[Feat]: Improve Docker image usability by adding WORKDIR /etc/netdata

[powerman]

Problem

Most of commands executed inside a docker container are ./edit-config, which must be run in /etc/netdata. So, each time after docker exec we have to run cd /etc/netdata, which is a bit annoying.

Description

Make /etc/netdata default directory inside docker container.

Importance

nice to have

Value proposition

1. Less commands to run each time we need to reconfigure netdata in a docker.
2. Less errors because of forgotten cd.
3. Better overall UX for docker deployments. 😄

Proposed implementation

Add WORKDIR /etc/netdata near the bottom of the Dockerfile.

[ilyam8]

Hey, @powerman. Please open one issue with all your suggestions.

[powerman]

Hey, @powerman. Please open one issue with all your suggestions.

Sorry, I don't get it. These suggestions are not related, they should be handled independently, some may be accepted while other rejected… so what's the point in mixing them all in a single issue? Every other project insist on making separate issues/PRs for everything which can be separated…

If you want to have one my issue max then just reopen any one from just closed ones, no matter which one.

[ilyam8]

All of them are about "Install Netdata with Docker" documentation. You can open one issue and list all your suggestions. Thanks!

[ilyam8]

I'm sorry, I meant #17892, #17891, and #17893. Not this one.

@Ferroin what do you think about this request?

[Ferroin]

The question comes down to whether the entrypoint script and the agent itself actually correctly handle being run in /etc/netdata instead of /. That said, if docker exec /etc/netdata/edit-config does not work but opening a shell, changing directory, and running edit-config does, that’s a bug in the edit-config script.

[powerman]

Hmm. To me it's a different thing. docker exec /etc/netdata/edit-config works okay. But with WORKDIR set docker exec ./edit-config will work.

[ilyam8]

Should we just ln -s /etc/netdata/edit-config /usr/bin/? Will it do?

[powerman]

Good idea! But it won't make WORKDIR change useless - when in a container if you're in /etc/netdata then you can use shell auto-complete for existing config files. So, to me both adding symlink into /usr/bin (or, better, /usr/local/sbin) and WORKDIR /etc/netdata will provide best UX.

[powerman]

FWIW Here is one-liner example to debug plugins in docker:

sudo -u netdata -EH env -C /usr/libexec/netdata/plugins.d ./go.d.plugin -d -m nvidia_smi

Maybe worth to add it somewhere in the docs too.