VNC Container Implementation

.github/workflows/_build-image.yaml

@@ -11,9 +11,6 @@ on:
         description: Image name on the LCAS registry
         required: true
         type: string
-      ros_distro:
-        required: true
-        type: string
       dockerfile:
         required: true
         type: string
@@ -55,16 +52,12 @@ jobs:
         with:
           flavor: latest=false
           labels: |
-            org.opencontainers.image.description=AOC Docker Image (${{ inputs.push_image }}, ${{ inputs.ros_distro }})
+            org.opencontainers.image.description=AOC Docker Image (${{ inputs.push_image }})
             org.opencontainers.image.authors=L-CAS Team
           images: lcas.lincoln.ac.uk/${{ inputs.push_image }}
           tags: |
-            type=raw,value=${{ inputs.ros_distro }}-staging
-            type=raw,enable=${{ github.event_name != 'pull_request' }},value=${{ inputs.ros_distro }}-latest
-            type=ref,enable=${{ github.event_name != 'pull_request' }},event=branch,prefix=${{ inputs.ros_distro }}-
-            type=semver,pattern={{version}},prefix=${{ inputs.ros_distro }}-
-            type=semver,pattern={{major}}.{{minor}},prefix=${{ inputs.ros_distro }}-
-            type=semver,pattern={{major}},prefix=${{ inputs.ros_distro }}-
+            type=raw,value=staging
+            type=raw,enable=${{ github.event_name != 'pull_request' }},value=latest
 
       - uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
 
@@ -76,10 +69,9 @@ jobs:
           file: ./${{ inputs.dockerfile }}
           platforms: ${{ inputs.architectures }}
           push: true
-          cache-from: type=registry,ref=lcas.lincoln.ac.uk/cache/${{ inputs.push_image }}:${{ inputs.ros_distro }}
-          cache-to:   type=registry,ref=lcas.lincoln.ac.uk/cache/${{ inputs.push_image }}:${{ inputs.ros_distro }},mode=max
+          cache-from: type=registry,ref=lcas.lincoln.ac.uk/cache/${{ inputs.push_image }}:latest
+          cache-to:   type=registry,ref=lcas.lincoln.ac.uk/cache/${{ inputs.push_image }}:latest,mode=max
           tags: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.tags }}
           labels: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.labels }}
           build-args: |
             BASE_IMAGE=${{ inputs.base_image }}
-            ROS_DISTRO=${{ inputs.ros_distro }}

.github/workflows/_build-ros-image.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+name: Build a single ROS Docker image (reusable)
+
+on:
+  workflow_call:
+    inputs:
+      base_image:
+        description: The FROM base image
+        required: true
+        type: string
+      push_image:
+        description: Image name on the LCAS registry
+        required: true
+        type: string
+      ros_distro:
+        required: true
+        type: string
+      dockerfile:
+        required: true
+        type: string
+      architectures:
+        required: true
+        type: string
+    outputs:
+      digest:
+        description: Image digest from the build
+        value: ${{ jobs.build.outputs.digest }}
+    secrets:
+      LCAS_REGISTRY_PUSHER:
+        required: true
+      LCAS_REGISTRY_TOKEN:
+        required: true
+
+jobs:
+  build:
+    runs-on: [lcas, qemu]
+    outputs:
+      digest: ${{ steps.build.outputs.digest }}
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+      - run: echo "BRANCH=${GITHUB_REF##*/}" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+
+      - uses: docker/login-action@v3
+        with:
+          registry: lcas.lincoln.ac.uk
+          username: ${{ secrets.LCAS_REGISTRY_PUSHER }}
+          password: ${{ secrets.LCAS_REGISTRY_TOKEN }}
+
+      - name: Docker meta
+        id: meta
+        uses: docker/metadata-action@v5
+        with:
+          flavor: latest=false
+          labels: |
+            org.opencontainers.image.description=AOC Docker Image (${{ inputs.push_image }}, ${{ inputs.ros_distro }})
+            org.opencontainers.image.authors=L-CAS Team
+          images: lcas.lincoln.ac.uk/${{ inputs.push_image }}
+          tags: |
+            type=raw,value=${{ inputs.ros_distro }}-staging
+            type=raw,enable=${{ github.event_name != 'pull_request' }},value=${{ inputs.ros_distro }}-latest
+            type=ref,enable=${{ github.event_name != 'pull_request' }},event=branch,prefix=${{ inputs.ros_distro }}-
+            type=semver,pattern={{version}},prefix=${{ inputs.ros_distro }}-
+            type=semver,pattern={{major}}.{{minor}},prefix=${{ inputs.ros_distro }}-
+            type=semver,pattern={{major}},prefix=${{ inputs.ros_distro }}-
+
+      - uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
+
+      - name: Build and push
+        id: build
+        uses: docker/build-push-action@v6
+        with:
+          context: ./docker
+          file: ./${{ inputs.dockerfile }}
+          platforms: ${{ inputs.architectures }}
+          push: true
+          cache-from: type=registry,ref=lcas.lincoln.ac.uk/cache/${{ inputs.push_image }}:${{ inputs.ros_distro }}
+          cache-to:   type=registry,ref=lcas.lincoln.ac.uk/cache/${{ inputs.push_image }}:${{ inputs.ros_distro }},mode=max
+          tags: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.tags }}
+          labels: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.labels }}
+          build-args: |
+            BASE_IMAGE=${{ inputs.base_image }}
+            ROS_DISTRO=${{ inputs.ros_distro }}

