Local Docker Provider

Run ElasticClaw agent sandboxes as local Docker containers managed by the hub.

Overview

The Local Docker provider starts each agent as a container through the Docker CLI on the hub host. It is useful for local development, self-hosted lab environments, and low-friction testing when you do not need a cloud sandbox provider.

Type: Stateful local container

Auth: Local Docker daemon access

Capabilities: exec, stateful

Best for: Development, CI-like test hubs, and private hosts with Docker already installed

Prerequisites

  • Docker Engine installed on the machine running ElasticClaw Server.
  • The docker CLI available in the server process PATH.
  • The server user can create, inspect, exec into, and remove containers.
  • If ElasticClaw Server itself runs in a container, mount the host Docker socket at /var/run/docker.sock.

Configure hub.yaml

Add the provider under providers. The image field is optional; when omitted, ElasticClaw uses the pinned OpenClaw image for the current release.

yaml
providers:
  docker:
    image: ghcr.io/openclaw/openclaw:2026.6.9
    network: elasticclaw-dev

Leave image blank to use the provider default. Set network when agent containers need to reach the hub by a Docker service name instead of a public URL.

Configure in the web UI

You can also add the provider from Settings → Runtimes → Add Provider → Local Docker. The UI exposes the same optional agent image and Docker network fields.

Use in workspaces

Set Docker as the provider for a workspace:

yaml
# elasticclaw-config.yaml
provider: docker

Workflow-created agents from that workspace will start as local containers on the hub host.

Networking

Agent containers need to connect back to ElasticClaw Server. For a public or LAN-reachable server, set public_url in hub.yaml. For a fully local Docker Compose setup, attach the agent containers to the same Docker network as the hub and set the provider network field.

yaml
url: http://localhost:8080
public_url: http://elasticclaw:8080

providers:
  docker:
    network: elasticclaw-dev

Behavior

Create — Runs docker run -d with the claw name as the container name.

Exec — Runs commands with docker exec.

Copy files — Copies workspace files into the container with docker cp.

Destroy — Removes the container when the claw terminates.

Mounting the Docker socket gives ElasticClaw Server control over the host Docker daemon. Use this provider on trusted hosts and reserve cloud sandbox providers for stronger isolation boundaries.