Example Dockerfile for a ROS Hydro image

Dockerfile

# This Dockerfile starts from a base ubuntu 12.04 image and installs
# a full desktop ROS hydro.
#
# It also creates a catkin workspace for a single user named YOURNAME 
# with password YOURPASSWORD.
#
# GUI applications in the container will connect to the host's X11 server
# by mounting the .X11-unix folder on the host OS. I have no idea if this 
# works on Mac if Windows.
# (http://fabiorehm.com/blog/2014/09/11/running-gui-apps-with-docker/)
#
# Another alternative is to install a VNC server inside the container and 
# remote desktop into it. Yet another alternative is to ssh into the container
# with X11 forwarding. I haven't tried either those options.
#
# I use this ROS environment by running a terminal emulator, using it 
# exclusively to run ROS programs. The actual editing of source code 
# happens on my host OS. This requires exposing a folder to the container
# with the -v option in "docker run". 
# (https://docs.docker.com/userguide/dockervolumes/)

FROM ubuntu:precise
MAINTAINER Dave Lu 

# Add universe repository 
RUN echo "deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise main universe" >> /etc/apt/sources.list

# Install things needed to add ROS repository 
RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
    apt-utils \
    wget \
    ca-certificates

# Install ROS Packages
RUN echo "deb http://packages.ros.org/ros/ubuntu precise main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ros-latest.list
RUN wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ros/rosdistro/master/ros.key -O - | apt-key add -
RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
    ros-hydro-desktop-full \
    python-rosinstall \
    ros-hydro-turtlebot* \
    ros-hydro-rqt \
    ros-hydro-rqt-common-plugins

# Add user
RUN useradd YOURNAME -m
RUN echo "YOURNAME:YOURPASSWORD" | chpasswd

# Initialize ROS 
RUN rosdep init
USER YOURNAME
RUN rosdep update

# Setup catkin workspace
RUN echo "source /opt/ros/hydro/setup.bash" >> ~/.bashrc
RUN bin/bash -c "source /opt/ros/hydro/setup.bash && \
                 mkdir -p ~/catkin_ws/src && \
                 cd ~/catkin_ws/src && \
                 catkin_init_workspace && \
                 cd ~/catkin_ws/ && \
                 catkin_make"
RUN echo "source ~/catkin_ws/devel/setup.bash" >> ~/.bashrc

# This is needed to run GUI applications
ENV DISPLAY localhost:0 

#############################################################################
######################### Graphics Card (Optional) ##########################
#############################################################################

# Install graphics card driver, if applicable
# Make sure the driver is the same version as the your host's
ADD ./nvidia /tmp/nvidia
RUN /tmp/nvidia/NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-340.32.run -s -N --no-kernel-module

#############################################################################
############################ Other Custom Stuff #############################
#############################################################################

# Install terminal emulator and font of choice 
USER root 
RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
    terminator \
    ttf-inconsolata
RUN chsh -s /bin/bash YOURNAME
USER YOURNAME 

# Install preferred ls scheme
RUN echo "eval \`dircolors -b ~/dircolors\`" >> ~/.bashrc
RUN wget -O ~/dircolors "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/seebi/dircolors-solarized/master/dircolors.256dark"

# Install preferred ls scheme
ADD ./config /home/YOURNAME/.config/

# Images generated from this should be run with two options:
#  -v /tmp/.X11-unix:/tmp/.X11-unix (to display on the host X server, this is
#                                    needed to run GUI applications)
#  --privileged                     (to access the graphics card)