dockercontainersroot

Connect to docker container as user other than root


BY default when you run

docker run -it [myimage]

OR

docker attach [mycontainer]

you connect to the terminal as root user, but I would like to connect as a different user. Is this possible?


Solution

  • For docker run:

    Simply add the option --user <user> to change to another user when you start the docker container.

    docker run -it --user nobody busybox
    

    For docker attach or docker exec:

    Since the command is used to attach/execute into the existing process, therefore it uses the current user there directly.

    docker run -it busybox  # CTRL-P/Q to quit
    docker attach <container id>  # then you have root user
    / # id
    uid=0(root) gid=0(root) groups=10(wheel)
    
    docker run -it --user nobody busybox # CTRL-P/Q to quit
    docker attach <container id>  
    / $ id
    uid=99(nobody) gid=99(nogroup)
    

    If you really want to attach to the user you want to have, then

    1. start with that user run --user <user> or mention it in your Dockerfile using USER
    2. change the user using `su