[PATCH v3 0/2] scripts: introduce containerized builds

[PATCH v3 0/2] scripts: introduce containerized builds

[Guillaume Tucker]

This proposal emerged from discussions over email and after a talk at
Plumbers 2024:

    https://lore.kernel.org/all/affb7aff-dc9b-4263-bbd4-a7965c19ac4e@gtucker.io/

The aim is to facilitate reproducing builds for CI bots as well as
developers using containers.  Here's an illustrative example with a
kernel.org toolchain in a Docker image from tuxmake:

    $ scripts/container -i tuxmake/korg-clang-21 make LLVM=1 defconfig
      HOSTCC  scripts/basic/fixdep
      HOSTCC  scripts/kconfig/conf.o
    [...]
      HOSTCC  scripts/kconfig/util.o
      HOSTLD  scripts/kconfig/conf
    *** Default configuration is based on 'x86_64_defconfig'
    #
    # configuration written to .config
    #

This patch series also includes a documentation page with all the
relevant details and further examples about how to use the tool.

To go one step further, I'm in the process of preparing reference
container images with kernel.org toolchains and no third-party
dependencies other than the base Debian distro.  See this thread for
more details and options to host them in an upstream way:

    https://lore.kernel.org/all/cc737636-2a43-4a97-975e-4725733f7ee4@gtucker.io/

Say, to run KUnit using the latest kernel.org GCC toolchain:

    scripts/container --shell \
        -i registry.gitlab.com/gtucker/korg-containers/gcc:kunit -- \
        tools/testing/kunit/kunit.py \
            run \
            --arch=x86_64 \
            --cross_compile=x86_64-linux-

---
Changes in v3:
- Refactor common code for Docker and Podman
- Add docs.kernel.org URL in help message
- Use pathlib Python package
- Handle signals in parent process by default
- Add --shell option to use an interactive shell
- Tweak debug messages in verbose mode
- Specify Python 3.10 as minimum version in the docs
- Provide an example env file in the docs
- Update docs regarding interactive shell usage

Changes in v2:
- Drop default image but make -i option required
- Look for Docker and Podman if no runtime specified
- Catch SIGINT from user to abort container with Docker
- Explicitly name each container with a UUID
- Update documentation accordingly

---

Guillaume Tucker (2):
  scripts: add tool to run containerized builds
  Documentation: dev-tools: add container.rst page

 Documentation/dev-tools/container.rst | 201 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 Documentation/dev-tools/index.rst     |   1 +
 scripts/container                     | 199 +++++++++++++++++++++++++
 3 files changed, 401 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 Documentation/dev-tools/container.rst
 create mode 100755 scripts/container

-- 
2.47.3

[PATCH v3 1/2] scripts: add tool to run containerized builds

[Guillaume Tucker]

Add a 'scripts/container' tool written in Python to run any command in
the source tree from within a container.  This can typically be used
to call 'make' with a compiler toolchain image to run reproducible
builds but any arbitrary command can be run too.  Only Docker and
Podman are supported in this initial version.

Cc: Nathan Chancellor <nathan@kernel.org>
Cc: Miguel Ojeda <ojeda@kernel.org>
Cc: David Gow <davidgow@google.com>
Cc: "Onur Özkan" <work@onurozkan.dev>
Link: https://lore.kernel.org/all/affb7aff-dc9b-4263-bbd4-a7965c19ac4e@gtucker.io/
Signed-off-by: Guillaume Tucker <gtucker@gtucker.io>
---
 scripts/container | 199 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 199 insertions(+)
 create mode 100755 scripts/container

