Docker : RUN cd ... does not work as expected [duplicate]

It is actually expected.

A dockerfile is nothing more but a wrapper on docker run + docker commit.

FROM ubuntu:12.10
RUN mkdir tmp123
RUN cd tmp123
RUN pwd

Is the same thing as doing:

CID=$(docker run ubuntu:12.10 mkdir tmp123); ID=$(docker commit $CID)
CID=$(docker run $ID cd tmp123); ID=$(docker commit $CID)
CID=$(docker run $ID pwd); ID=$(docker commit $CID)

Each time you RUN, you spawn a new container and therefore the pwd is '/'.

If you feel like it, you can open an issue on github in order to add a CHDIR instruction to Dockerfile.

Maybe you can try this; I am not sure and I can't try it. If it does not work, I hope you don't downvote.

Just:

RUN 'cd tmp123 ; pwd'

Instead of

RUN cd tmp123
RUN pwd