Deprecation/Removal: Dockerfiles and Docker Images

kmccormick · May 14, 2024, 7:12pm

I am proposing that we remove Dockerfiles in upstream openedx repositories and freeze the openedx DockerHub account.

This would not affect Tutor, which will continue to build images from j2-templated Dockerfiles and push them to the overhangio Docker account.

If you rely on the openedx Dockerfiles/images, or if this otherwise concerns you, please speak up by 14 June 2024. Thanks!

github.com/openedx/public-engineering

[DEPR]: Dockerfiles and Docker images

opened 07:05PM - 14 May 24 UTC

kdmccormick

depr

### Proposal Date 2024-05-14 ### Target Ticket Acceptance Date 2024-06-14 ##…# Earliest Open edX Named Release Without This Functionality Sumac ### Rationale Upstream Open edX Django services have Dockerfiles, [like this one in edx-platform](https://github.com/openedx/edx-platform/blob/master/Dockerfile). These were added according to [OEP-45 Configuring and Operating Open edX](https://docs.openedx.org/projects/openedx-proposals/en/latest/architectural-decisions/oep-0045-arch-ops-and-config.html), accepted in 2020. These Dockerfiles are generally built upon push-to-main and uploaded to the [Open edX DockerHub account](https://hub.docker.com/u/openedx). However, OEP-45 has not become reality. Instead of switching to the new Dockerfiles in the upstream Open edX repositories, the [community decided to support to Tutor](https://docs.openedx.org/projects/openedx-proposals/en/latest/architectural-decisions/oep-0045/decisions/0001-tutor-as-replacement-for-edx-configuration.html), which has its own Jinja2-rendered Dockerfiles, like [this one in edx-platform](https://github.com/overhangio/tutor/blob/master/tutor/templates/build/openedx/Dockerfile). So, as of 2024, the Dockerfiles are not used and tested by the community. As far as we know, they are used by [the unsupported Devstack](https://github.com/openedx-unsupported/devstack) and (in some cases) in 2U's production environment. We do not know of any other production users. **If you do use these Dockerfiles in production, please let us know!** These images are currently being built using the same resource pool that checks for Open edX PRs use. They impact Open edX upgrades, and their presence gives the impression to potential users that they are supported and possibly production-ready. If community members feel that it's important to maintain and continue building these Dockerfiles, then that's a route we can take--but at the moment, it seems like it is not, so I propose removing them. ### Removal * Remove all Dockerfiles in the Open edX organization. * *Open question: Some repos use Dockerfiles for CI. Should we move those repos to standard images for CI?* * Remove miscellaneous settings files, artifacts, etc. which are only used by the Dockerfiles * Remove all docker-compose artifacts which depend on the Dockerfiles * Freeze or deactivate the Open edX DockerHub account. * *Open question: Would it be better to make the image repositories read-only, or actually delete them?* ### Replacement * [Tutor](https://docs.tutor.edly.io/) provides [production-ready Docker images](https://hub.docker.com/u/overhangio/) for all supported Open edX services. * Tutor can also be used just to generate prod-ready Dockerfiles (`tutor config save && cd "$(tutor config printroot)/env/build"`) which can be used as a reference for anyone who wants to run Open edX on Docker without Tutor. * Each Open edX service repository should contain documentation describing how it can be installed and executed, allowing anyone to write a Dockerfile that provisions the repository. For example, [here are the instructions in edx-platform](https://github.com/openedx/edx-platform?tab=readme-ov-file#bare-metal-advanced). If a repository does not have these instructions, that it is a documentation problem that should be brought to the attention of the repository's maintainer by opening an issue ### Deprecation The [Open edX DockerHub account](https://hub.docker.com/u/openedx) already describes itself as unsupported. ### Migration Folks who currently rely on the Docker images will need to: * Move the Dockerfiles they need to a repository outside of the openedx organization * Build them on a regular cadence and push them somewhere other than Open edX's DockerHub account * Update any references to `docker.io/openedx` images to the new location ### Additional Info * This DEPR would move us further away from ever implementing OEP-45. There are other issues with OEP-45, notably that YAML-based configuration was never built out enough to be viable for all providers. Based on whether this DEPR is accepted, it seems like perhaps we should mark the OEP as obsolete. * This overlaps with the pending Devstack cleanup: https://github.com/openedx/public-engineering/issues/247 ### Task List _No response_

chintan · May 16, 2024, 4:33am

Will it affect in fetching older release images ?

kmccormick · May 16, 2024, 12:59pm

@chintan Which image tags are you thinking of? I see tags on openedx/credentials
but not on openedx/lms or any other edx-platform image.

chintan · May 16, 2024, 2:29pm

Nvm @kmccormick , I was thinking about people running older releases in devstack, but at this point devstack is deprecated too.

And if those images are required, they can be built locally too.

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