Docker announced during the "WeAreDevelopers" event in Berlin about their new feature, "Docker Offload." In this article, I will explain what exactly Docker Offload is and why we need it as developers, and why I say it's one of the best features released by Docker in recent times.
What Is Docker Offload?
If you are like me, who struggled to try out those cool AI models or data processing pipelines locally but were unable to do so due to the limitations of not having a GPU or a powerful machine to run them on, then continue reading. I always end up utilizing cloud resources, which often come with a hefty price tag.
This is where the Docker team saw an opportunity and came up with yet another cool feature, which is the Docker Offload.
Docker Offload is a fully managed service that enables users to execute Docker builds and run containers on cloud infrastructure, while preserving the local development experience. This drastically reduces the load on your local machine. It seems and feels like magic behind the scenes, as you will still continue to run the same Docker commands that you are familiar with; however, Docker Desktop creates a secure SSH tunnel to a Docker daemon running in the cloud. It provides local experience; however, your containers are created, and all workloads are executed on cloud infrastructure.
Why Use Docker Offload?
- Run containers that are compute-intensive and require more resources than your local machine.
- Leverage cloud infrastructure for offloading heavy builds.
- Docker Offload is ideal for high-velocity development workflows that need the flexibility of the cloud without sacrificing local development experience.
- Instant access to GPU-powered environments.
- Accelerate both development and testing without worrying about cloud infrastructure setup.
- Develop efficiently in restricted environments, such as VDIs.
How to Get Started
Prerequisites
- Docker Desktop 4.43.0 version or above.
- Docker Hub Account with Docker Offload access:
- Docker Offload is currently in beta, so you'll need to sign up for access. Visit https://www.docker.com/products/docker-offload/ to sign up for beta access.
- You will receive an email after which you can enable Docker Offload in your Docker Desktop.
- No restrictive proxy or firewall blocking traffic to Docker Cloud.
How to Start Docker Offload?
Once you receive the access, you can enable Docker Offload in two ways: either using Docker Desktop or via Terminal.
Start via Docker Desktop
In the screenshot below, you can see a toggle button at the top to enable Docker Offload.
As soon as you do that, Docker Desktop color will be changed to purple, and you'll see a cloud icon in the header, which means Docker Desktop is now securely connected to a cloud environment that mimics your local experience. Now, when you run builds or containers, they execute remotely, but as a user, you will not see any difference.
Start via Terminal
Open a terminal and execute:
docker offload start
The command will give you a prompt, as shown in the image below, to choose which account you want to use for Docker Offload.
In the next prompt, it will ask whether you need GPU support or not.
Once you select the options, it will display a "New Docker context created: docker-cloud" message, and the color of the Docker Desktop will change to purple.
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