# Docker – Axolotl

# Docker

This section describes the different Docker images that are released by AxolotlAI at Docker Hub.

Important

For Blackwell GPUs, please use the tags with PyTorch 2.7.1 and CUDA 12.8.

## Base

The base image is the most minimal image that can install Axolotl. It is based on the `nvidia/cuda` image. It includes python, torch, git, git-lfs, awscli, pydantic, and more.

#### Image

    axolotlai/axolotl-base

Link: Docker Hub

#### Tags format

    main-base-py{python_version}-cu{cuda_version}-{pytorch_version}

Tags examples:

- `main-base-py3.11-cu128-2.7.1`
- `main-base-py3.11-cu126-2.7.1`
- `main-base-py3.11-cu126-2.7.0`
- `main-base-py3.11-cu126-2.6.0`
- `main-base-py3.11-cu124-2.6.0`

## Main

The main image is the image that is used to run Axolotl. It is based on the `axolotlai/axolotl-base` image and includes the Axolotl codebase, dependencies, and more.

#### Image

    axolotlai/axolotl

Link: Docker Hub

#### Tags format

    # on push to main
    main-py{python_version}-cu{cuda_version}-{pytorch_version}

    # latest main (currently torch 2.6.0, python 3.11, cuda 12.4)
    main-latest

    # nightly build
    {branch}-{date_in_YYYYMMDD}-py{python_version}-cu{cuda_version}-{pytorch_version}

    # tagged release
    {version}

Tip

There may be some extra tags appended to the image, like `-vllm` which installs those packages.

Tags examples:

- `main-py3.11-cu128-2.7.1`
- `main-py3.11-cu126-2.7.1`
- `main-py3.11-cu126-2.7.0`
- `main-py3.11-cu126-2.6.0`
- `main-py3.11-cu124-2.6.0`
- `main-latest`
- `main-20250303-py3.11-cu124-2.6.0`
- `main-20250303-py3.11-cu126-2.6.0`
- `0.10.1`

## Cloud

The cloud image is the image that is used to run Axolotl in the cloud. It is based on the `axolotlai/axolotl` image and sets ENV variables like HuggingFace cache directories for volume mounts, tmux, and more for different cloud providers.

Tip

Jupyter lab is run by default. Set `JUPYTER_DISABLE=1` in the environment variables to disable it.

#### Image

    axolotlai/axolotl-cloud

Link: Docker Hub

#### Tags format

This uses the same tags as the `main` image.

#### Environment variables

- `JUPYTER_DISABLE`: Disable Jupyter lab.
- `JUPYTER_PASSWORD`: Set a password for the Jupyter lab.
- `PUBLIC_KEY` / `SSH_KEY`: Add a public key for the SSH service.

#### Volume mounts

Tip

We recommend mounting volumes to `/workspace/data` for data persistence. `/workspace/axolotl` contains the source code and is ephemeral.

- `/workspace/data/axolotl-artifacts`: Directory to store Axolotl artifacts.
- `/workspace/data/huggingface-cache`: Directory to store HuggingFace cache.

## Cloud-no-tmux

This is the same as the `cloud` image but without tmux.

#### Image

    axolotlai/axolotl-cloud-term

Link: Docker Hub

Note

The naming may be a bit confusing as it has `-term` appended to the end.

#### Tags format

This uses the same tags as the `cloud` image.