
  - option_name: ELASTICSEARCH_HOST
    value: ELASTICSEARCH_HOST
  - option_name: ELASTICSEARCH_PASSWORD
    value: ELASTICSEARCH_PASSWORD
  - option_name: ELASTICSEARCH_PORT
    value: ELASTICSEARCH_PORT
  - option_name: ELASTICSEARCH_PROTOCOL
    value: ELASTICSEARCH_PROTOCOL
  - option_name: ELASTICSEARCH_USER
    value: ELASTICSEARCH_USER

Zip the .ebextensions file along with the Dockerrun.aws.json and upload it to Beanstalk

edited Jan 26 '16 at 18:47

Mario S

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answered Jul 02 '15 at 07:34

Heschoon

2,915
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what if you aren't bundling and instead is specifying an image on docker hub? Where would the `.ebextensions` go? – Luke Sep 16 '16 at 17:54
@Luke You still have to specify the Docker Hub image in a Dockerrun.aws.json file right? So create a git repository with your Dockerrun.aws.json and .ebextensions and then use the EB CLI to easily deploy the configuration. – Ian Walter Sep 24 '16 at 05:47
Is it somehow possible to use the directy environment variables created in the elastic beanstalk environment? – Anand Oct 15 '21 at 14:51

score 6 · Answer 2 · answered May 10 '18 at 17:40

6

Another way (graphical):

In the configuration of your beanstalk click in modify of the Software card. In the bottom of this page you can fill the name and value of your environment variables.

answered May 10 '18 at 17:40

Maciel Escudero Bombonato

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I tried this and still the container cant access the environment variables defined directly on EBS. – Anand Oct 15 '21 at 14:52

Passing environment variables to Docker containers

2 Answers2