Docker builders

The Buildx builders objects.

Don't use the constructor directly. Instead use

from python_on_whales import docker

my_builder = docker.buildx.inspect("my-builder")

# or

my_builder = docker.buildx.create()

For type hints, use this

from python_on_whales import Builder

Attributes

It attributes are the same that you get with the command line: docker buildx inspect ...

Only a few are available at the moment

In [1]: from python_on_whales import docker

In [2]: my_builder = docker.buildx.create()

In [4]: def super_print(obj):
   ...:     print(f"type={type(obj)}, value={obj}")
   ...:

In [4]: super_print(builder.name)
type = <class 'str'>, value = condescending_nightingale

In [5]: super_print(builder.driver)
type = <class 'str'>, value = docker-container

In [6]: super_print(builder.last_activity)
type = <class 'datetime.datetime'>, value = 2025-03-27 11:16:48+00:00

In [7]: super_print(builder.dynamic)
type = <class 'bool'>, value = False

In [8]: super_print(builder.nodes[0].name)
type = <class 'str'>, value = condescending_nightingale0

In [9]: super_print(builder.nodes[0].endpoint)
type = <class 'str'>, value = unix:///var/run/docker.sock

In [10]: super_print(builder.nodes[0].flags)
type = <class 'list'>, value = ['--allow-insecure-entitlement=network.host']

In [11]: super_print(builder.nodes[0].status)
type = <class 'str'>, value = inactive

In [12]: super_print(builder.nodes[0].version)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None

In [13]: super_print(builder.nodes[0].ids)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None

In [14]: super_print(builder.nodes[0].platforms)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None

In [15]: super_print(builder.nodes[0].labels)
type = <class 'NoneType'>, value = None

Methods

Builder

remove

remove()

Removes this builder. After this operation the builder cannot be used anymore.

If you use the builder as a context manager, it will call this function when you exit the context manager.

from python_on_whales import docker

buildx_builder = docker.buildx.create(use=True)
with buildx_builder:
    docker.build(".")

# now the variable buildx_builder is not usable since we're out of the context manager.
# the .remove() method was called behind the scenes
# since it was the current builder, 'default' is now the current builder.