diff --git a/scripts/container b/scripts/container
new file mode 100755
index 000000000000..dbe92630f05b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/container
@@ -0,0 +1,199 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
+# Copyright (C) 2025 Guillaume Tucker
+
+"""Containerized builds"""
+
+import abc
+import argparse
+import logging
+import os
+import pathlib
+import shutil
+import subprocess
+import sys
+import uuid
+
+
+class ContainerRuntime(abc.ABC):
+    """Base class for a container runtime implementation"""
+
+    name = None  # Property defined in each implementation class
+
+    def __init__(self, args, logger):
+        self._uid = args.uid or os.getuid()
+        self._gid = args.gid or args.uid or os.getgid()
+        self._env_file = args.env_file
+        self._shell = args.shell
+        self._logger = logger
+
+    @classmethod
+    def is_present(cls):
+        """Determine whether the runtime is present on the system"""
+        return shutil.which(cls.name) is not None
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def _do_run(self, image, cmd, container_name):
+        """Runtime-specific handler to run a command in a container"""
+
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def _do_abort(self, container_name):
+        """Runtime-specific handler to abort a running container"""
+
+    def run(self, image, cmd):
+        """Run a command in a runtime container"""
+        container_name = str(uuid.uuid4())
+        self._logger.debug("container: %s", container_name)
+        try:
+            return self._do_run(image, cmd, container_name)
+        except KeyboardInterrupt:
+            self._logger.error("user aborted")
+            self._do_abort(container_name)
+            return 1
+
+
+class CommonRuntime(ContainerRuntime):
+    """Common logic for Docker and Podman"""
+
+    def _do_run(self, image, cmd, container_name):
+        cmdline = [self.name, 'run']
+        cmdline += self._get_opts(container_name)
+        cmdline.append(image)
+        cmdline += cmd
+        self._logger.debug('command: %s', ' '.join(cmdline))
+        return subprocess.call(cmdline)
+
+    def _get_opts(self, container_name):
+        opts = [
+            '--name', container_name,
+            '--rm',
+            '--volume', f'{pathlib.Path.cwd()}:/src',
+            '--workdir', '/src',
+        ]
+        if self._env_file:
+            opts += ['--env-file', self._env_file]
+        if self._shell:
+            opts += ['--interactive', '--tty']
+        return opts
+
+    def _do_abort(self, container_name):
+        subprocess.call([self.name, 'kill', container_name])
+
+
+class DockerRuntime(CommonRuntime):
+    """Run a command in a Docker container"""
+
+    name = 'docker'
+
+    def _get_opts(self, container_name):
+        return super()._get_opts(container_name) + [
+            '--user', f'{self._uid}:{self._gid}'
+        ]
+
+
+class PodmanRuntime(CommonRuntime):
+    """Run a command in a Podman container"""
+
+    name = 'podman'
+
+    def _get_opts(self, container_name):
+        return super()._get_opts(container_name) + [
+            '--userns', f'keep-id:uid={self._uid},gid={self._gid}',
+        ]
+
+
+class Runtimes:
+    """List of all supported runtimes"""
+
+    runtimes = [DockerRuntime, PodmanRuntime]
+
+    @classmethod
+    def get_names(cls):
+        """Get a list of all the runtime names"""
+        return list(runtime.name for runtime in cls.runtimes)
+
+    @classmethod
+    def get(cls, name):
+        """Get a single runtime class matching the given name"""
+        for runtime in cls.runtimes:
+            if runtime.name == name:
+                if not runtime.is_present():
+                    raise ValueError(f"runtime not found: {name}")
+                return runtime
+        raise ValueError(f"unknown runtime: {runtime}")
+
+    @classmethod
+    def find(cls):
+        """Find the first runtime present on the system"""
+        for runtime in cls.runtimes:
+            if runtime.is_present():
+                return runtime
+        raise ValueError("no runtime found")
+
+
+def _get_logger(verbose):
+    """Set up a logger with the appropriate level"""
+    logger = logging.getLogger('container')
+    handler = logging.StreamHandler()
+    handler.setFormatter(logging.Formatter(
+        fmt='[container {levelname}] {message}', style='{'
+    ))
+    logger.addHandler(handler)
+    logger.setLevel(logging.DEBUG if verbose is True else logging.INFO)
+    return logger
+
+
+def main(args):
+    """Main entry point for the container tool"""
+    logger = _get_logger(args.verbose)
+    try:
+        cls = Runtimes.get(args.runtime) if args.runtime else Runtimes.find()
+    except ValueError as ex:
+        logger.error(ex)
+        return 1
+    logger.debug("runtime: %s", cls.name)
+    logger.debug("image: %s", args.image)
+    return cls(args, logger).run(args.image, args.cmd)
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+        'container',
+        description="See the documentation for more details: "
+        "https://docs.kernel.org/dev-tools/container.html"
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '-e', '--env-file',
+        help="Path to an environment file to load in the container."
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '-g', '--gid',
+        help="Group ID to use inside the container."
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '-i', '--image', required=True,
+        help="Container image name."
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '-r', '--runtime', choices=Runtimes.get_names(),
+        help="Container runtime name.  If not specified, the first one found "
+        "on the system will be used i.e. Docker if present, otherwise Podman."
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '-s', '--shell', action='store_true',
+        help="Run the container in an interactive shell."
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '-u', '--uid',
+        help="User ID to use inside the container.  If the -g option is not "
+        "specified, the user ID will also be set as the group ID."
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '-v', '--verbose', action='store_true',
+        help="Enable verbose output."
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        'cmd', nargs='+',
+        help="Command to run in the container"
+    )
+    sys.exit(main(parser.parse_args(sys.argv[1:])))
-- 
2.47.3

