> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.shakiba.net/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.shakiba.net/container/docker/using-vim-inside-any-container-without-installing-it.md).

# using vim inside any container without installing it

### Who is this tutorial for?

The beauty of **docker** is that everybody can use it, specially developers. But in my [English Classes](https://oteacher.org/teachers/shakibamoshiri) all those senior developers said "We are familiar with docker". Even a PM mentioned he was familiar with **Kubernetes**! :| So I asked myself what is the difference between me (as an SRE) with developers using docker. This is a tiny sample of the answer.

{% hint style="danger" %}
NOTICE

This tutorial is for

* having fun
* learning purposes

**do not use it on production.**
{% endhint %}

### What is wrong with installing X in my container?

When we need a text editor inside our container, the first idea (or a question) comes in to mind is why this container does not have vim? And then ohhh I have to install it.

So if we add **vim** to a container, we added a file which we do not need it so often. and we increased the size of that container just because of an edit per a week or month! And I do not go further with security issues.

So not just vim, we should not treat a **container** like a **VM** and `exec` to it and install some apps. if you are a **developer** that is OK but if you are an **SRE** THAT IS NOT OK!

### The developers way

Just running `docker container exec -it [name|ID] shell-to-login` and then depending on the OS type using `apt install` or `yum install` or etc. Doing whatever we needed, exiting the container; while it is running we have it, after removing it, it is gone (vim is gone)

The next time? again `... exec ...` in that container `... install ...` it and after a while it is gone!

### The SREs way

#### Finding the vim executable path

```bash
which vim
/usr/bin/vim
```

Check it it is executable or no a symbolic link, we should fine the main executable file

```
file `which vim`
/usr/bin/vim: symbolic link to /etc/alternatives/vim

# one more time
file /etc/alternatives/vim
/etc/alternatives/vim: symbolic link to /usr/bin/vim.basic

# one more time
file /usr/bin/vim.basic
/usr/bin/vim.basic: ELF 64-bit LSB shared object, x86-64, version 1 (SYSV), dynamically linked, interpreter /lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2, for GNU/Linux 3.2.0, BuildID[sha1]=212ed02d8d1e7d300881fea8b903e0dc9abdd353, stripped
```

Okay, we found executable file at `/usr/bin/`

#### Finding dynamic libraries for vim using `ldd` command

```
ldd `which vim`
	linux-vdso.so.1 (0x00007ffd265dd000)
	libm.so.6 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libm.so.6 (0x00007f86429ef000)
	libtinfo.so.5 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libtinfo.so.5 (0x00007f86427c5000)
	libselinux.so.1 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libselinux.so.1 (0x00007f864259d000)
	libacl.so.1 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libacl.so.1 (0x00007f8642395000)
	libgpm.so.2 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libgpm.so.2 (0x00007f864218f000)
	libdl.so.2 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libdl.so.2 (0x00007f8641f8b000)
	libpython3.6m.so.1.0 => /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libpython3.6m.so.1.0 (0x00007f86418e0000)
	libpthread.so.0 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libpthread.so.0 (0x00007f86416c1000)
	libc.so.6 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6 (0x00007f86412d0000)
	/lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2 (0x00007f8643227000)
	libpcre.so.3 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libpcre.so.3 (0x00007f864105e000)
	libattr.so.1 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libattr.so.1 (0x00007f8640e59000)
	libexpat.so.1 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libexpat.so.1 (0x00007f8640c27000)
	libz.so.1 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libz.so.1 (0x00007f8640a0a000)
	libutil.so.1 => /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libutil.so.1 (0x00007f8640807000)
```

#### Finding directory paths for those shared libraries

```
ldd `which vim` | perl -lne '/\/[^ ]+/ && print $&' | xargs -I xxx dirname xxx | sort | uniq
/lib64
/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu
/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu
```

so far we have `vim` path and shared libraries paths 

```
/usr/bin
/lib64
/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu
/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu
```

Other paths we need are

```
# vim shared files
/usr/share/vim

# vim config directory
/home/$USER/.vim
```

So we have 5 paths to be **mounted** in to our container to have access to vim inside the container without installing it. YES we use our host's vim and its dependencies.

#### Running nginx:alpine which does not have vim by default

If you do not have `nginx:alpine` you can use `docker/getting-started` container instead.

```
docker pull docker/getting-started
```

#### Mounting vim inside our container

```
docker container run --rm -it -p 80:80 \
    --name getting_started \
    -v /lib64:/lib64 \
    -v /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu:/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu \
    -v /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu:/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu \
    -v /usr/bin:/usr/bin \
    -v /home/shu/.vimrc:/root/.vimrc \
    -v /home/shu/.vim:/root/.vim  \
    -v /usr/share/vim:/usr/share/vim \
    docker/getting-started
```

#### Testing it

```
docker exec -it getting_started sh 
```

Open a file with vim inside our container

```
/usr/bin/vim.basic /root/.vimrc
```

#### Screenshot of docker run

![](/files/69k7wefAuv2yUN9eCOuq)

#### Screenshot of vim

![](/files/T8nj2TIrO4NdWNmq17X4)