Install additional packages

#1

I’m currently using the ruby environment to run a set or rails services.

I’d like to add an additional library, but it looks like there is no way to install anything via apt-getinto the image. I thought that there is maybe some hook or script that could be invoked to add stuff to the image, but couldn’t find anything.

So it looks like I would need to change the env to docker and add it there. Is there a base-image that could be used to get the same setup, but just add another librarby?

#2

Hi @Peter_Schroder,

There’s currently no way to install system-wide packages unless you use the Docker environment, and we don’t provide a base image.

Depending on the package you want, it may be possible to do a local (not system-wide) installation and include that in your build, but you would have to reference that explicitly in your service. I don’t personally have experience with this, and it may be more trouble than it’s worth.

Out of curiosity, if you’re comfortable sharing, what is the package that you’d like to install?

#3

Ok, thanks.

I’m experimenting with a couple of image-manuplation libraries that require system-packages. So it’s not a package in particular.

#4

I’m running into this same issue. I’m trying to install the twitter-text ruby gem, which depends on idn-ruby which requires the idn library, which does not seem to be installed.

On CI I install it like this: sudo apt-get install libidn11-dev

@dan How would I install the package locally? Just download the binary somewhere? I did find the code below. Any idea how I’d leverage that when using Bundler?

Alternatively, a base image for Docker + Ruby would be useful as well.

gem install --remote --test idn -- \
  --with-idn-lib=/path/to/non/standard/location/lib \
  --with-idn-include=/path/to/non/standard/location/include
#5

Hey @marc!

If you’re looking for a base image, Docker actually provides official Ruby base images that could be helpful, then you could install the library similar to how you’re doing it CI, using a run command in your Dockerfile.

I would recommend going the Dockerfile approach, I’m not too familiar with the with-idn-lib flag, but I don’t believe you could use an uninstalled binary for this.

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