kiwi-scp

kiwi - simple, consistent, powerful

The simple tool for managing container servers

Quick start

• Learn to use docker with docker-compose
• Install kiwi-scp
• Look at the example instance
• Look at the output of kiwi --help
• Start building your own instances

Installation

A convenience installer is available as install.sh in the dist directory. You can curl | sh it using the following one-liner.

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ldericher/kiwi-scp/master/dist/install.sh' | sh

The installer downloads the kiwi launcher script and installs it to a location of your choice. Please consider installing into a directory inside your $PATH. Run in a root shell or use sudo sh at the end instead for system-wide installation.

You should then be able to run kiwi list --show and see the default configuration file. This installs the latest version of the kiwi-scp package and sets it up for you.

Adjusting environment for kiwi

The kiwi executable depends on Python 3.6.1 (or later) and less being in your $PATH.

In some cases, notably when using a multi-version system such as CentOS SCL, not all of these are in your $PATH at login time.

In those cases, you can simply create a .kiwi_profile file in your home directory. It will be sourced every time you use the kiwi command. For the aforementioned case where you installed centos-release-scl and rh-python36, your ~/.kiwi_profile should contain:

#!/bin/sh

. /opt/rh/rh-python36/enable

Get started

Create a kiwi-scp instance

Any directory is implicitly a valid kiwi-scp instance using the default configuration. To prevent surprises however, you should run kiwi init and follow its directions to create a kiwi.yml for your instance before using kiwi more.

Concept

A kiwi-scp instance is a directory containing a bunch of static configuration files. "Static" there as in "those don't change during normal service operation". These files could be anything from actual .conf files to entire html-web-roots.

Non-static, persistent files are to be kept in a "service data storage", by default the directory /var/local/kiwi. In your docker-compose.yml files, you can refer to that directory as ${KIWI_INSTANCE}.

Start the current kiwi-scp instance using kiwi up, or stop it using kiwi down. This also manages kiwi's internal hub network, which you can use as kiwi_hub in your docker-compose.yml files.

Projects

A kiwi-scp instance usually contains several projects. A project is a collection of dependent or at least logically connected services, described by a docker-compose.yml. A well-known example would be webserver + php + database.

To create a project, use the kiwi new <project-name> command. By default, this creates a new disabled project. Before enabling or starting, consider editing the new project's docker-compose.yml file to your liking. Finally, enable it with kiwi enable <project-name>. You can also create, enable or (analogously) disable multiple projects in a single command.

Each project will have its own place in the service data directory, which you can refer to as ${KIWI_PROJECT}.

Finally, start a project using kiwi up <project-name>.

Advanced kiwi usage

kiwi-scp extends the logical bounds of docker-compose to handling multiple projects.

The kiwi_hub

With kiwi-scp, you get the internal kiwi_hub network for free. It allows for network communication between services in different projects. Be aware, services only connected to the kiwi_hub can't use a port mapping! In most cases, you will want to use this:

networks:
  - default
  - kiwi_hub

The KIWI_CONFIG

Sometimes, it's convenient to re-use configuration files across projects. For this use case, create a directory named config in your instance. In your docker-compose.yml files, you can refer to that directory as ${KIWI_CONFIG}.

kiwi.yml options

version

Version of kiwi-scp to use for this instance.

Default: Version of master branch.

shells

Sequence of additionally preferable shell executables when entering service containers.

Default: - /bin/bash
Example:

runtime:
  shells:
    - /bin/zsh
    - /bin/fish

projects

Sequence of project definitions in this instance.

Project definition

Defining a project in this instance. Any subdirectory with a docker-compose.yml should be considered a project. The directory name is equivalent to the project name.

Format¹: Mapping using the keys name (required), enabled and override_storage Example:

- name: "hello_world"
  enabled: true

environment

Custom variables available in projects' docker-compose.yml files.

Format¹: Mapping of KEY: "value" pairs
Example:

environment:
  HELLO: "World"
  FOO: "Bar"

storage

Configuration for the service data storage.

Format: Mapping using the key directory
Example:

storage:
  directory: "/var/local/kiwi"

storage:directory

Path to the local service data directory, the only currently supported service data storage. Available as ${KIWI_INSTANCE} in projects.

Default: "/var/local/kiwi"

network

Configuration for the internal kiwi_hub network.

Format: Mapping using the keys name and cidr Example:

network:
  name: "kiwi_hub"
  cidr: "10.22.46.0/24"

network:name

Configuration for the internal kiwi_hub network.

Default: "kiwi_hub"

network:cidr

CIDR notation for the subnet of the internal kiwi_hub network.

Default: "10.22.46.0/24"

For everything else, look at kiwi --help

Happy kiwi-ing!

---

1. This is the officially correct format. For enabling varying conventions, there are multiple accepted formats. Start trying and check with kiwi list --show -- if it makes sense, it will likely just work. ↩︎