How to run tests with TestContainers in WSL2 without Docker Desktop

docker_wsl2.md

Install docker

in case you haven't docker installed, please follow this instruction https://docs.docker.com/engine/install/ubuntu/

Expose docker port

First way

Create daemon.json file in /etc/docker, with content:

{"hosts": ["tcp://0.0.0.0:2375", "unix:///var/run/docker.sock"]}

Second way suggested by @maireadmccabe-fire

sudo mkdir -p /etc/systemd/system/docker.service.d
sudo vim /etc/systemd/system/docker.service.d/override.conf

# add the below to the override.conf file
[Service]
ExecStart=
ExecStart=/usr/bin/dockerd --host=tcp://0.0.0.0:2375 --host=unix:///var/run/docker.sock

Restart docker daemon

sudo systemctl daemon-reload and then sudo systemctl restart docker or sudo service docker restart

or just restart WSL2 by calling wsl --shutdown  in windows CMD/PowerShell and just open linux terminal once again

if you have run docker as sudo dockerd - stop it, and run sudo dockerd once again.

Check that port are exposed

after restart docker daemon or restart wsl, run in linux terminal netstat -nl | grep 2375 (install net-tools if you haven't it). You should see that port are open.

Add environment variables

add the following properties in Windows Env Variables:

Name	Value
DOCKER_HOST	tcp://localhost:2375
DOCKER_TLS_VERIFY	0
DOCKER_CERT_PATH	\\wsl$\home\$USER_NAME\.docker

⚠️ seems like there is kind of an issue in WSL, sometimes tcp://localhost:2375 should be replaced with tcp://$wsl_ip:2375, where $wsl_ip is IP of ifconfig eth0 ⚠️

✔️ There is a workaround suggest by @tacascer

@echo off
set port=:2375
set
(for /f "tokens=2" %%f in ('wsl ifconfig eth0 ^| findstr /c:"inet "') do (
    set dockerhost=tcp://%%f%port%
))
@REM echo %dockerhost%
setx DOCKER_HOST %dockerhost%

⚠️ port in DOCKER_HOST variable must be same as exposed above

⚠️ $USER_NAME -replace this placeholder with your linux user

⚠️ .testcontainers.properties - were empty

Restart IDE

To apply environment variables you need restart IDE (in my case is Intellij Idea) OR just specify in Run/Debug Configuration these env variables directly.

Protect the Docker daemon socket

If you are looking for secure access to docker follow the guide suggested by @gim-

@gim- thanks for contribution!