How to run Docker in Docker on Mac

Docker in Docker can be used in GitLab CI/CD to build Docker images. This is how to run Docker in Docker on Mac.

• create directory

  mkdir /tmp/my-project
  cd /tmp/my-project
  

• create docker-compose.yml file:

  version: "3"
  services:
    docker-daemon:
      container_name: "my-docker-daemon"
      environment:
        DOCKER_TLS_CERTDIR: ""
      image: "docker:dind"
      networks:
        "my-network":
          aliases:
            - "docker"
      privileged: true
    docker-client:
      command: sh -c 'while [ 1 ]; do sleep 1000; done'
      container_name: "my-docker-client"
      depends_on:
        - "docker-daemon"
      environment:
        DOCKER_HOST: "tcp://docker:2375"
      image: "docker:latest"
      networks:
        "my-network": {}
  
  networks:
    "my-network":
      name: "my-network"
  

• run the docker daemon and client containers

  docker-compose up -d
  

• run a shell in the client container

  docker exec -it my-docker-client sh
  

• run a docker command in the docker client container

  / # docker ps
  CONTAINER ID   IMAGE     COMMAND   CREATED   STATUS    PORTS     NAMES
  

References¶

• https://hub.docker.com/_/docker
• https://www.caktusgroup.com/blog/2020/02/25/docker-image/