GCSFuse Docker: Fix “No Space Left on Device” Error

Learn how to solve Docker “no space left on device” using GCSFuse Docker setup with real working code and examples that actually mount Google Cloud buckets. Our Google Cloud Support team is always here to help you.

GCSFuse Docker: Fix “No Space Left on Device” Error

When Docker throws the dreaded “no space left on device” error, it halts everything. It usually happens when containers store too much temporary data or logs inside the local file system. One reliable workaround is mounting external cloud storage, and that’s where GCSFuse Docker becomes a game-changer.

Mounting a Google Cloud Storage (GCS) bucket using GCSFuse Docker lets you move your data out of the container’s local storage into the cloud, freeing up space instantly. Here’s a complete working setup that’s been tested and refined after hours of trial and error.

Setting Up GCSFuse Inside Docker

Below is the Dockerfile that installs GCSFuse and configures it to mount your bucket directly inside the container.

FROM debian:latest

RUN apt-get update

RUN apt-get install -y curl lsb-release

RUN export GCSFUSE_REPO=gcsfuse-`lsb_release -c -s` \

&& echo "deb http://packages.cloud.google.com/apt $GCSFUSE_REPO main" | tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/gcsfuse.list \

&& curl https://packages.cloud.google.com/apt/doc/apt-key.gpg | apt-key add -

RUN apt-get update

RUN apt-get install -y gcsfuse

# need to run command with given user_id

RUN apt-get install -y sudo

# set running environments

ENV GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS /credential.json

ENV BUCKET_NAME undefined-bucket-name

ENV UID 1

ENV DATA_DIR /mnt

COPY entrypoint.sh /

ENTRYPOINT ["sh", "/entrypoint.sh"]

And here’s your entrypoint.sh:

# just in case ...

chown -R ${UID}:${UID} ${DATA_DIR}

# run with given user

exec sudo -u "#${UID}" gcsfuse --foreground --key-file=${GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS} ${BUCKET_NAME} ${DATA_DIR}

Build the image using:

docker build -t gcsfuse .

Then run it:

BUCKET_NAME=<your_bucket_name> \

UID=${UID} \

docker run -it --rm --privileged \

-v /etc/passwd:/etc/passwd:ro \

-v <path_to_credentials>:/credential.json:ro \

-v <your_mount_path>:/mnt:shared \

gcsfuse

The :shared flag is crucial, it makes the mount visible on the host system. Also note that the container needs –privileged mode for FUSE to work.

If you prefer docker-compose, here’s the configuration:

version: '2'

services:

gcsfuse:

build: .

environment:

- BUCKET_NAME=<your-bucket-name-here>

- UID=<your-user-id-here>

volumes:

- ./credential.json:/credential.json:ro

- ./mnt:/mnt:shared

- /etc/passwd:/etc/passwd:ro

privileged: true

Run it using:

docker-compose up

However, stopping it using ctrl+c may forget to unmount the drive. The best way to shut it down cleanly is:

docker-compose kill -s SIGINT

Common Docker Image Installation Error

Sometimes while setting up GCSFuse Docker, you’ll see:

E: Unable to locate package gcsfuse

This happens because the repository isn’t correctly exported inside the Dockerfile. To fix it, replace the export part with the following:

RUN apt update && \

DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive \

TZ=Americas/Los_Angeles \

apt install -y curl lsb-core

RUN echo "deb https://packages.cloud.google.com/apt gcsfuse-$(lsb_release -c -s) main" | tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/gcsfuse.list

RUN curl https://packages.cloud.google.com/apt/doc/apt-key.gpg | apt-key add -

RUN apt-get update

RUN yes | apt-get install fuse gcsfuse

This resolves installation errors cleanly.

[If needed, Our team is available 24/7 for additional assistance.]

Conclusion

By connecting GCSFuse Docker with Google Cloud buckets, you can easily eliminate the Docker “no space left on device” issue once and for all. Every log, cache, or data file can now live in cloud storage instead of eating up your system’s disk.

Once you try this setup, you’ll never again face Docker “no space left on device” errors during builds or deployments. Keep your containers lean, fast, and connected to scalable storage that never runs out of room.