[UX] Simplify the use of Docker inside containers #2468

src/dstack/_internal/core/compatibility/runs.py

@@ -97,6 +97,8 @@ def get_run_spec_excludes(run_spec: RunSpec) -> Optional[Dict]:
         configuration_excludes["rate_limits"] = True
     if configuration.shell is None:
         configuration_excludes["shell"] = True
+    if configuration.docker is None:
+        configuration_excludes["docker"] = True
     if configuration.priority is None:
         configuration_excludes["priority"] = True
     if configuration.startup_order is None:

src/dstack/_internal/core/models/configurations.py

@@ -194,12 +194,14 @@ class BaseRunConfiguration(CoreModel):
     ] = None
     python: Annotated[
         Optional[PythonVersion],
-        Field(description="The major version of Python. Mutually exclusive with `image`"),
+        Field(
+            description="The major version of Python. Mutually exclusive with `image` and `docker`"
+        ),
     ] = None
     nvcc: Annotated[
         Optional[bool],
         Field(
-            description="Use image with NVIDIA CUDA Compiler (NVCC) included. Mutually exclusive with `image`"
+            description="Use image with NVIDIA CUDA Compiler (NVCC) included. Mutually exclusive with `image` and `docker`"
         ),
     ] = None
     single_branch: Annotated[
@@ -244,6 +246,12 @@ class BaseRunConfiguration(CoreModel):
     volumes: Annotated[
         List[Union[MountPoint, str]], Field(description="The volumes mount points")
     ] = []
+    docker: Annotated[
+        Optional[bool],
+        Field(
+            description="Use Docker inside the container. Mutually exclusive with `image`, `python`, and `nvcc`. Overrides `privileged`"
+        ),
+    ] = None
     # deprecated since 0.18.31; task, service -- no effect; dev-environment -- executed right before `init`
     setup: CommandsList = []
 
@@ -259,6 +267,18 @@ def convert_python(cls, v, values) -> Optional[PythonVersion]:
             return PythonVersion(v)
         return v
 
+    @validator("docker", pre=True, always=True)
+    def _docker(cls, v, values) -> Optional[bool]:
+        if v is True and values.get("image"):
+            raise KeyError("`image` and `docker` are mutually exclusive fields")
+        if v is True and values.get("python"):
+            raise KeyError("`python` and `docker` are mutually exclusive fields")
+        if v is True and values.get("nvcc"):
+            raise KeyError("`nvcc` and `docker` are mutually exclusive fields")
+        # Ideally, we'd like to also prohibit privileged=False when docker=True,
+        #   but it's not possible to do so without breaking backwards compatibility.
+        return v
+
     @validator("volumes", each_item=True)
     def convert_volumes(cls, v) -> MountPoint:
         if isinstance(v, str):

src/dstack/_internal/server/services/jobs/configurators/base.py

@@ -171,6 +171,8 @@ async def _commands(self) -> List[str]:
         return result
 
     def _dstack_image_commands(self) -> List[str]:
+        if self.run_spec.configuration.docker is True:
+            return ["start-dockerd"]
         if (
             self.run_spec.configuration.image is not None
             or self.run_spec.configuration.entrypoint is not None
@@ -201,7 +203,9 @@ def _home_dir(self) -> Optional[str]:
         return self.run_spec.configuration.home_dir
 
     def _image_name(self) -> str:
-        if self.run_spec.configuration.image is not None:
+        if self.run_spec.configuration.docker is True:
+            return settings.DSTACK_DIND_IMAGE
+        elif self.run_spec.configuration.image is not None:
             return self.run_spec.configuration.image
         return get_default_image(nvcc=bool(self.run_spec.configuration.nvcc))
 
@@ -215,6 +219,8 @@ async def _user(self) -> Optional[UnixUser]:
         return UnixUser.parse(user)
 
     def _privileged(self) -> bool:
+        if self.run_spec.configuration.docker is True:
+            return True
         return self.run_spec.configuration.privileged
 
     def _single_branch(self) -> bool:

src/dstack/_internal/settings.py

@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 DSTACK_BASE_IMAGE_UBUNTU_VERSION = os.getenv(
     "DSTACK_BASE_IMAGE_UBUNTU_VERSION", version.base_image_ubuntu_version
 )
+DSTACK_DIND_IMAGE = os.getenv("DSTACK_DIND_IMAGE", "dstackai/dind")
 
 
 class FeatureFlags: