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Docker for OS X devs: 'Easier' containers spun up for Apple Macs

DLite to simplify the enterprise Apple tupperware experience

A web developer turned real-time software maker has produced code to simplify Docker for OS X devs.

&yet has released code for DLite, software that lets you virtualize without sweating the environment variables and setup.

The idea is that DLite is simpler to use than boot2docker and docker-machine for Mac.

DLite is the work of &yet’s Nathan LaFreniere and is written in Google’s Go language. You need to be running OS X Yosemite or later to use it.

DLite has worked on XMPP, Node, JavaScript and WebRTC taking on projects at Netflix, AT&T and others.

LaFreniere has written here that DLite lets you create a virtual instance without needing to run eval commands in your bash profile.

Docker clients rely on a /var/run/docker.sock request – a Unix socket file run using the Docker daemon that does not exist in Apple’s Mac client OS.

DLite lets you distribute Docker as a single binary that’s downloaded and copied to PATH. That single binary is made possible thanks to Go.

LaFreniere’s software creates the /var/run/docker.sock file that then forwards requests to the correct ports of the virtual machine without need for extra setup.

DLite will also mount the entire user directory in the virtual machine using NFS and it injects public SSH keys into the VM.

LaFreniere wote:

These existing tools [boot2docker and docker-machine] work well, but I felt like they were too complex. Why do I need to run eval $(docker-machine env docker) just so I can work? I just want to use Docker, I don't want to have to remember to run a command and pay attention to environment variables just to build a container.

You can find code for DLite here. ®

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