Visual Studio Container Tools requires Docker to be running before building, debugging or running a containerized project

Question

I am working on .Net core Microservices. I installed Docker Toolbox containing docker cli and kitematics. After that i created a simple (.Net core) web api project in visual studio 2017 and also enable docker support.

But when i hit F5 to run the program it shows following error and doesn't run.

Visual Studio Container Tools requires Docker to be running before building, debugging or running a containerized project.

Please review the attached image.

Visual studio error on running the project

If i build and run the project using docker cli, it's working. The problem is with visual studio 2017.

maybe this [post](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/45869766/how-to-get-docker-toolbox-to-work-with-net-core-2-0-project) could help you — ocuenca, Feb 14 '18 at 02:45
Possible duplicate of [How to get docker toolbox to work with .net core 2.0 project](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/45869766/how-to-get-docker-toolbox-to-work-with-net-core-2-0-project) — Linda Lawton - DaImTo, Jan 16 '19 at 07:49

score 16 · Answer 1 · answered Dec 07 '19 at 17:14

16

In my case I had an erroneous reference in Dependencies > Packages to Microsoft.VisualStudio.Azure.Containers.Tools.Targets

Removing the reference fixed the error.

answered Dec 07 '19 at 17:14

Scott

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when I delete this it threw "the project doesn't know how to run the profile docker" and this error drive me to start :D – Çağlar Can Sarıkaya Nov 16 '21 at 18:32
@ÇağlarCanSarıkaya I have also got the same error, is there any workaround to solve this ? – Vivek Nuna Dec 06 '21 at 07:49
hi, I solved it by installing docker desktop. When I need to work on containers firstly start docker desktop, then secondly the project on visual studio. Actually it is not look like a proper solition but worked for me – Çağlar Can Sarıkaya Dec 06 '21 at 08:15
Is it possible to do it without installing docker desktop? I'd like to solve it directly with docker in wsl – Alejandro Galera Dec 09 '21 at 09:44
*NOTE: You also have to delete "Docker" prop from "Properties/launchSettings.json" – Moslem Hadi May 07 '22 at 04:45

score 14 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 14 '18 at 11:01

The problem occurs because Visual studio container is unable to connect to docker for windows and solution for this is to open the visual studio 2017 from Docker CLI using following command. /c/Program\ Files\ \(x86\)/Microsoft\ Visual\ Studio/2017/Community/Common7/IDE/devenv.exe C:\\PATH\\TO\\MY\\SOLUTION.sln

Here:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Community\Common7\IDE\devenv.exe

is the location of my devenv.exe file and 2nd parameter

C:\\PATH\\TO\\MY\\SOLUTION.sln

shows the path of solution file.

For further details of this solution, click Here.

user890255 · Answer 3 · 2019-03-05T09:35:49.020

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In my case, this issue was caused by a disabled BIOS Virtualization. To enable Virtualization, see here. In order to check whether Virtualization is already enabled, start Task Manager > Performance > find Virtualization. If you are hosting your docker container application in full feature IIS, make sure you start Visual Studio as an Administrator.

edited Mar 05 '19 at 09:35

answered Mar 05 '19 at 09:25

user890255

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score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Sep 04 '19 at 10:50

I was getting the same error when I was trying to rebuild my solution after changing my .Net Core 2.0 application to .Net Core 2.2. As I reset my windows, there was no docker installed on my machine. To fix this all I had to do is to install the docker for desktop as I wanted to containerize my applications.

Once you install the Docker, it will ask you to enable Hyper-V and Container features. By clicking the Ok button in the pop up as preceding, will enable this features for you.

Your computer will be restarted automatically and once it is done, you should be able to see that the Virtualization is enabled in the task bar.

After this I was not facing this error.

I'm trying to do it without installing Docker for Windows; just docker in wsl. Do you know how to do it? Thanks — Alejandro Galera, Dec 09 '21 at 09:43

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered May 07 '19 at 08:31

Check shared folders inside the default virtual machine setting in Virtual box to make sure you shared the disk where you project located. By default shared only C:\Users. So alternatively you can move your project somewhere inside C:\Users folder (for example in Desktop folder)

score -5 · Answer 6 · edited Feb 08 '19 at 14:21

-5

I was facing the same issue and I resolved it by switching to IIS Express instead of Docker in debug menue on visual studio 2017

edited Feb 08 '19 at 14:21

Anastasios Selmani

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answered Feb 08 '19 at 11:59

jagdish gussai

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When we switch to IIS Express in visual studio, the application runs on local IIS Express rather than docker. It is similar to run any other .NET application. As this application is not containerized, so containerization goal is not achieved. You can verify this by running **docker ps** command in power shell which shows the running containers on your system. – Muhammad Zunair Feb 17 '19 at 20:25
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downvote, op asked how to debug a container service and your answer is basically, "Stop trying and use IIS express instead" – P. Roe Jun 21 '19 at 16:11
upvote because your answer reminded me to check that option – cikatomo Jun 05 '23 at 02:34

Visual Studio Container Tools requires Docker to be running before building, debugging or running a containerized project

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