gitlabhq/gitlab-ci

# Using Docker Build

GitLab CI can allows you to use Docker Engine to build and test docker-based projects.

**This also allows to you to use `docker-compose` and other docker-enabled tools.**

This is one of new trends in Continuous Integration/Deployment to:

1. create application image,
1. run test against created image,
1. push image to remote registry, 
1. deploy server from pushed image

It's also useful in case when your application already has the `Dockerfile` that can be used to create and test image:
```bash
$ docker build -t my-image dockerfiles/
$ docker run my-docker-image /script/to/run/tests
$ docker tag my-image my-registry:5000/my-image
$ docker push my-registry:5000/my-image
```

However, this requires special configuration of GitLab Runner to enable `docker` support during build.
**This requires running GitLab Runner in privileged mode which can be harmful when untrusted code is run.**

There are two methods to enable the use of `docker build` and `docker run` during build.

## 1. Use shell executor

The simplest approach is to install GitLab Runner in `shell` execution mode.
GitLab Runner then executes build scripts as `gitlab-runner` user.

1. Install [GitLab Runner](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ci-multi-runner/#installation).

1. During GitLab Runner installation select `shell` as method of executing build scripts or use command:

    ```bash
    $ sudo gitlab-runner register -n \
      --url http://ci.gitlab.com \
      --token RUNNER_TOKEN \
      --executor shell
      --description "My Runner"
    ```

2. Install Docker on server.

    For more information how to install Docker on different systems checkout the [Supported installations](https://docs.docker.com/installation/).

3. Add `gitlab-runner` user to `docker` group:
    
    ```bash
    $ sudo usermod -aG docker gitlab-runner
    ```

4. Verify that `gitlab-runner` has access to Docker:
  
    ```bash
    $ sudo -u gitlab-runner -H docker info
    ```
    
    You can now verify that everything works by adding `docker info` to `.gitlab-ci.yml`:
    ```yaml
    before_script:
      - docker info
    
    build_image:
      script:
        - docker build -t my-docker-image .
        - docker run my-docker-image /script/to/run/tests
    ```

5. You can now use `docker` command and install `docker-compose` if needed.

6. However, by adding `gitlab-runner` to `docker` group you are effectively granting `gitlab-runner` full root permissions.
For more information please checkout [On Docker security: `docker` group considered harmful](https://www.andreas-jung.com/contents/on-docker-security-docker-group-considered-harmful).

## 2. Use docker-in-docker executor

Second approach is to use special Docker image with all tools installed (`docker` and `docker-compose`) and run build script in context of that image in privileged mode.
In order to do that follow the steps:

1. Install [GitLab Runner](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ci-multi-runner/#installation).

1. Register GitLab Runner from command line to use `docker` and `privileged` mode:

    ```bash
    $ sudo gitlab-runner register -n \
      --url http://ci.gitlab.com \
      --token RUNNER_TOKEN \
      --executor docker \
      --description "My Docker Runner" \
      --docker-image "gitlab/dind:latest" \
      --docker-privileged
    ```
  
    The above command will register new Runner to use special [gitlab/dind](https://registry.hub.docker.com/u/gitlab/dind/) image which is provided by GitLab Inc.
    The image at the start runs Docker daemon in [docker-in-docker](https://blog.docker.com/2013/09/docker-can-now-run-within-docker/) mode.

1. You can now use `docker` from build script:
    
    ```yaml
    before_script:
      - docker info
    
    build_image:
      script:
        - docker build -t my-docker-image .
        - docker run my-docker-image /script/to/run/tests
    ```

1. However, by enabling `--docker-privileged` you are effectively disables all security mechanisms of containers and exposing your host to privilege escalation which can lead to container breakout.
For more information you could be interested in checking out [Runtime privilege](https://docs.docker.com/reference/run/#runtime-privilege-linux-capabilities-and-lxc-configuration).