Why isn't ifconfig available in Ubuntu Docker container?

english
#1

With the base ubuntu:12.04, ifconfig is not available in the container, though the ip command is available, why is this? and, how to get ifconfig in the container?

#2

You can install ifconfig with apt-get install net-tools. (Specifically, by adding RUN apt-get install -y net-tools to your Dockerfile.)

Based on my test, ifconfig is included in ubuntu:14.04.

#3

Unless and until you can install net-tools, there is no need to give it by default. Also if you want to see the IP address then there is another command available by docker itself:-

docker inspect <container_name or container_id>

docker inspect syntax: docker inspect [OPTIONS] NAME|ID [NAME|ID...]

This cmd will show you every detail of running container including IP address.

#4

I also stumbled on this nuisance, but as Devendra wrote in docker inspect you can get all details about the container without net-tools. In my case I needed the container's IP. To extract the IP you can use:

docker inspect <container-id> \
  | grep "\"IPAddress\"" -m 1 \
  | grep -o '[0-9]\{1,3\}\.[0-9]\{1,3\}\.[0-9]\{1,3\}\.[0-9]\{1,3\}'

EDIT even shorter notation to get container's IP (see docker inspect examples):

docker inspect --format='{{range .NetworkSettings.Networks}}{{.IPAddress}}{{end}}' <container-id-or-name>
#5

You can install it using

apt-get install net-tools

or if you are using redhut linux install it using yum package manager

yum install net-tools
#6

See Linux Networking - “ip X” instead of ifconfig/route/etc? and Should I quit using Ifconfig?

#7

Are the developers still alive? This was deprecated years ago.

#8

“Some programs” and “there is bug”: can you be more specific?

#9

I am aware that ifconfig is somehow deprecated, but some programs still depend on it.

#10

There is bug when using ip in the current version of the software. I need a quick workaround of the problem.