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I have a docker container (running Ubuntu) with conda (miniconda) installed. I can create new conda environments in the container but they will not persist the next time I create a new container. I don't want to install the packages as part of the Docker image, so what is the best way to make install packages persist in the container? I imagine some directory needs to be mounted on the host so any conda install command installs packages on a host directory and is there the next time a new container is spawned.

BigBrownBear00
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2 Answers2

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The following two locations need to be mounted from outside of the container to make sure conda environment packages don't get removed between container runs:

1. Create directories for python packages outside of container

mkdir ~/conda_stuff
mkdir ~/conda_stuff/envs
mkdir ~/conda_stuff/pkgs

2. Mount conda env and pkgs directories

# assume conda installed in /opt/anaconda in the container
docker run -it -v ~/conda_stuff/envs:/opt/anaconda/envs \
               -v ~/conda_stuff/pkgs:/opt/anaconda/pkgs

Now any packages installed in the conda environment via pip or conda install will persist when the container is exited.

BigBrownBear00
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The best way actually would be to create your own image with the required conda environment already pre-installed.

This is because docker containers are meant to be ephemeral, i.e., stopping and removing a container will also throw away any changed state in it and you should be able to just start a new container from the same image.

To store persistent data you have to use volumes or bind-mounts, see the docker storage docs on this: https://docs.docker.com/storage/

In your case you would have to add one or multiple volumes to your container and place any changed/installed files there.

acran
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  • Right, that's the crux of the question. What do I need to mount? – BigBrownBear00 Nov 23 '22 at 16:51
  • Please look into the `docker` documentation regarding _how_ to use `volumes`: https://docs.docker.com/storage/ Regarding _where_ to use volumes: this depends heavily on your specific case and can therefor not be answered with more additional context on what exactly you are trying to achieve and what you already tried. – acran Nov 23 '22 at 16:56
  • https://stackoverflow.com/questions/31003994/where-is-site-packages-located-in-a-conda-environment – SiHa Nov 23 '22 at 16:57
  • I know how to mount volumes. The question is clear, you don’t understand the use case – BigBrownBear00 Nov 23 '22 at 17:26