This is a very light program that can be run as process #1 in a container such as Docker.

v1.0

"What do I need this for?" you may ask.

This is quite simple, really. Docker, while being a great tool, suffers from a fairly annoying limitation: if used as prescribed by its authors, you may end up with a lot of "zombie" processes. This is because it is recommended to run Docker to execute only a single program/daemon. For instande, run nginx or jenkins or even more innocuous tail or what not. As users, we always find creative ways to shoot ourselves in the foot.

Lets's take an example:

docker run -p 8080:8080 jenkins

This will run ok until we start exec'ing a side shell and installing more daemons, that we wish to run alongiside jenkins. Through the magic of daemonization, these guys will end up being children of process #1. In this case: jenkins.

Now, jenkins can perfectly well handle its own children lifecycle, but where do these ones come from? Unlike the classic init process, it is unfair to expect of specialized software to behave like Unix's top cleaner. And that is how you end up with zombies processes with no one around to wait on them.

The side efffects can be spectacular, too. From running out of entries in the system's process table, to not closing file system level locks.

"So, how do I use this? I am already running docker run tail -f /var/log/messages"

Are you? Oh, well, I've done worse.

Here is how to keep running your container without too much aggravation. These steps have to be taken inside your container:

1. Rename tail to something else, say actualtail
2. Rename cfr_reaper to tail
3. Upon start up, cfr_reaper/tail will be invoked
4. It may also be invoked later from the command line

Regarding #3:

When you start your container, the program will detect that it is running as init and will install itself as a daemon then execute the actual commmand. The arguments passed to tail will be passed to actualtail or, alternatively, you can specify arguments, one per line, in a file called cfr_reaper_args found either in the current directory or under /etc

How will the program know where to find the actual command?

The command name will be in a file called cfr_reaper_actual found, again, either in the current directory or under /etc

Regarding #4:

Later on, when typing tail <something> you will still be invoking cfr_reaper but it will detect that it is already running as a daemon and simply execute the actual command.

How do I test this? How do I create a zombie?

Have a look at mk_zombie.c -- it is very simple.

What if I have more questions?

Feel free to contact me. I cannot guarantee that my explanations will be less confusing than the content of this file, though.

-Chris.