ros-docker

A Docker project for building, testing, installing, and running ROS software in a container with an exposed rosbridge node.

Why would you want to put ROS in a container?

ROS for OS X is unsupported, so this exists as a prepared solution for running tests, playing with rosbridge, developing roslibjs applications, or creating a container-ized build farm.

If you need an industrial strength build farm, refer to the ROS build farm project which is also based on Docker.

Building the image

Optionally, drop your ROS packages into src/. Any packages in this path will be built and installed. rosdep will attempt to install any declared dependencies.

By default, the container will run rosbridge websocket and rosapi nodes. Add any additional launch activity you want to user.launch.

If you're running your own packages, be sure to set up install targets in CMakeLists.txt or roslaunch won't be able to find your stuff.

Finally, build the container:

$ docker build -t rosdev /path/to/ros-docker

Running the image

Be sure to specify local port forwarding when starting the container.

Running in the foreground (with screen output from roslaunch):

$ docker run -p 9090:9090 -i -t rosdev

Running in the background:

$ docker run -p 9090:9090 -d rosdev

While the container is runnning, you should be able to connect to its rosbridge socket at ws://localhost:9090.

Verify in a Chrome dev console or use wscat:

$ wscat --connect ws://localhost:9090
connected (press CTRL+C to quit)
>

OS X

If you're using a Mac, you'll need to set up boot2docker.

Boot2Docker port forwarding