Connecting CLion to Docker Container via SSH

This guide explains how to connect CLion directly to your Docker development container using SSH.

Prerequisites

• Docker container running with SSH server (port 2222)
• CLion installed on your local machine

Step 1: Start the Container in Daemon Mode

# Build the container if you haven't already
./build.sh

# Start the container in daemon mode
./run.sh --daemon

This will:

• Start the container in the background
• Start the SSH server inside the container
• Map port 2222 on your host to port 22 in the container
• Clone the repository inside the container

Step 2: Configure CLion SSH Connection

1. Open CLion
2. Go to File > Settings > Build, Execution, Deployment > Toolchains
3. Click the + button to add a new toolchain
4. Select Remote Host
5. Configure the connection:
   • Name: Docker Container (or any name you prefer)
   • Credentials: Click New
     • Host: localhost
     • Port: 2222
     • Username: root
     • Password: root
     • Authentication type: Password
     • Click Test Connection to verify it works
     • Click OK
6. Wait for CLion to detect tools in the remote environment
7. Make sure CMake, GDB, Compiler, etc. are detected

Step 3: Configure Bazel Integration

1. Go to File > Settings > Build, Execution, Deployment > Bazel Settings
2. Enable the Bazel plugin if it's not already enabled
3. Configure Bazel:
   • Bazel binary location: /usr/local/bin/bazel
   • Bazel sync on project open: Enabled
   • Use project view file: Disabled (or configure if needed)

Step 4: Open the Project

1. Go to File > Open
2. In the dialog that appears, select Open from Remote Host
3. Select the SSH connection you created
4. Navigate to /workspace/test-dev-bazel
5. Click OK

CLion will sync the project files and configure Bazel. Once it's done, you should be able to build and run the project directly from CLion.

Troubleshooting

SSH Connection Issues

If you have trouble connecting via SSH:

1. Verify the container is running:

   docker ps | grep test-dev-container

2. Check if SSH server is running inside the container:

   docker exec test-dev-container service ssh status

3. Test SSH connection from terminal:

   ssh -p 2222 root@localhost

Bazel Detection Issues

If CLion doesn't properly detect Bazel:

1. Make sure the Bazel binary exists in the container:

   docker exec test-dev-container which bazel

2. Verify Bazel works in the container:

   docker exec test-dev-container bazel version

3. Manually set the Bazel binary path in CLion settings to /usr/local/bin/bazel