🐧 Tux-Dock

A lightweight C++ Docker management CLI

Tux-Dock is a simple, modern, and fast C++17 command-line utility for managing Docker containers and images. It offers a clean, interactive menu for common Docker operations like pulling images, running containers, and inspecting IP addresses — without the overhead of complex GUIs or scripts.

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✨ Features

• 🔹 Interactive container management — start, stop, remove, or attach to containers with simple numbered menus.
• 🔹 Port mapping made clear — automatically prompts for and explains host ↔ container port bindings.
• 🔹 Image operations — pull, list, and delete Docker images.
• 🔹 Script-to-image workflow — turn a bash setup script into a Dockerfile and build the resulting image in one go.
• 🔹 Quick MySQL setup — spin up a MySQL container with version, password, and port configuration in seconds.
• 🔹 Get container IP address — cleanly retrieves and displays only the container’s assigned IP.
• 🔹 Run detached commands — execute background jobs inside a container without attaching an interactive shell.
• 🔹 Modern C++ design — built with classes, minimal dependencies, and clear abstractions.

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🧩 Build Requirements

• C++17 or newer compiler (e.g., g++, clang++)
• Docker Engine installed and running (tested on Debian 12/13, Alpine Linux, and Arch Linux)

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⚙️ Build & Run

# Clone the repo
git clone https://mentalnet.xyz/forgejo/markmental/tuxdock.git
cd tuxdock

# Build the binary
g++ -std=c++17 main.cpp -o tux-dock

# Run it (requires Docker permissions)
sudo ./tux-dock

Prefer a prebuilt binary? The CI runner publishes build artifacts for the latest commits at: https://mentalnet.xyz/forgejo/markmental/tuxdock/actions

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🖥️ Menu Overview

Tux-Dock: Docker Management Menu
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1.  Pull Docker Image
2.  Run/Create Interactive Container
3.  List All Containers
4.  List All Images
5.  Start Container Interactively (boot new session)
6.  Start Detached Container Session
7.  Delete Docker Image
8.  Stop Container
9.  Remove Container
10. Attach Shell to Running Container
11. Run Detached Command in Container
12. Spin Up MySQL Container
13. Get Container IP Address
14. Create Dockerfile & Build Image from Bash Script
15. Exit

Each action guides you through the required steps. For container-related commands, Tux-Dock automatically lists available containers and lets you choose by number, not by typing long IDs.

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📡 Example: Getting a Container’s IP Address

Available Containers:
1. mysql-container (ebaf5dbae393)
2. webapp (fa29b6c1f1e8)

Select container to view IP (1-2): 2
Container IP Address: 172.17.0.3

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🧱 Design Overview

Tux-Dock is built using a single class:

class DockerManager {
public:
    void pullImage();
    void runContainerInteractive();
    void listContainers() const;
    void listImages() const;
    void startInteractive();
    void startDetached();
    void deleteImage();
    void stopContainer();
    void removeContainer();
    void execShell();
    void execDetachedCommand();
    void createDockerfile();
    void spinUpMySQL();
    void showContainerIP();

private:
    static void runCommand(const std::string& cmd);
    std::vector<std::pair<std::string, std::string>> getContainerList() const;
    std::string selectContainer(const std::string& prompt);
};

Method Reference

• pullImage — prompt for an image name and run docker pull.
• runContainerInteractive — configure port mappings and start a new interactive container session.
• listContainers — show all Docker containers (running or stopped).
• listImages — list local Docker images.
• startInteractive — start an existing container and attach a shell.
• startDetached — start an existing container in detached mode.
• deleteImage — remove a local Docker image.
• stopContainer — stop a running container.
• removeContainer — delete a container after confirmation.
• execShell — attach a shell to a running container.
• execDetachedCommand — run a background command inside a container.
• createDockerfile — turn a bash script into a Dockerfile and build an image.
• spinUpMySQL — launch a MySQL container with custom port, password, and version.
• showContainerIP — display a container’s IP address.
• runCommand — helper to invoke shell commands.
• getContainerList — retrieve Docker container IDs and names for selection menus.
• selectContainer — present a menu to pick a container interactively.

This makes the codebase extensible — adding new Docker features like docker logs or docker stats requires only a small new method.

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🧠 Why C++?

C++ was one of my formative languages when I was learning to program — it’s where I first grasped core concepts like memory management, data structures, OOP and abstraction. Writing Tux-Dock in C++ is both nostalgic and practical: it combines the clarity of modern design with the raw performance and control that first inspired me to code.

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📜 License

MIT License — free to use, modify, and share.

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💡 Tip

If you’d like Tux-Dock to run without sudo, add your user to the Docker group:

sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

Then log out and back in.

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Author: MARKMENTAL Project: Tux-Dock — A clean and modern CLI for Docker power users.

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