Pulling images from the GUI?

Docker Desktop
1

I’m interested in helping people use Docker Desktop for selfhosting services like Nextcloud, Jellyfin, etc. However, most people don’t know how to use the command line. The Docker Desktop UI is mostly straight forward, but I don’t see a way to pull images without using the terminal. Is this currently possible, and if not is it planned for the future? It seems like most of the plumbing is there. It would be awesome to be able to search for images and download them directly from the GUI.

2

You can pull imíges from your repositories on the “Images” tab, but you can’t search for other images.

1 Like
3

For anyone looking for this functionality, I have developed a simple extension to add it:

https://github.com/indiebits-io/image-puller-extension

I’ve submitted it to the marketplace, but currently you’ll need to install it manually:

docker extension install indiebits/image-puller-extension:0.1.0
1 Like
4

I really like how you turned your question into an answer to help others. I know, your original question was about more then pulling the image, but I guess it is just a start.

Just some ideas how you could make it even greater:

  • You could add some output during pulling mainly for large images
  • I never developed an extension, but if you can call the docker client from the extension (or an API) you could implement a simple search. The docker cli can return json too:
    docker search --format '{{ json . }}' nextcloud

I would not use this feature, because I like to use the terminal, but I am sure others would.

1 Like
5

Those are great suggestions, thanks!

6

If anyone is finding this later, Docker Desktop implemented similar functionality not longer after I created this thread, so it’s no longer relevant.

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Yes. I was surprised by that when it was mentioned in an other topic and I was sure that Docker Desktop could not do it. Maybe you inspired the developers :wink:

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I donlt see a way to pull images in Docker Desktop (on Mac)? If I am logged in to docker hub, I can pull from my own repos, but I don’l see where to search for an pull arbitrary images irrespective of whether I am logged in or not. (I can do it through the portnatiner extension, but not the native Docker Desktop UI?)

UPDATE: ah, I see, I can just search for the image…

image
image2176×188 18.2 KB

–tony