Docker image for development

[davidhyman]

Development on such a project without a Docker image will be pot luck.

[screamerbg]

Where this requirement is coming from? Do you know how many embedded engineers use Docker? :)

[davidhyman]

Maybe embedded engineers don't, and we're not about to change that by adding one to mbed-cli (although its certainly possible to make serial connections to connected boards from inside a container).

My primary motivation for this would be to have a reproducible build / test environment. Specifically, there are currently ~70 lines of tests run on CircleCI that aren't reproducible in a stable environment locally.

[davidhyman]

For reference: https://github.com/ARMmbed/mbed-tools-docker/blob/master/Dockerfile

[0Grit]

@screamerbg Maybe more embedded engineers than you'd think...
Modernization of the embedded development process is a top 2 reason I'm pushing my peers to look into mbed.

Interesting series of relevant articles:
https://blog.feabhas.com/2017/09/introduction-docker-embedded-developers-part-1-getting-started/

[screamerbg]

@loverdeg-ep @davidhyman Fair enough. In the same time let's make sure that Docker isn't required to develop mbed OS, nor mbed OS tools (including mbed CLI)

[aschmidt75]

I'd love to see standard build envs for mbed project, and docker would ease the cross-platform hassle.

I'm using https://github.com/aschmidt75/docker-mbed-cli-gcc-arm
but would appreciate a way supported by ARM.

[0Grit]

@aschmidt75 are you attempting to take the Eclipse Che path?

[aschmidt75]

I don't know about Eclipse's Che path, i'm just using containers for years now for this kind of build system helpers - works quite well.

[jaimejim]

adding to @loverdeg-ep and @davidhyman , on the IETF we are using the mbed cli to test what we call a suit manifest file. There are detailed notes about a couple of hackathons we have had and a common problem we identified is that newcomers need a lot of time to get started with their environment. We found it could be very useful to have an isolated environment using docker or nix.

[theotherjimmy]

Thanks for the link @jaimejim

@screamerbg Requirement or not, we certainly have proof that it would be used.

[0Grit]

Heads up on this.

If the toolchain exists within the docker image, getting an IDE (Such as Eclipse) )running on the host to communicate with the toolchain's GDB is still a blocking issue for us.

The GDB server could exist on the host, or a remote debug server, but the GDB client's machine interface (MI) would need to somehow be piped out of the container into eclipse running on the host.

I've been blocking on this, hoping eclipse che, or an update to the eclipse docker tooling would eventually resolve it.

[ciarmcom]

Internal Jira reference: https://jira.arm.com/browse/MBOCUSTRIA-65

[0Grit]

@BlackstoneEngineering please review my comments regarding Eclipse Che as well.

Our path internally is chasing Eclipse Che. It would provide a similar, even better solution than the Cloud 9 path that was taken in the past.

I want devs to be able to go as far as remote step debugging without installing a single tool on their computer.

Also seems like a natural progression for the work @thegecko is doing with Theia.

[BlackstoneEngineering]

@SenRamakri / @theotherjimmy , i'm seeing a demand for a docker container from customers and developers in the wild. As we are about to engage in general installer updates / rework I would like to add getting an official mbed docker container with all the tools and compiler in it added to the list.

[markus-becker-tridonic-com]

An official Docker image would also help with running a CI for mbed based products.

[trowbridgec]

I agree with @loverdeg-ep and company that this would be an awesome tool to have!

[0Grit]

help with running a CI for mbed based products.

My thoughts exactly.

[jaimejim]

docker pull jaim/mbed-cli

Could be useful for those who want to give it a try. The Dockerfile is on the repo.

[40Grit]

@jaimejim you find a way to use the gdb client in the container for debug with an IDE running on the host machine?

[0Grit]

https://www.arm.com/company/news/2019/04/docker-and-arm-partnership

We have our own but still waiting for something official...

[ciarmcom]

Thank you for raising this issue. Please note we have updated our policies and
now only defects should be raised directly in GitHub. Going forward questions and
enhancements will be considered in our forums, https://forums.mbed.com/ . If this
issue is still relevant please re-raise it there.
This GitHub issue will now be closed.