Ubuntu Desktop

Full Ubuntu Linux desktop accessible from your browser

A complete Ubuntu Linux desktop environment, accessible from your browser and backed by remote compute. The desktop (Openbox, a taskbar, a terminal, and a file manager) runs over TurboVNC and is served in the browser through noVNC.

This image is also the base other desktop and GUI workflows build on.

Usage

1. Deploy

dxflow workflow create --identity ubuntu hub://ubuntu

# Start with defaults, or tune per run with --override
dxflow workflow start ubuntu
dxflow workflow start ubuntu \
    --override env.app.VNC_PASSWORD=my-strong-pass \
    --override env.app.TASKBAR=hide

# Publish the web port on an HTTPS link
dxflow workflow start ubuntu --link

2. Open the desktop

Open your browser at http://localhost:6082/vnc.html and enter the password you set in VNC_PASSWORD. Port 5901 is also exposed for connecting a native VNC client. A start given --link publishes port 6082 at an HTTPS URL printed on the start line — open it at /vnc.html to reach the desktop from anywhere.

3. Persist data

Anything under /volume persists across restarts — mount a local directory there to keep your files and app state.

Configuration

name: ubuntu
tags:
    - desktop
steps:
    - name: app
      runtime: docker
      mode: parallel
      image: ghcr.io/dxflow-ai/ubuntu:latest
      volumes:
          - name: volume
            host: ./volume
            container: /volume
      ports:
          - name: web
            host: "6082"
            container: "6082"
          - name: vnc
            host: "5901"
            container: "5901"
          - name: audio
            host: "6100"
            container: "6100"
      env:
          - VNC_PASSWORD=dxflow
          - WALLPAPER=show
          - PANEL=show
          - TASKBAR=show
          - AUDIO=off
          - AUDIO_PORT=6100
          - AUDIO_CHANNELS=1
          - AUDIO_RATE=22050
      resources:
          cpu: "2"
          memory: 4G
      link: web

[volume]
app.volume = ./volume

[port]
app.web = 6082
app.vnc = 5901
app.audio = 6100

[env]
app.VNC_PASSWORD = dxflow
app.WALLPAPER = show
app.PANEL = show
app.TASKBAR = show
app.AUDIO = off
app.AUDIO_PORT = 6100
app.AUDIO_CHANNELS = 1
app.AUDIO_RATE = 22050

[resource]
app.cpu = 2
app.memory = 4G

{
    "arch": ["amd64", "arm64"],
    "image": "ghcr.io/dxflow-ai/ubuntu:latest",
    "version": "22.04",
    "minimum": {
        "cpu": 2,
        "memory": "2G",
        "storage": "20G"
    }
}

Notes

Set a strong VNC_PASSWORD; it defaults to dxflow, which every reader of this page knows.
Display options: WALLPAPER, PANEL, and TASKBAR (each show or hide) toggle the wallpaper, window decorations, and taskbar.
Audio: off by default. Set AUDIO=on to stream desktop sound to the browser; tune with AUDIO_CHANNELS (1 or 2) and AUDIO_RATE (8000/16000/22050/32000/44100). The client opens the stream on the page hostname at AUDIO_PORT (default 6100), so to run two desktops on one host give each its own port by setting AUDIO_PORT and the matching audio port mapping together. AUDIO_URL names the address instead, which is what a deployment publishing the stream elsewhere hands the client.
Browsers keep sound muted until the page sees a gesture, so audio begins at the first click or keystroke in the desktop.

Fedora Desktop

Full Fedora Linux desktop accessible from your browser

Void Desktop

Full Void Linux desktop accessible from your browser