How to resolve Error: Error pinging Docker server: Cannot connect to the Docker daemon at unix:///var/run/docker.sock

terraform_docker_error.md

How to resolve Error

Error pinging Docker server: Cannot connect to the Docker daemon at unix:///var/run/docker.sock. Is the docker daemon running?

• My setup: Ubuntu 22.04, Terraform, Docker Desktop

When you try to follow the first tutorial at Terraform and do terraform apply you get the message above. It tooks me a couple of hours to discover that Docker Desktop in Ubuntu 22.04 don't use unix:///var/run/docker.sock as DOCKER ENDPOINT but unix:///home/user/.docker/desktop/docker.sock so the solution that works is this:

• Check your DOCKER ENDPOINT opening a terminal and typing:

docker context ls

• Look there and copy your DOCKER ENDPOINT
• Open your main.tf and change provider line, i.e:

provider "docker" {
  host ="unix:///home/user/.docker/desktop/docker.sock"
}

• Save and do again:

terraform init
terraform apply

Docs that helps me resolve this issue:

• https://developer.hashicorp.com/terraform/tutorials/aws-get-started/install-cli
• https://developer.hashicorp.com/terraform/language/syntax
• https://docs.docker.com/desktop/faqs/linuxfaqs/#what-is-the-difference-between-docker-desktop-for-linux-and-docker-engine