.github/workflows/docker-build-and-push.yaml

@@ -9,11 +9,18 @@ on:
   workflow_dispatch:
 
 jobs:
-
   # ── Level 0: no dependencies ──────────────────────────────────────────────
+  vnc:
+      uses: ./.github/workflows/_build-image.yaml
+      with:
+        base_image:    debian:trixie-slim
+        push_image:    vnc
+        dockerfile:    vnc.dockerfile
+        architectures: linux/amd64,linux/arm64
+      secrets: inherit
 
   ros-humble:
-    uses: ./.github/workflows/_build-image.yaml
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/_build-ros-image.yaml
     with:
       base_image:    ros:humble
       push_image:    ros
@@ -23,7 +30,7 @@ jobs:
     secrets: inherit
 
   ros-jazzy:
-    uses: ./.github/workflows/_build-image.yaml
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/_build-ros-image.yaml
     with:
       base_image:    ros:jazzy
       push_image:    ros
@@ -33,7 +40,7 @@ jobs:
     secrets: inherit
 
   ros-cuda-humble:
-    uses: ./.github/workflows/_build-image.yaml
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/_build-ros-image.yaml
     with:
       base_image:    nvidia/cuda:11.8.0-runtime-ubuntu22.04
       push_image:    ros_cuda
@@ -43,7 +50,7 @@ jobs:
     secrets: inherit
 
   ros-cuda-jazzy:
-    uses: ./.github/workflows/_build-image.yaml
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/_build-ros-image.yaml
     with:
       base_image:    nvidia/cuda:12.9.1-runtime-ubuntu24.04
       push_image:    ros_cuda
@@ -53,10 +60,19 @@ jobs:
     secrets: inherit
 
   # ── Level 1: base_image is the exact digest from level 0 ─────────────────
+  vnc-devtools:
+    needs: vnc
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/_build-image.yaml
+    with:
+      base_image:    lcas.lincoln.ac.uk/vnc@${{ needs.vnc.outputs.digest }}
+      push_image:    vnc_devtools
+      dockerfile:    vnc_devtools.dockerfile
+      architectures: linux/amd64,linux/arm64
+    secrets: inherit
 
   ros-cuda-desktop-humble:
     needs: ros-cuda-humble
-    uses: ./.github/workflows/_build-image.yaml
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/_build-ros-image.yaml
     with:
       # Digest is immutable — no staging tag, no race condition, no cleanup
       base_image:    lcas.lincoln.ac.uk/ros_cuda@${{ needs.ros-cuda-humble.outputs.digest }}
@@ -68,11 +84,11 @@ jobs:
 
   ros-cuda-desktop-jazzy:
     needs: ros-cuda-jazzy
-    uses: ./.github/workflows/_build-image.yaml
+    uses: ./.github/workflows/_build-ros-image.yaml
     with:
       base_image:    lcas.lincoln.ac.uk/ros_cuda@${{ needs.ros-cuda-jazzy.outputs.digest }}
       push_image:    ros_cuda_desktop
       ros_distro:      jazzy
       dockerfile:    cuda_desktop.dockerfile
       architectures: linux/amd64
-    secrets: inherit
+    secrets: inherit

