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X11 in docker on macOS
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x11_docker_mac.md

To forward X11 from inside a docker container to a host running macOS

  1. Install XQuartz: https://www.xquartz.org/
  2. Launch XQuartz. Under the XQuartz menu, select Preferences
  3. Go to the security tab and ensure "Allow connections from network clients" is checked.
  4. Run xhost + ${hostname} to allow connections to the macOS host *
  5. Setup a HOSTNAME env var export HOSTNAME=`hostname`*
  6. Add the following to your docker-compose:
  environment:
  - DISPLAY=${HOSTNAME}:0
  volumes:
  - /tmp/.X11-unix:/tmp/.X11-unix

* It should be noted that steps 4 and 5 can be automated to run everytime XQuartz starts, but that's outside of the scope of this gist

@ManuelSchneid3r
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Yes somehow after restarting it was available. Maybe PATH lookup issues.

@DrSnowbird
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DrSnowbird commented Jul 15, 2021 •
edited

The latest version of "DrSnowbird/jdk-mvn-py3-x11" already automatically" set up everything for you.

The latest version will automatically do all the necessary X11 setup for you except "the installation of xquartz" (running the 'run.sh' will automatically launch XQuartz).

So, you don't have do anything to run X11 on your host machine regardless macOS, Ubuntu, or CentOS (due to the automation inside run.sh). It is just as simple as below since "run.sh" script automatically does everything for you.

  1. First, "git clone https://github.com/DrSnowbird/jdk-mvn-py3-x11.git"
  2. then, "cd jdk-mvn-py3-x11"
  3. then, "./run.sh" . Then, you should see the "xeyes" X11 application showing up on your desktop.
    Bonus,
  4. try, "./shell.sh" using a new X-terminal, then run "firefox" from command line, you see will Firefox browser popping up on your Desktop.

That's it!

Important: You don't have to do anything setup including xhost, HOSTNAME, etc. It is all automatically done in "run.sh"

  • "run.sh" script that It has everything automation (auto-detect your host's OS) setup for you except that, in macOS, you need to have 'xquartz' installed as the only manual effort when running on macOS - not for other Linux (e.g., Ubuntu, or CentOS).

PS: if you are still having trouble, my recommendation is to use "noVNC" using your web HTML 5 browsers to run as your desktop. You can access your Docker Container's desktop using any HTML 5 web browser. Please see:

@stevenirby
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stevenirby commented Feb 12, 2022 •
edited

I couldn't get it working without running it this way. (on an M1 Mac)

docker run -it --env="DISPLAY=host.docker.internal:0" -v /tmp/.X11-unix:/tmp/.X11-unix:rw <image name>

This did NOT work.

-e DISPLAY=host.docker.internal:0

@DrSnowbird
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DrSnowbird commented Feb 21, 2022 •
edited

Most likely you need to install XQuartz first on Mac to allow X11 to work to display to your Desktop. However, with the licensing fee requirements to run Docker with Docker-Desktop on Mac, I myself am not using Docker/Docker-Desktop anymore. I am using 100% Linux (Ubuntu/CentOS and other variations) now for all my open-source projects. Hence, I can't help much further now on Mac. There are many blogs that provide alternative Docker solutions.

@ScottFred
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This was great! Thanks for providing this GIST!

@saikrn112
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Hey all,
I am getting these errors when I am running gazebo from docker. Can someone help here?
I am using intel i5 Mac and docker version 20.10.8, build 3967b7d

libGL error: No matching fbConfigs or visuals found
libGL error: failed to load driver: swrast
ALSA lib confmisc.c:855:(parse_card) cannot find card '0'
ALSA lib conf.c:5178:(_snd_config_evaluate) function snd_func_card_inum returned error: No such file or directory
ALSA lib confmisc.c:422:(snd_func_concat) error evaluating strings
ALSA lib conf.c:5178:(_snd_config_evaluate) function snd_func_concat returned error: No such file or directory
ALSA lib confmisc.c:1334:(snd_func_refer) error evaluating name
ALSA lib conf.c:5178:(_snd_config_evaluate) function snd_func_refer returned error: No such file or directory
ALSA lib conf.c:5701:(snd_config_expand) Evaluate error: No such file or directory
ALSA lib pcm.c:2664:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM default
AL lib: (EE) ALCplaybackAlsa_open: Could not open playback device 'default': No such file or directory
libGL error: No matching fbConfigs or visuals found
libGL error: failed to load driver: swrast
libGL error: No matching fbConfigs or visuals found
libGL error: failed to load driver: swrast

@pstoll
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pstoll commented Nov 25, 2022 •
edited

Adding a note of encouragement and thanks - I got my display working because of the instructions here.

FYI my setup - M1 MacBook Pro. So I'm using Rancher Desktop with a VM setup/dockerd.

