Enabling Docker Experimental Features on Remote Docker

Docker experimental features can be enabled by adding an /etc/docker/daemon.json with {"experimental": true} on the Remote Docker instance and restarting the daemon.

  steps:
    - setup_remote_docker:
        version: 18.09.3
    - run: |
        ssh remote-docker \<<EOF
          sudo bash -c 'echo "{\"experimental\": true}" > /etc/docker/daemon.json'
          sudo systemctl restart docker
        EOF

Be sure to set a Docker version that supports the functionality you are looking to make use up. A list of currently support Docker versions for Remote Docker is available here:

https://circleci.com/docs/2.0/building-docker-images/#docker-version

This can then be used from the Docker cli.

  - run: DOCKER_BUILDKIT=1 docker build .