[PATCH v3 2/2] Documentation: dev-tools: add container.rst page

[Guillaume Tucker]

Add a dev-tools/container.rst documentation page for the
scripts/container tool.  This covers the basic usage with additional
information about environment variables and user IDs.  It also
includes a number of practical examples with a reference to the
experimental kernel.org toolchain images.

Cc: Nathan Chancellor <nathan@kernel.org>
Cc: Miguel Ojeda <ojeda@kernel.org>
Cc: David Gow <davidgow@google.com>
Cc: "Onur Özkan" <work@onurozkan.dev>
Signed-off-by: Guillaume Tucker <gtucker@gtucker.io>
---
 Documentation/dev-tools/container.rst | 201 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 Documentation/dev-tools/index.rst     |   1 +
 2 files changed, 202 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 Documentation/dev-tools/container.rst

diff --git a/Documentation/dev-tools/container.rst b/Documentation/dev-tools/container.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..f6f134ec09f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Documentation/dev-tools/container.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,201 @@
+.. SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only
+.. Copyright (C) 2025 Guillaume Tucker
+
+====================
+Containerized Builds
+====================
+
+The ``container`` tool can be used to run any command in the kernel source tree
+from within a container.  Doing so facilitates reproducing builds across
+various platforms, for example when a test bot has reported an issue which
+requires a specific version of a compiler or an external test suite.  While
+this can already be done by users who are familiar with containers, having a
+dedicated tool in the kernel tree lowers the barrier to entry by solving common
+problems once and for all (e.g. user id management).  It also makes it easier
+to share an exact command line leading to a particular result.  The main use
+case is likely to be kernel builds but virtually anything can be run: KUnit,
+checkpatch etc. provided a suitable image is available.
+
+
+Options
+=======
+
+Command line syntax::
+
+  scripts/container -i IMAGE [OPTION]... CMD...
+
+Available options:
+
+``-e, --env-file ENV_FILE``
+
+    Path to an environment file to load in the container.
+
+``-g, --gid GID``
+
+    Group id to use inside the container.
+
+``-i, --image IMAGE``
+
+    Container image name (required).
+
+``-r, --runtime RUNTIME``
+
+    Container runtime name.  Supported runtimes: ``docker``, ``podman``.
+
+    If not specified, the first one found on the system will be used
+    i.e. Docker if present, otherwise Podman.
+
+``-s, --shell``
+
+    Run the container in an interactive shell.
+
+``-u, --uid UID``
+
+    User id to use inside the container.
+
+    If the ``-g`` option is not specified, the user id will also be used for
+    the group id.
+
+``-v, --verbose``
+
+    Enable verbose output.
+
+``-h, --help``
+
+    Show the help message and exit.
+
+
+Usage
+=====
+
+It's entirely up to the user to choose which image to use and the ``CMD``
+arguments are passed directly as an arbitrary command line to run in the
+container.  The tool will take care of mounting the source tree as the current
+working directory and adjust the user and group id as needed.
+
+The container image which would typically include a compiler toolchain is
+provided by the user and selected via the ``-i`` option.  The container runtime
+can be selected with the ``-r`` option, which can be either ``docker`` or
+``podman``.  If none is specified, the first one found on the system will be
+used.  Support for other runtimes may be added later depending on their
+popularity among users.
+
+By default, commands are run non-interactively.  The user can abort a running
+container with SIGINT (Ctrl-C).  To run commands interactively with a TTY, the
+``--shell`` or ``-s`` option can be used.  Signals will then be received by the
+shell directly rather than the parent ``container`` process.  To exit an
+interactive shell, use Ctrl-D or ``exit``.
+
+.. note::
+
+   The only host requirement aside from a container runtime is Python 3.10 or
+   later.
+
+
+Environment Variables
+=====================
+
+Environment variables are not propagated to the container so they have to be
+either defined in the image itself or via the ``-e`` option using an
+environment file.  In some cases it makes more sense to have them defined in
+the Containerfile used to create the image.  For example, a Clang-only compiler
