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Docker Development Environment

Our Docker setup provides a consistent development environment for all team members.

Architecture​

Prerequisites​

  • Docker Desktop installed and running
  • Docker Compose installed
  • At least 4GB of free RAM

Configuration​

Directory Structure​

docker/
├── backups/              # Gateway backups
├── data/                 # Persistent gateway data
├── docker-compose.yml    # Environment configuration
└── .env                 # Environment variables

Docker Compose Configuration​

docker-compose.yml
version: "3.8"
services:
  gateway:
    image: inductiveautomation/ignition:8.1.44
    ports:
      - "8088:8088" # HTTP
      - "8043:8043" # HTTPS
    volumes:
      - ./data:/var/lib/ignition
      - ./backups:/restore
      - ../web:/web-resources
    environment:
      ACCEPT_IGNITION_EULA: "Y"
      IGNITION_EDITION: "standard"
      RESTORE_ON_STARTUP: "true"
      GATEWAY_RESTORE_DISABLED: "false"
    command: >
      --
      -Dres.path.dev.kgamble.perspective.examples.ExampleComponentLibrary=/web-resources/build/generated-resources/mounted

Usage​

Starting the Environment​

# Navigate to docker directory
cd docker

# Start containers
docker-compose up -d

# View logs
docker-compose logs -f

Stopping the Environment​

docker-compose down

Accessing the Gateway​

  • Web Interface: http://localhost:8088
  • Gateway Admin: http://localhost:8088/system/admin
  • Designer: Launch through Gateway web interface

Volume Mounts​

Web Resources​

volumes:
  - ../web:/web-resources

This mount enables hot reloading of web resources during development.

Mount Permissions

Ensure your user has appropriate permissions for mounted directories. On Linux/macOS:

chmod -R 777 data backups

Environment Variables​

.env
GATEWAY_ADMIN_USERNAME=admin
GATEWAY_ADMIN_PASSWORD=password
IGNITION_EDITION=standard

Designer Auto-Login​

Auto-Login Warning

Auto-login should only be used for testing purposes and should not be used in a production environment.

It is possible to auto-login to the designer for testing purposes, however it is noted that this is not secure and should not be used in a production environment. To enable this, add the following JVM args to your designer launcher config for this gateway:

-Dautologin.username=some_username;-Dautologin.password=some_password;-Djavaws.ignition.loglevel=INFO;-Djavaws.ignition.debug=true;-Dproject.name=some_project_name;

Note that the entire value must be on one line, and to replace the username, password, and project name with your own values.

Common Issues​

Port Conflicts​

If ports 8088 or 8043 are in use:

  1. Stop conflicting services
  2. Modify port mappings in docker-compose.yml: 
    ports:
      - "8089:8088" # Map to different host port

Volume Mount Issues​

If web resources aren't updating:

  1. Check volume mount permissions
  2. Verify Docker has access to the mounted directories
  3. Check Docker Desktop settings for file sharing

Best Practices​

  1. Gateway Backups

    • Regularly update the backup in docker/backups
    • Include module configurations
    • Document backup contents

  2. Resource Management

    • Clean up unused containers: docker system prune
    • Monitor container logs
    • Set appropriate resource limits

  3. Development Workflow

    • Keep Docker environment running during development
    • Use hot reload for rapid development
    • Monitor resource usage