Introduction
In this post, we’ll explore a practical guide on how to give a Docker container access to a USB device using Docker Compose. This can be particularly useful for applications that need to interact directly with hardware connected to the host machine.
Prerequisites
Before proceeding, ensure that you have Docker and Docker Compose installed on your system. Familiarity with basic Docker concepts and command line operations is also recommended.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Identify the USB Device
First, identify the USB device you wish to pass through. This can be done using commands like lsusb or dmesg in Linux. These commands help you find the device’s bus and device numbers.
Step 2: Modify the docker-compose.yml File
Next, modify your docker-compose.yml file to include the USB device. Here’s a sample configuration:
version: '3'
services:
myservice:
image: myimage
devices:
- "/dev/bus/usb/001/002:/dev/bus/usb/001/002"
Replace myservice with your service name, myimage with your Docker image, and /dev/bus/usb/001/002 with the path to your USB device.
If you’re running CasaOS you can use my script to update the docker compose or you can use the UI.
bash -c "$(wget -qLO - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/bigbeartechworld/big-bear-scripts/master/casaos-docker-compose-update/run.sh)"
Step 3: Running Docker Compose
With the docker-compose.yml file set up, start your Docker Compose:
docker-compose up
This command will launch the container with access to the specified USB device.
Step 4: Ensure Proper Permissions
Make sure the container has the necessary permissions to interact with the USB device. This might involve adjusting permissions on the host for the USB device file.
Conclusion
Passing through a USB device to a Docker container can unlock new capabilities for your containerized applications. By following these steps, you can seamlessly integrate hardware devices with your Docker containers.