docker - Activate python virtualenv in Dockerfile

Question

I have a Dockerfile where I try to activate python virtualenv after what, it should install all dependencies within this env. However, everything still gets installed globally. I used different approaches and non of them worked. I also do not get any errors. Where is a problem?

1. ENV PATH $PATH:env/bin

2. ENV PATH $PATH:env/bin/activate

3. RUN . env/bin/activate

I also followed an example of a Dockerfile config for the python-runtime image on Google Cloud, which is basically the same stuff as above.

Setting these environment variables are the same as running source /env/bin/activate.

ENV VIRTUAL_ENV /env

ENV PATH /env/bin:$PATH

Additionally, what does ENV VIRTUAL_ENV /env mean and how it is used?

Answer 1

You don't need to use virtualenv inside a Docker Container.

virtualenv is used for dependency isolation. You want to prevent any dependencies or packages installed from leaking between applications. Docker achieves the same thing, it isolates your dependencies within your container and prevent leaks between containers and between applications.

Therefor, there is no point in using virtualenv inside a Docker Container unless you are running multiple apps in the same container, if that's the case I'd say that you're doing something wrong and the solution would be to architect your app in a better way and split them up in multiple containers.