Both of these worked for me getting a (gtk-based) x application runing inside an xterm inside XQuartz. fwiw I'm compiling the latests emacs (29.0) which has GTK support.

## using the `hostname` for the xhost & display
export HOSTNAME=`hostname`                                                                                   
xhost +${HOSTNAME}                                                                                           
docker run  -ti -v /tmp/.X11-unix:/tmp/.X11-unix -e "DISPLAY=${HOSTNAME}:0" pstoll/emacs-cross emacs

And also

## Using localhost for both xhost & display: 
xhost +localhost                                                                                             
docker run  -ti -v /tmp/.X11-unix:/tmp/.X11-unix -e "DISPLAY=host.docker.internal:0" pstoll/emacs-cross emacs

@Mirey007
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Mirey007 commented Jul 4, 2023

MacBook Pro ventura 13.3

Need set DISPLAY variable with prefix mac
-e DISPLAY=docker.for.mac.host.internal:0

docker run -p 8282:80 -e DISPLAY=docker.for.mac.host.internal:0 my docker

@marcospgp
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For those arriving from google like me: 2024 Dockerfile and compose.yaml for MacOS host:

FROM ubuntu:latest

# Install X11 and sample x11 apps
RUN apt-get update && \
    apt-get install -y x11-apps

# Open xclock on startup
CMD ["xclock"]

services:
  gui-app:
    build: .
    environment:
      - DISPLAY=host.docker.internal:0
    volumes:
      - /tmp/.X11-unix:/tmp/.X11-unix

Before docker compose up, install xquartz and do enable network connections on settings security tab.

@harunkurtdev
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harunkurtdev commented Jan 23, 2024 •
edited

Heyoo brotherss,

You can find on the this link,

I find some solution.

apptainer/singularity#5524 (comment)

on the link output

Ekran Resmi 2024-01-24 02 06 19

@jamesjmchugh
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For those arriving from google like me: 2024 Dockerfile and compose.yaml for MacOS host:

FROM ubuntu:latest

# Install X11 and sample x11 apps
RUN apt-get update && \
    apt-get install -y x11-apps

# Open xclock on startup
CMD ["xclock"]

services:
  gui-app:
    build: .
    environment:
      - DISPLAY=host.docker.internal:0
    volumes:
      - /tmp/.X11-unix:/tmp/.X11-unix

Before docker compose up, install xquartz and do enable network connections on settings security tab.

I just wanted to post and confirm this worked for me in February 2024 on an m2 macbook. Thank you!

@amura87516
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For those arriving from google like me: 2024 Dockerfile and compose.yaml for MacOS host:

FROM ubuntu:latest

# Install X11 and sample x11 apps
RUN apt-get update && \
    apt-get install -y x11-apps

# Open xclock on startup
CMD ["xclock"]

services:
  gui-app:
    build: .
    environment:
      - DISPLAY=host.docker.internal:0
    volumes:
      - /tmp/.X11-unix:/tmp/.X11-unix

Before docker compose up, install xquartz and do enable network connections on settings security tab.

I just wanted to post and confirm this worked for me in February 2024 on an m2 macbook. Thank you!

Somehow it didn't work on my M2 MacOS :(

Error: Can't open display: host.docker.internal:0
Screenshot 2024-02-26 at 10 24 40 PM

Any suggestion?

@ldipenti
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There shouldn't be a need of using "DISPLAY=host.docker.internal:0" and mounting the "/tmp/.X11-unix" socket file. I was able to make this work with just the DISPLAY envvar and enabling network connections and disabling connections auth in XQuartz settings.
Nevertheless, I think the ideal would be to just use the "/tmp/.X11-unix" file instead of network connections. I'm not being able to make this work even though the file seems to be correctly mounted inside the container.

@Tigatok
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Tigatok commented Apr 5, 2024

@ldipenti FTR I had to include the host.docker.internal:0, in 2024. I'm on a MacBook Pro 2024 m3 version.

Here is a working Dockerfile and Dockercompose:

FROM openjdk:11

# Install necessary packages for X11 or for your app
RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
    libxext6 \
    libxrender1 \
    libxtst6 \
    x11-apps

# Set the working directory
WORKDIR /app

# Copy the source code into the container
COPY src /app/src
COPY dist/lib /app/lib

# Compile the Java application
RUN javac -cp "/app/lib/*" -d /app/bin /app/src/*.java

# Set the DISPLAY environment variable for X11 forwarding
ENV DISPLAY host.docker.internal:0

# Run the compiled Java application
CMD ["java", "-cp", "/app/bin:/app/lib/*", "MainClass"]

version: '3'
services:
  java-app:
    build: .
    image: java-app
    container_name: java-app-container
    environment:
      - _JAVA_OPTIONS="-Dsun.java2d.xrender=false"

I added the _JAVA_OPTIONS stuff cause I was getting some weird color errors on my swing ui.

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