DOCKER: Outdated Dockerfile custom dependencies documentation

[kremio]

Rasa version:
1.8.0
Rasa SDK version:
1.8.0
Python version:
not relevant
Operating system (windows, osx, ...):
not relevant
Issue:
With the current Docker image of RASA SDK, installing custom Python dependencies using the instructions provided on https://hub.docker.com/r/rasa/rasa-sdk does not work.
For instance, building the following Dockerfile:

FROM rasa/rasa-sdk:1.8.0
RUN pip --no-cache-dir install python-dateutil

results in the following pip error:

Collecting python-dateutil
  Downloading python_dateutil-2.8.1-py2.py3-none-any.whl (227 kB)
Collecting six>=1.5
  Downloading six-1.14.0-py2.py3-none-any.whl (10 kB)
Installing collected packages: six, python-dateutil
ERROR: Could not install packages due to an EnvironmentError: [Errno 13] Permission denied: '/opt/venv/lib/python3.6/site-packages/six.py'
Consider using the `--user` option or check the permissions.

The reason is that the RASA SDK Dockerfile switches the build environment to a user with insufficient privileges:

rasa-sdk/Dockerfile

Line 31 in a048b2b

USER 1001

One possible solution is to sandwich the RUN pip commands between USER root and USER 1001, so the previous broken Dockerfile becomes:

FROM rasa/rasa-sdk:1.8.0
USER root
RUN pip --no-cache-dir install python-dateutil
USER 1001

Error (including full traceback):

Command or request that led to error:

Content of configuration file (config.yml) (if relevant):

Content of domain file (domain.yml) (if relevant):

Contents of actions.py (if relevant):

[sara-tagger]

Thanks for the issue, @dakshvar22 will get back to you about it soon!

You may find help in the docs and the forum, too 🤗

[wochinge]

@kremio Since version 1.8.0 the image does not longer run as root user (following Docker best practices). In order to install your dependencies you have to switch to the root user before installing the dependencies.

FROM rasa/rasa-sdk:1.8.0
# Switch to root to install dependencies
USER root
RUN pip --no-cache-dir install python-dateutil

# Switch back to non-root user
USER 1001

[wochinge]

I'll also clarify that in the docs! :-)

[ankitbansal811]

in the USER ROOT step root is case sensitive. Please use USER root

FROM rasa/rasa-sdk:1.8.0
# Switch to root to install dependencies
USER **root**
RUN pip --no-cache-dir install python-dateutil

# Switch back to non-root user
USER 1001`

[wochinge]

Thanks @ankitbansal811 🚀 Too many CAPS 😄