Create desktop environments on the fly

In this tutorial we will create desktop environments via docker on the fly. This environments could be used for development and/or testing purposes. For example you could expand it with Selenium-Grid nodes or provide manual testers all they need.

Preconditions

Steps

# create new VM
$ docker-machine create -d virtualbox xserver

# ssh into VM
$ docker-machine ssh xserver

# create Dockerfile
$ vi Dockerfile
FROM centos:centos7

MAINTAINER Lupin3000

RUN yum update -y
RUN yum install -y epel-release
RUN yum install -y x2goserver x2goserver-xsession
RUN yum groupinstall -y Xfce
RUN yum install -y firefox

RUN /usr/bin/ssh-keygen -t rsa -f /etc /ssh/ssh_host_rsa_key -N ''
RUN /usr/bin/ssh-keygen -t ecdsa -f /etc /ssh/ssh_host_ecdsa_key -N ''
RUN /usr/bin/ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -f /etc /ssh/ssh_host_ed25519_key -N ''

RUN adduser testuser
RUN echo 'testuser:test123' | chpasswd
RUN echo 'root:test123' | chpasswd

EXPOSE 22

CMD ["/usr/sbin/sshd", "-D"]

* Note: the space after etc is because of the security settings of my provider!

# build Docker image from Dockerfile
$ docker build -t centos7/xserver .

# run Docker container from image
$ docker run -p 2222:22 -d --name centos7-xserver centos7/xserver

Connect with x2go client

The following example shows the client configuration. Important are values ​​for host (192.168.99.100), port (2222) and session type (XFCE).

x2go client settings

Now it’s up to you to add more users, tools etc. – or to integrate everything into a build process.