docker/cli · error

path %q is outside of root config directory %q

Error message

path %q is outside of root config directory %q

What it means

Error "path %q is outside of root config directory %q" thrown in docker/cli.

Source

Thrown at cli/config/config.go:103

}

// ContextStoreDir returns the directory the docker contexts are stored in
func ContextStoreDir() string {
	return filepath.Join(Dir(), contextsDir)
}

// SetDir sets the directory the configuration file is stored in
func SetDir(dir string) {
	// trigger the sync.Once to synchronise with Dir()
	initConfigDir.Do(func() {})
	configDir = filepath.Clean(dir)
}

// Path returns the path to a file relative to the config dir
func Path(p ...string) (string, error) {
	path := filepath.Join(append([]string{Dir()}, p...)...)
	if !strings.HasPrefix(path, Dir()+string(filepath.Separator)) {
		return "", fmt.Errorf("path %q is outside of root config directory %q", path, Dir())
	}
	return path, nil
}

// LoadFromReader is a convenience function that creates a ConfigFile object from
// a reader. It returns an error if configData is malformed.
func LoadFromReader(configData io.Reader) (*configfile.ConfigFile, error) {
	configFile := configfile.ConfigFile{
		AuthConfigs: make(map[string]types.AuthConfig),
	}
	err := configFile.LoadFromReader(configData)
	return &configFile, err
}

// Load reads the configuration file ([ConfigFileName]) from the given directory.
// If no directory is given, it uses the default [Dir]. A [*configfile.ConfigFile]
// is returned containing the contents of the configuration file, or a default
// struct if no configfile exists in the given location.

View on GitHub (pinned to e9452d6e78)

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at cli/config/config.go:103 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of docker/cli@e9452d6e78 (2026-08-01). Data as JSON: /data/errors/923a2d330817fe99.json. Report an issue: GitHub.