How to run Aidbox using a different Java version

Starting from version 2506 Aidbox uses the following approach for building aidboxone image:

1. The latest LTS version of Java is used for building the application jar - for 2506, it's Java 21

2. The latest version of Java is used for running the application - for 2506 it's 24

That gives you the ability to run the Aidbox on any version of Java between LTS version and the latest version due to JAVA backward compatibility by building your custom Docker image.

Objectives

• Build a Docker image from aidboxone:2506 and run it using Java 21

Before you begin

• Run Aidbox locally using Docker by following this guide.

Build and run custom Docker Image

1. Navigate to the aidbox directory when the docker-compose.yaml is located.

2. Create the file with the name Dockerfile and the following context:

   # For extracting aidbox.jar from the original Aidbox image
   FROM healthsamurai/aidboxone:2506 as aidbox-extract
   
   FROM bellsoft/liberica-openjre-alpine-musl:21
   
   # Install packages
   RUN apk add --update --no-cache curl git openssh
   RUN apk add nodejs npm openssl --update-cache --repository http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main --allow-untrusted
   RUN apk add libsodium
   RUN apk upgrade
   RUN apk --purge del apk-tools
   
   # Add app user
   ARG APPLICATION_USER=aidbox
   RUN adduser  -u 1000 -D $APPLICATION_USER
   
   # Configure working directory
   RUN mkdir /app && \
       chown -R $APPLICATION_USER /app
   
   USER 1000
   
   # Copy the original jar and script
   COPY --chown=1000:1000 --from=aidbox-extract /aidbox.jar /aidbox.jar
   COPY --chown=1000:1000 --from=aidbox-extract /aidbox.sh /aidbox.sh
   
   RUN chmod +x /aidbox.sh
   
   ENV MAIN=aidboxone.core
   
   ENTRYPOINT ["/aidbox.sh"]

3. Make the following changes to docker-compose.yaml

     aidbox:
       # image: healthsamurai/aidboxone:edge
       # pull_policy: always
       build:
         context: .
         dockerfile: Dockerfile

4. Run docker compose up command. It will build the image from Dockerfile and run the Docker compose.

5. Run the following command to verify the aidbox container is running using Java 21:

   docker compose exec aidbox java -version The output should be:

   % docker compose exec aidbox java -version         
   openjdk version "21.0.7" 2025-04-15 LTS
   OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 21.0.7+9-LTS)
   OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM (build 21.0.7+9-LTS, mixed mode)