Docker registry server setup similar to Docker Hub

Introduction

Laymen explanation

If you have used linux docker anytime, you must have experienced simple steps to depoly a container, let ubuntu. It involves step to execute "docker pull ubuntu". This simple step fetches ubuntu docker image from server (hub.docker.com) and installs fetched image to your box. You can also host your own registry server and host docker images of your choice.

Technical explanation

The Registry is a stateless, highly scalable server side application that stores and lets you distribute Docker images.

Docker hub provides a free-to-use, hosted registry. However, you can use your own Registry , if you want to:

• tightly control where your images are being stored

• fully own your images distribution pipeline

• integrate image storage and distribution tightly into your in-house development workflow

Setup registry server using registry container

Steps

Check for docker images

root:/personal/# docker images

REPOSITORY TAG IMAGE ID CREATED VIRTUAL SIZE

ubuntu 14.04 f8bd1e6f7e58 5 weeks ago 196.6 MB

registry latest ad8da6d14f6d 4 days ago 33.31 MB

Start your registry

docker run -d -p 5000:5000 --name registry registry:latest

Tag the image so that it points to your registry. To know the image list, use "docker images" command

docker tag ubuntu:14.04 localhost:5000/myfirstimage

Push it

docker push localhost:5000/myfirstimage

Pull it back

docker pull localhost:5000/myfirstimage

Pull your first image from registry server

root:/personal/# docker pull localhost:5000/mycpximage

latest: Pulling from localhost:5000/mycpximage

b28db778d4f7: Already exists

2334d959c0cf: Already exists

....

..

Digest: sha256:7d90bc6f7a7ea244e2d3ee22aa23486cf5b0f37f75f0d1f6b95dc50382b1f341

Status: Image is up to date for localhost:5000/mycpximage:latest

Registry server maintenance

To stop registry server, simply remove the registry container instance

To stop your registry and remove all data

docker stop registry && docker rm -v registry

Reference

https://docs.docker.com/registry/deploying/

https://docs.docker.com/registry/