Install with Docker

Using Containers such as Docker to install OpenFisca is useful when a reproducible environment is important or the Installation requirements process is either not desirable or not possible.

A container platform such as Docker sets up the required environment usually on a minimal image of a Unix operating system. In a container, exists an isolated environment with user rights to install OpenFisca. The following instructions are for Docker, you may also want to check out Podman..

Install the free Docker Community Edition (also named Docker Desktop).

• Follow default installation instructions (requires creation of a free Docker ID).

• Run installed Docker application (to activate docker daemon).

On the Windows operating system, Windows 10 or higher is required to use Docker.

Install OpenFisca in a Docker container

These instructions are for the openfisca-country-template but should be able to be followed for any OpenFisca country package. The instructions create a directory named my-openfisca where any changes made are visible both on the local machine and in the Docker environment.

1. Setup a working directory:

   • For these instructions create a new directory named my-openfisca.

   • Open the system console (cmd.exe for Windows OS, a bash Terminal for Unix/Linux/Mac) and run:

     cd my-openfisca # Updated with the real path to your working directory
     

2. Build a container with the appropriate Python version, Git and console commands.

   Note that Git comes with the Python image.

   • For Linux/Unix/Mac operating systems, run the following command (swapping python:3.11 for the appropriate Python version):

     docker run --rm -it -v $PWD:/my-openfisca -w /my-openfisca python:3.11 bash
     

   • For Windows operating system, run the following command (swapping python:3.11 for the appropriate Python version):

     docker run --rm -it -v %cd%:/my-openfisca -w /my-openfisca python:3.11 bash
     

3. Check the installed libraries with the pip list command. This should result in the following list of packages:

    Package    Version
    ---------- -------
    pip        *.*.*   
    setuptools *.*.* 
    wheel      *.*.* 
   

4. Install the openfisca-country-template. The chosen approach depends on the use case, specifically if the intention is to contribute to the rules.

   • To contribute to the openfisca-country-template, get its source code with:

     git clone https://github.com/openfisca/country-template.git
     

     Note for other OpenFisca country packages change the git repository address as appropriate.

     Then, install it with:

     cd country-template
     make install
     

   • Alternatively to run the openfisca-country-template without modifying it, install it as a library with:

     pip install openfisca_country_template
     

     Note for other OpenFisca country packages, check first if it is published on https://pypi.org/ and substitute openfisca_country_template for the appropriate package name.

   In both cases, the installation should end without error, and the pip list response should contain OpenFisca-Country-Template.

This should complete the installation of openfisca-country-template, any changes to the local my-openfisca/ files will be reflected in the my-openfisca/ files in Docker, and vice-versa.