+toolchain image may have ``LLVM=1`` defined.
+
+The local environment file is more useful for user-specific variables added
+during development.  It is passed as-is to the container runtime so its format
+may vary.  Typically, it will look like the output of ``env``.  For example::
+
+  INSTALL_MOD_STRIP=1
+  SOME_RANDOM_TEXT=One upon a time
+
+Please also note that ``make`` options can still be passed on the command line,
+so while this can't be done since the first argument needs to be the
+executable::
+
+  scripts/container -i tuxmake/korg-clang LLVM=1 make
+
+this will work::
+
+  scripts/container -i tuxmake/korg-clang make LLVM=1
+
+
+User IDs
+========
+
+This is an area where the behaviour will vary slightly depending on the
+container runtime.  The goal is to run commands as the user invoking the tool.
+With Podman, a namespace is created to map the current user id to a different
+one in the container (1000 by default).  With Docker, while this is also
+possible with recent versions it requires a special feature to be enabled in
+the daemon so it's not used here for simplicity.  Instead, the container is run
+with the current user id directly.  In both cases, this will provide the same
+file permissions for the kernel source tree mounted as a volume.  The only
+difference is that when using Docker without a namespace, the user id may not
+be the same as the default one set in the image.
+
+Say, we're using an image which sets up a default user with id 1000 and the
+current user calling the ``container`` tool has id 1234.  The kernel source
+tree was checked out by this same user so the files belong to user 1234.  With
+Podman, the container will be running as user id 1000 with a mapping to id 1234
+so that the files from the mounted volume appear to belong to id 1000 inside
+the container.  With Docker and no namespace, the container will be running
+with user id 1234 which can access the files in the volume but not in the user
+1000 home directory.  This shouldn't be an issue when running commands only in
+the kernel tree but it is worth highlighting here as it might matter for
+special corner cases.
+
+
+Examples
+========
+
+The shortest example is to run a basic kernel build using the default runtime
+(e.g. Docker) and a ``tuxmake`` Clang image::
+
+  scripts/container -i tuxmake/korg-clang -- make LLVM=1 defconfig
+  scripts/container -i tuxmake/korg-clang -- make LLVM=1 -j$(nproc)
+
+.. note::
+
+   When running a command with options within the container, it should be
+   separated with a double dash ``--`` to not confuse them with the
+   ``container`` tool options.  Plain commands with no options don't strictly
+   require the double dashes e.g.::
+
+     scripts/container -i tuxmake/korg-clang make mrproper
+
+To run ``checkpatch.pl`` in a ``patches`` directory with a generic image::
+
+  scripts/container -i perl:slim-trixie scripts/checkpatch.pl patches/*
+
+The examples below refer to ``kernel.org`` images which are based on the
+`kernel.org compiler toolchains
+<https://mirrors.edge.kernel.org/pub/tools/>`__.  These aren't (yet) officially
+available in any public registry but users can build their own locally instead
+using this `experimental repository
+<https://gitlab.com/gtucker/korg-containers>`__ by running ``make
+PREFIX=kernel.org/``.
+
+To build just ``bzImage`` using Clang::
+
+  scripts/container -i kernel.org/clang -- make bzImage -j$(nproc)
+
+Same with GCC 15 as a particular version tag::
+
+  scripts/container -i kernel.org/gcc:15 -- make bzImage -j$(nproc)
+
+To run KUnit in an interactive shell and get the full output::
+
+  scripts/container -s -i kernel.org/gcc:kunit -- \
+      tools/testing/kunit/kunit.py \
+          run \
+          --arch=x86_64 \
+          --cross_compile=x86_64-linux-
+
+To just start an interactive shell::
+
+  scripts/container -si kernel.org/gcc bash
+
+To build the HTML documentation, which requires the ``kdocs`` image built with
+``make PREFIX=kernel.org/ extra`` as it's not a compiler toolchain::
+
+  scripts/container -i kernel.org/kdocs make htmldocs
diff --git a/Documentation/dev-tools/index.rst b/Documentation/dev-tools/index.rst
index 4b8425e348ab..527a0e4cf2ed 100644
--- a/Documentation/dev-tools/index.rst
+++ b/Documentation/dev-tools/index.rst
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ Documentation/process/debugging/index.rst
    gpio-sloppy-logic-analyzer
    autofdo
    propeller
+   container
 
 
 .. only::  subproject and html
-- 
2.47.3