hyperledger/fabric · error

docker build is disabled

Error message

docker build is disabled

What it means

disabledDockerBuilder is a ccapi build implementation installed when the peer is configured with external builders and Docker builds are disabled. Its Build method unconditionally returns this error, so any attempt to build a chaincode package via the legacy Docker path fails with this message.

Source

Thrown at internal/peer/node/start.go:162

	mdBytes []byte,
	codePackage io.Reader,
) (container.Instance, error) {
	i, err := e.detector.Build(ccid, mdBytes, codePackage)
	if err != nil {
		return nil, err
	}

	// ensure <nil> is returned instead of (*externalbuilder.Instance)(nil)
	if i == nil {
		return nil, nil
	}
	return i, err
}

type disabledDockerBuilder struct{}

func (disabledDockerBuilder) Build(string, *persistence.ChaincodePackageMetadata, io.Reader) (container.Instance, error) {
	return nil, errors.New("docker build is disabled")
}

type endorserChannelAdapter struct {
	peer *peer.Peer
}

func (e endorserChannelAdapter) Channel(channelID string) *endorser.Channel {
	if peerChannel := e.peer.Channel(channelID); peerChannel != nil {
		return &endorser.Channel{
			IdentityDeserializer: peerChannel.MSPManager(),
		}
	}

	return nil
}

type custodianLauncherAdapter struct {
	launcher      chaincode.Launcher

View on GitHub (pinned to 2736b63f8f)

Solutions

1. Package and deploy the chaincode as an external builder package so the disabled Docker path is never used.
2. Re-enable Docker builds in peer configuration if legacy Docker chaincode is required.
3. Verify the external builder definitions match the chaincode package type (type/label in the package metadata).

Example fix

// before
peer lifecycle chaincode package cc.tar.gz --path . --lang golang --label cc1  # requires docker build (disabled)
// after
# package as CC-type external package
{ "path": "...", "type": "cc" } ; peer lifecycle chaincode package ext.tar.gz --path . --lang binary --label cc1

// before install/instantiate on a docker-build-disabled peer, ensure package is external-builder compatible
if pkg.Type != "cc" { return fmt.Errorf("peer has docker builds disabled; use external builder package") }

if err := installChaincode(pkg); err != nil && err.Error() == "docker build is disabled" {
    return fmt.Errorf("repackage as external builder package or re-enable docker builds: %w", err)
}

When it happens

Trigger: Invoking chaincode build/install flow on a peer where CORE_CHAINCODE_EXTERNALBUILDERS / docker build disablement is configured, but the chaincode package is not handled by an external builder, so it falls through to disabledDockerBuilder.Build.

Common situations: Operating a locked-down peer with docker builds disabled (e.g. for security) while deploying legacy chaincode that still requires Docker builds; forgetting to package chaincode for external builders; misconfigured external builder paths.

Related errors

• only applicable for private data
• unknown operation type
• error reading chaincode install package at %s
• Unknown chaincodeType: %s
• Failed to generate platform-specific Dockerfile: %s

AI-assisted analysis of hyperledger/fabric@2736b63f8f (2026-09-04). Data as JSON: /api/errors/41de383f2f88767f. Report an issue: GitHub.