Performing a npm install via Docker on a windows host - node.js

Question

I'm trying to create a docker dev tools container for a devlopement environment on a windows host via docker toolbox but I have some trouble running the npm install command.
It worked fine on a linux host but on the windows host I got the following error :
npm ERR! Linux 4.1.13-boot2docker
npm ERR! argv "/usr/local/bin/node" "/usr/local/bin/npm" "install"
npm ERR! node v5.5.0
npm ERR! npm v3.3.12
npm ERR! path /var/www/site/.npm/gulp/3.9.0/package.tgz.e87c24357cd6065ee71ce44c6f23673b
npm ERR! code ETXTBSY
npm ERR! errno -26
npm ERR! syscall rename
npm ERR! ETXTBSY: text file is busy, rename '/var/www/site/.npm/gulp/3.9.0/package.tgz.e87c24357cd6065ee71ce44c6f23673b' -> '/var/www/site/.npm/gulp/3.9.0/package.tgz'
npm ERR!
npm ERR! If you need help, you may report this error at:
npm ERR! <https://github.com/npm/npm/issues>
npm ERR! Linux 4.1.13-boot2docker
npm ERR! argv "/usr/local/bin/node" "/usr/local/bin/npm" "install"
npm ERR! node v5.5.0
npm ERR! npm v3.3.12
npm ERR! path npm-debug.log.39d944b679d410e5293d6721cbc8287a
npm ERR! code ETXTBSY
npm ERR! errno -26
npm ERR! syscall rename
npm ERR! ETXTBSY: text file is busy, rename 'npm-debug.log.39d944b679d410e5293d6721cbc8287a' -> 'npm-debug.log'
npm ERR!
npm ERR! If you need help, you may report this error at:
npm ERR! <https://github.com/npm/npm/issues>
npm ERR! Please include the following file with any support request:
npm ERR! /var/www/site/npm-debug.log
Here is my Dockerfile :
FROM node:latest
RUN apt-get update
RUN apt-get install vim -y
RUN useradd -ms /bin/bash node
RUN echo "fs.inotify.max_user_watches=100000" > /etc/sysctl.conf
ADD . /var/www/site
RUN chown -R node:node /var/www/site
RUN chown -R node:node /usr/local/lib/node_modules
RUN chown -R node:node /usr/local/bin
USER node
ENV HOME /var/www/site
WORKDIR /var/www/site
RUN npm install -g bower
RUN npm install --global gulp -y
EXPOSE 80 8080 35729
In Docker quickstart terminal, I use the following commands :
Building the image (works fine)
docker build -t dev_tools .
Building the container (works fine)
docker run --name=dev_tools_container -t --rm -v "//c/Users/Public/site:/var/www/site" --net=host dev_tools
Trying to install npm dependencies (shoots the error):
docker exec -it dev_tools_container npm install
Thank you for your time !

Answer 1

Instead of
RUN npm install --global gulp -y
use
RUN sudo npm install --global gulp -y
You try to install gulp as a global package from user node (not superuser).
Or install gulp before switch user to node.
USER node
RUN npm install --global gulp -y
EDIT:
boot2docker is based on VirtualBox. Virtualbox does not allow symlinks on shared folders for security reasons.
To enable symlinks You must set VBoxInternal2/SharedFoldersEnableSymlinksCreate/SHARE_NAME to 1. (Here is link to description how to do it on Vargrant: Symbolic links and synced folders in Vagrant)
VBoxManage setextradata VM_NAME VBoxInternal2/SharedFoldersEnableSymlinksCreate/SHARE_NAME 1
Replace VM_NAME and SHARE_NAME and restart VirtualBox.
Another solution is add --no-bin-link to npm:
RUN npm install -g bower --no-bin-link
RUN npm install --global gulp -y --no-bin-link
EDIT 2
By default Windows 7 security policy does not allow creating symlinks as it's a potential security threat. If user is not in Administrators group run secpol.msc and navigate to Local Policies-User Rights Assignments and add your user to Create symbolic links.
If your user belongs to Administrators group then start VirtualBox with Run as Administrator.

Answer 2

You can mount node_modules as a volume, so it will be a Linux filesystem inside the Docker container. Add this to your Dockerfile:
VOLUME /var/www/site/node_modules
You will see the directory at C:Users/Public/site/node_modules because it is necessary for a mount point, but you will not see any contents unless you are inside the container.