README.md

@@ -6,4 +6,5 @@ A repository of verstile ROS-enabled Docker containers, orginally developed as a
 | ------------------------------------- | --------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
 | `lcas.lincoln.ac.uk/ros`              | { `humble`, `jazzy` } | Base ROS Container, the minimal environment you need for ROS                                                                      |
 | `lcas.lincoln.ac.uk/ros_cuda`         | { `humble`, `jazzy` } | ROS + Nvidia. When you need to use a GPU in your ROS environment for either better quality simulation or AI workloads.            |
-| `lcas.lincoln.ac.uk/ros_cuda_desktop` | { `humble`, `jazzy` } | ROS + Nvidia + Packages. Installs the `ros-{distro}-desktop` varient so there is the full ROS stack available.                    |
+| `lcas.lincoln.ac.uk/ros_cuda_desktop` | { `humble`, `jazzy` } | ROS + Nvidia + Packages. Installs the `ros-{distro}-desktop` varient so there is the full ROS stack available.                    |
+| `lcas.lincoln.ac.uk/vnc`  |   { `latest` } | X11 destination accessible over a website using NoVNC. |

base.dockerfile

@@ -11,20 +11,20 @@ ENV ROS_DISTRO=${ROS_DISTRO}
 ENV DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
 
 RUN apt-get update \
-    && apt-get upgrade -y && \
-    apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
-    build-essential \
-    ca-certificates \
-    gnupg \
-    cmake \
-    git \
-    curl \
-    wget \
-    unzip \
-    ros-${ROS_DISTRO}-ros-base \
-    ros-${ROS_DISTRO}-rmw-cyclonedds-cpp \
-    python3-colcon-common-extensions && \
-    rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
+    && apt-get upgrade -y \
+    && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
+        build-essential \
+        ca-certificates \
+        gnupg \
+        cmake \
+        git \
+        curl \
+        wget \
+        unzip \
+        ros-${ROS_DISTRO}-ros-base \
+        ros-${ROS_DISTRO}-rmw-cyclonedds-cpp \
+        python3-colcon-common-extensions \
+    && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
 ENV LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 
@@ -39,8 +39,7 @@ RUN groupadd --gid $USER_GID $USERNAME \
     && useradd -s /bin/bash --uid $USER_UID --gid $USER_GID -m $USERNAME \
     && apt-get update \
     && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends sudo \
-    && echo $USERNAME ALL=\(root\) NOPASSWD:ALL > /etc/sudoers.d/$USERNAME\
-    && chmod 0440 /etc/sudoers.d/$USERNAME \
+    && echo $USERNAME ALL=\(root\) NOPASSWD:ALL >/etc/sudoers.d/$USERNAME && chmod 0440 /etc/sudoers.d/$USERNAME \
     && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
 # Cyclone DDS Config
@@ -60,4 +59,3 @@ ENV CYCLONEDDS_URI=file:///etc/cyclonedds.xml
 
 USER ${USERNAME}
 CMD ["bash", "-l"]
-

cuda.dockerfile

@@ -12,59 +12,58 @@ ENV ROS_DISTRO=${ROS_DISTRO}
 ENV DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive
 
 RUN apt-get update \
-  && apt-get upgrade -y \
-  && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
-  locales \
-  curl \
-  wget \
-  ca-certificates \
-  gnupg2 \
-  lsb-release \
-  git \
-  nano \
-  python3-setuptools \
-  software-properties-common \
-  tzdata \
-  && locale-gen en_US.UTF-8 \
-  && update-locale LC_ALL=en_US.UTF-8 LANG=en_US.UTF-8 \
-  && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
+    && apt-get upgrade -y \
+    && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
+        locales \
+        curl \
+        wget \
+        ca-certificates \
+        gnupg2 \
+        lsb-release \
+        git \
+        nano \
+        python3-setuptools \
+        software-properties-common \
+        tzdata \
+    && locale-gen en_US.UTF-8 \
+    && update-locale LC_ALL=en_US.UTF-8 LANG=en_US.UTF-8 \
+    && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
 ENV LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 
 # Prepare ROS2
 RUN add-apt-repository universe \
-  && curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ros/rosdistro/master/ros.key -o /usr/share/keyrings/ros-archive-keyring.gpg \
-  && echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/ros-archive-keyring.gpg] http://packages.ros.org/ros2/ubuntu $(. /etc/os-release && echo $UBUNTU_CODENAME) main" | tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ros2.list > /dev/null
+    && curl -sSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ros/rosdistro/master/ros.key -o /usr/share/keyrings/ros-archive-keyring.gpg \
+    && echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/ros-archive-keyring.gpg] http://packages.ros.org/ros2/ubuntu $(. /etc/os-release && echo $UBUNTU_CODENAME) main" | tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ros2.list >/dev/null
 
 RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \
-  ros-${ROS_DISTRO}-ros-base \
-  python3-rosdep \
-  ros-${ROS_DISTRO}-rmw-cyclonedds-cpp \
-  && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
+    ros-${ROS_DISTRO}-ros-base \
+    python3-rosdep \
+    ros-${ROS_DISTRO}-rmw-cyclonedds-cpp \
+    && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
 # Cyclone DDS Config
 COPY cyclonedds.xml /etc/cyclonedds.xml
 
 RUN . /opt/ros/${ROS_DISTRO}/setup.sh && rosdep init && rosdep update
 
 # Setup VirtualGL
-RUN wget -q -O- https://packagecloud.io/dcommander/virtualgl/gpgkey | gpg --dearmor >/etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/VirtualGL.gpg && \
-  echo "deb [signed-by=/etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/VirtualGL.gpg] https://packagecloud.io/dcommander/virtualgl/any/ any main" >> /etc/apt/sources.list.d/virtualgl.list && \
-  apt update && apt install -y virtualgl libgl1 && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
+RUN wget -q -O- https://packagecloud.io/dcommander/virtualgl/gpgkey | gpg --dearmor >/etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/VirtualGL.gpg \
+    && echo "deb [signed-by=/etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/VirtualGL.gpg] https://packagecloud.io/dcommander/virtualgl/any/ any main" >>/etc/apt/sources.list.d/virtualgl.list \
+    && apt-get update && apt-get install -y virtualgl libgl1 && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
 # Create a non-root user
 ARG USERNAME=ros
 ARG USER_UID=1001
 ARG USER_GID=$USER_UID
 
 RUN groupadd --gid $USER_GID $USERNAME \
-  && useradd -s /bin/bash --uid $USER_UID --gid $USER_GID -m $USERNAME \
-  # Add sudo support for the non-root user\
-  && apt-get update \
-  && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends sudo \
-  && echo $USERNAME ALL=\(root\) NOPASSWD:ALL > /etc/sudoers.d/$USERNAME\
-  && chmod 0440 /etc/sudoers.d/$USERNAME \
-  && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
+    && useradd -s /bin/bash --uid $USER_UID --gid $USER_GID -m $USERNAME \
+    # Add sudo support for the non-root user\
+    && apt-get update \
+    && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends sudo \
+    && echo $USERNAME ALL=\(root\) NOPASSWD:ALL >/etc/sudoers.d/$USERNAME && chmod 0440 /etc/sudoers.d/$USERNAME \
+    && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
 # Configure bash profile
 RUN echo "if [ -f /etc/bash.bashrc ]; then source /etc/bash.bashrc; fi" >> /root/.bashrc && \
@@ -74,7 +73,7 @@ RUN echo "if [ -f /etc/bash.bashrc ]; then source /etc/bash.bashrc; fi" >> /root
   echo "source /opt/ros/${ROS_DISTRO}/setup.bash" >> /etc/bash.bashrc && \
   echo "alias t='tmux'" >> /etc/bash.bashrc && \
   echo "alias cls='clear'" >> /etc/bash.bashrc
-  
+
 ENV RMW_IMPLEMENTATION=rmw_cyclonedds_cpp
 ENV CYCLONEDDS_URI=file:///etc/cyclonedds.xml
 ENV TVNC_VGL=1

cuda_desktop.dockerfile

@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 ARG BASE_IMAGE=lcas.lincoln.ac.uk/ros_cuda:humble-main
 
-###########################################
 FROM ${BASE_IMAGE} AS base
 
 RUN sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends \