Announcement: Container Tools for Visual Studio Code

[bwateratmsft]

Please see @fiveisprime's blog post here: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/AppsonAzureBlog/major-updates-to-vs-code-docker-introducing-container-tools/4400609

This issue is open for discussion. We want to hear from you!

[bwateratmsft]

The Container Tools extension has been released. We are trying to do a gentle rollout to make for a smooth transition from the Docker extension.

For now, installation of Container Tools will need to be done manually, with the Docker extension uninstalled first. Soon, we will add a toast notification to the Docker extension to allow users to transition to Container Tools at-will. Eventually, we plan to change the Docker extension into a simple extension pack, containing Container Tools--users who choose to wait will then be migrated automatically.

[JoeAustinC]

Looks promising, however on MacOS, when using the extension in a running DevContainer, when accessing the tool from the side toolbar, gives:
'There is no data provider registered that can provide view data.'
... with an error popup of:
'An unsupported version of the Docker extension is installed. Please update the Docker extension to version 2.0.0 or later. The Container Tools extension will not activate.'
It works correctly when using the same computer/setup/login etc, but not when running in the DevContainer.

[bwateratmsft]

@JoeAustinC can you make sure that you don't have the Docker extension installed in your dev container?

[marty0678]

I was also getting the same error An unsupported version of the Docker extension is installed. Please update the Docker extension to version 2.0.0 or later. The Container Tools extension will not activate. but only in my WSL Ubuntu environment. My host / Windows was fine and everything worked correctly but in WSL I could not see any of my images.

I see that the Docker extension was removed from the host, but not the dev container (I swear I saw it removed yesterday from the WSL container but it was back today).

Either way, removing the Docker extension again from WSL specifically seems to have fixed it for me, thank you!

[bwateratmsft]

@marty0678 @JoeAustinC what might be happening is the .devcontainer.json has the Docker extension in it--I think that causes it to be auto-installed. In any case, once we update the Docker extension to just be an extension pack, this will stop being an issue...

[SiebelsTim]

Installation was seamless. However, VSCode nags to install the (now uninstalled) docker extension whenever I open a Dockerfile. I am supposed to keep it uninstalled, correct?

[bwateratmsft]

@SiebelsTim Yes, for now keep it uninstalled. We plan to release an update in the near future that will turn it into an extension pack, and it will no longer be incompatible with the Container Tools extension.

[sujyotraut]

Eagerly waiting for podman support.

[bwateratmsft]

Eagerly waiting for podman support.

@sujyotraut you don't have to wait any more! You can install Container Tools now, and change the VSCode setting containers.containerClient to choose Podman.

[sujyotraut]

@bwateratmsft Thanks for letting me know.

[regunakyle]

Eagerly waiting for podman support.

@sujyotraut you don't have to wait any more! You can install Container Tools now, and change the VSCode setting containers.containerClient to choose Podman.

So if I use Podman (and only Podman), I should install this extension instead of the Docker extension. Is this correct?

[bwateratmsft]

@regunakyle Yes, that would be the recommendation at this time. Relatively soon we are going to change the Docker extension into an extension pack, containing Container Tools--and at that point it won't really matter which you install, you'll have the features available either way.

[mjgardner]

Relatively soon we are going to change the Docker extension into an extension pack, containing Container Tools--and at that point it won't really matter which you install, you'll have the features available either way.

Do you have a timeframe for this conversion? I'm currently waiting on devcontainers/features#1358 before installing Container Tools, as the Docker-in-Docker Dev Containers feature still installs the conflicting Docker extension. Converting the Docker extension to a pack that installs Container Tools would mitigate this wait.

[bwateratmsft]

@mjgardner we're tentatively thinking next week, so it won't be much longer!