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

@@ -1,9 +1,67 @@
-# aoc_container_base
+# LCAS/aoc_container_base
 
-A repository of verstile ROS-enabled Docker containers, orginally developed as apart of the [Agri-OpenCore (AOC) project](https://agri-opencore.org).
+A repository of verstile Docker containers, orginally developed as apart of the [Agri-OpenCore (AOC) project](https://agri-opencore.org) stack.
 
-| Container Name                        | Tags                  | Purpose                                                                                                                           |
-| ------------------------------------- | --------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
-| `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.                    |
+This repository provides us with the following containers:
+
+| Container Name | Varients | Purpose | File |
+| --- | --- | --- | --- |
+| `lcas.lincoln.ac.uk/ros` | `humble` `jazzy` | Base ROS Container, the minimal environment you need for ROS | [base.dockerfile](base.dockerfile) |
+| `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. | [cuda.dockerfile](cuda.dockerfile) |
+| `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. | [cuda_desktop.dockerfile](cuda_desktop.dockerfile) |
+| `lcas.lincoln.ac.uk/vnc` | `latest` | Standalone VNC container that can take X11 visualisations and show them in a browser. | [vnc.dockerfile](vnc.dockerfile) |
+| `lcas.lincoln.ac.uk/vnc_devtools` | `latest` | Adds development tools such as a terminal for the standard VNC environment. | [vnc_devtools.dockerfile](vnc_devtools.dockerfile) |
+
+These containers are built from three standard container images, `ros`, `nvidia/cuda` and `debian`. Each container is either built from one of these pre-existing images or one derrived from it in this pattern.
+
+```mermaid
+flowchart TB
+    library/ros["library/ros"] --> lcas/ros["lcas/ros"]
+    nvidia/cuda["nvidia/cuda"] --> lcas/ros_cuda["lcas/ros_cuda"]
+    lcas/ros_cuda --> lcas/ros_cuda_desktop["lcas/ros_cuda_desktop"]
+    debian["debian"] --> vnc["vnc"]
+    vnc --> vnc_devtools["vnc_devtools"]
+
+    style library/ros stroke-width:1px,stroke-dasharray: 1,fill:#ffffff
+    style lcas/ros fill:#BBDEFB
+    style nvidia/cuda stroke-width:1px,stroke-dasharray: 1,fill:#ffffff
+    style lcas/ros_cuda fill:#BBDEFB
+    style lcas/ros_cuda_desktop fill:#BBDEFB
+    style debian stroke-width:1px,stroke-dasharray: 1,fill:#ffffff
+    style vnc fill:#BBDEFB
+    style vnc_devtools fill:#BBDEFB
+```
+
+## How can I use this?
+
+This works best if you follow the [`ros2_workspace_template`](https://github.com/lcas/ros2_pkg_template), use this as a template to build your own repositories, that contain the packages you want to ship.
+
+You can work either inside the devcontainer or by running the container yourself, and then when you are ready start by enabling the deployment workflows and adding automated testing. Then once you're happy move this onto a real robot platform - and keep iterating till it works!
+
+```mermaid
+%%{init: {"theme":"neutral","flowchart":{"curve":"linear"}}}%%
+flowchart LR
+  Dev["Develop in the Devcontainer"]
+  Workflows["Activate Workflows to Build and Push Images"]
+  AutoTest["Add Automated Testing Steps Where Possible"]
+  Deploy["Add/Update Your Container on to the Platform Deployment Repository"]
+  RealTest["Test the Packages on a Real Robot"]
+  Outcome{"Did it work well?"}
+  Fix(("Make changes that will fix the issues"))
+  Complete(["✅  Complete"])
+
+  %% main flow
+  Dev --> Workflows --> AutoTest --> Deploy --> RealTest --> Outcome
+  Outcome -- "Yes" --> Complete
+  Outcome -- "No" --> Fix --> AutoTest
+
+  %% iterative dev loop (renders as a real loop in GitHub)
+  Dev -. "Iterate" .-> Iter(("🔄"))
+  Iter -.-> Dev
+
+  %% keep it subtle (GitHub-friendly)
+  classDef loop fill:transparent,stroke:#999,stroke-width:1px;
+  class Iter loop;
+```
+
+#

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"]
-

compose.gpu.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+# GPU override — merge on top of compose.yml when an NVIDIA GPU is available.
+# Requires the NVIDIA Container Toolkit to be installed and configured.
+#
+# Usage: docker compose -f compose.yml -f compose.gpu.yml up
+
+services:
+
+  vnc:
+    deploy:
+      resources:
+        reservations:
+          devices:
+            - driver: nvidia
+              count: all
+              capabilities: [gpu, utility, video, graphics]
+
+  ros:
+    deploy:
+      resources:
+        reservations:
+          devices:
+            - driver: nvidia
+              count: all
+              capabilities: [gpu, compute, utility, video, graphics]