Fix: Skip container runtime check for Archive destinations and improve error messages

src/Aspire.Hosting/Publishing/ResourceContainerImageManager.cs

@@ -172,6 +172,7 @@ private sealed class ResolvedContainerBuildOptions
         public string? OutputPath { get; set; }
         public ContainerImageFormat? ImageFormat { get; set; }
         public ContainerTargetPlatform? TargetPlatform { get; set; }
+        public ContainerImageDestination? Destination { get; set; }
         public string LocalImageName { get; set; } = string.Empty;
         public string LocalImageTag { get; set; } = "latest";
     }
@@ -195,6 +196,7 @@ private async Task<ResolvedContainerBuildOptions> ResolveContainerBuildOptionsAs
         options.OutputPath = context.OutputPath;
         options.ImageFormat = context.ImageFormat;
         options.TargetPlatform = context.TargetPlatform;
+        options.Destination = context.Destination;
         options.LocalImageName = context.LocalImageName ?? options.LocalImageName;
         options.LocalImageTag = context.LocalImageTag ?? options.LocalImageTag;
 
@@ -236,6 +238,22 @@ public async Task BuildImageAsync(IResource resource, CancellationToken cancella
 
         var options = await ResolveContainerBuildOptionsAsync(resource, cancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
 
+        // Check if this resource needs a container runtime
+        if (await ResourcesRequireContainerRuntimeAsync([resource], cancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false))
+        {
+            logger.LogDebug("Checking {ContainerRuntimeName} health", ContainerRuntime.Name);
+
+            var containerRuntimeHealthy = await ContainerRuntime.CheckIfRunningAsync(cancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
+
+            if (!containerRuntimeHealthy)
+            {
+                logger.LogError("Container runtime is not running or is unhealthy. Cannot build container image.");
+                throw new InvalidOperationException("Container runtime is not running or is unhealthy.");
+            }
+
+            logger.LogDebug("{ContainerRuntimeName} is healthy", ContainerRuntime.Name);
+        }
+
         if (resource is ProjectResource)
         {
             // If it is a project resource we need to build the container image
@@ -500,19 +518,24 @@ public async Task PushImageAsync(IResource resource, CancellationToken cancellat
     // .NET Container builds that push OCI images to a local file path do not need a runtime
     private async Task<bool> ResourcesRequireContainerRuntimeAsync(IEnumerable<IResource> resources, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
     {
-        var hasDockerfileResources = resources.Any(resource =>
-            resource.TryGetLastAnnotation<ContainerImageAnnotation>(out _) &&
-            resource.TryGetLastAnnotation<DockerfileBuildAnnotation>(out _));
-
-        if (hasDockerfileResources)
-        {
-            return true;
-        }
-
-        // Check if any resource uses Docker format or has no output path
         foreach (var resource in resources)
         {
+            // Dockerfile resources always need container runtime
+            if (resource.TryGetLastAnnotation<ContainerImageAnnotation>(out _) &&
+                resource.TryGetLastAnnotation<DockerfileBuildAnnotation>(out _))
+            {
+                return true;
+            }
+
+            // Check if any resource uses Docker format or has no output path
             var options = await ResolveContainerBuildOptionsAsync(resource, cancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
+
+            // Skip resources that are explicitly configured to save as archives - they don't need Docker
+            if (options.Destination == ContainerImageDestination.Archive)
+            {
+                continue;
+            }
+
             var usesDocker = options.ImageFormat == null || options.ImageFormat == ContainerImageFormat.Docker;
             var hasNoOutputPath = options.OutputPath == null;
 

tests/Aspire.Hosting.Tests/Publishing/FakeContainerRuntime.cs

@@ -10,10 +10,11 @@ namespace Aspire.Hosting.Tests.Publishing;
 
 using Aspire.Hosting.ApplicationModel;
 
-public sealed class FakeContainerRuntime(bool shouldFail = false) : IContainerRuntime
+public sealed class FakeContainerRuntime(bool shouldFail = false, bool isRunning = true) : IContainerRuntime
 {
     public string Name => "fake-runtime";
     public bool WasHealthCheckCalled { get; private set; }
+    public int CheckIfRunningCallCount { get; private set; }
     public bool WasTagImageCalled { get; private set; }
     public bool WasRemoveImageCalled { get; private set; }
     public bool WasPushImageCalled { get; private set; }
@@ -32,7 +33,8 @@ public sealed class FakeContainerRuntime(bool shouldFail = false) : IContainerRu
     public Task<bool> CheckIfRunningAsync(CancellationToken cancellationToken)
     {
         WasHealthCheckCalled = true;
-        return Task.FromResult(!shouldFail);
+        CheckIfRunningCallCount++;
+        return Task.FromResult(isRunning && !shouldFail);
     }
 
     public Task TagImageAsync(string localImageName, string targetImageName, CancellationToken cancellationToken)

tests/Aspire.Hosting.Tests/Publishing/ResourceContainerImageManagerTests.cs

@@ -1080,4 +1080,201 @@ await servicea.Resource.ProcessContainerBuildOptionsCallbackAsync(
         Assert.NotNull(capturedServices);
         Assert.Equal(app.Services, capturedServices);
     }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task BuildImagesAsync_WithArchiveDestinationOnlyResources_DoesNotCheckContainerRuntime()
+    {
+        using var builder = TestDistributedApplicationBuilder.Create(output);
+
+        builder.Services.AddLogging(logging =>
+        {
+            logging.AddFakeLogging();
+            logging.AddXunit(output);
+        });
+
+        // Use FakeContainerRuntime that simulates Docker not running
+        var fakeContainerRuntime = new FakeContainerRuntime(shouldFail: false, isRunning: false);
+        builder.Services.AddKeyedSingleton<IContainerRuntime>("docker", fakeContainerRuntime);
+
+        using var tempDir = new TestTempDirectory();
+
+        var servicea = builder.AddProject<Projects.ServiceA>("servicea")
+            .WithContainerBuildOptions(ctx =>
+            {
+                ctx.Destination = ContainerImageDestination.Archive;
+                ctx.OutputPath = Path.Combine(tempDir.Path, "archives");
+                ctx.ImageFormat = ContainerImageFormat.Oci;
+            });
+
+        using var app = builder.Build();
+
+        using var cts = new CancellationTokenSource(TestConstants.DefaultTimeoutTimeSpan);
+        var imageManager = app.Services.GetRequiredService<IResourceContainerImageManager>();
+
+        // The check for whether Docker is needed should not call CheckIfRunningAsync
+        // when all resources are Archive destination. However, the actual build will fail
+        // because we can't build without network access to get base images.
+        // We're just verifying that CheckIfRunningAsync is not called in the upfront check.
+        try
+        {
+            await imageManager.BuildImagesAsync([servicea.Resource], cts.Token);
+        }
+        catch (DistributedApplicationException)
+        {
+            // Expected to fail during actual build due to missing network/base images
+            // But we should verify CheckIfRunningAsync was not called
+        }
+        catch (TaskCanceledException)
+        {
+            // Expected if build takes too long
+        }
+
+        // Verify CheckIfRunningAsync was not called in the upfront runtime check
+        Assert.Equal(0, fakeContainerRuntime.CheckIfRunningCallCount);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task BuildImagesAsync_WithRegistryDestination_ChecksContainerRuntime()
+    {
+        using var builder = TestDistributedApplicationBuilder.Create(output);
+
+        builder.Services.AddLogging(logging =>
+        {
+            logging.AddFakeLogging();
+            logging.AddXunit(output);
+        });
+
+        // Use FakeContainerRuntime that simulates Docker not running
+        var fakeContainerRuntime = new FakeContainerRuntime(shouldFail: false, isRunning: false);
+        builder.Services.AddKeyedSingleton<IContainerRuntime>("docker", fakeContainerRuntime);
+
+        var servicea = builder.AddProject<Projects.ServiceA>("servicea")
+            .WithContainerBuildOptions(ctx =>
+            {
+                ctx.Destination = ContainerImageDestination.Registry;
+            });
+
+        using var app = builder.Build();
+
+        using var cts = new CancellationTokenSource(TestConstants.DefaultTimeoutTimeSpan);
+        var imageManager = app.Services.GetRequiredService<IResourceContainerImageManager>();
+
+        // Should throw because container runtime is not running
+        var exception = await Assert.ThrowsAsync<InvalidOperationException>(
+            () => imageManager.BuildImagesAsync([servicea.Resource], cts.Token));
+
+        Assert.Contains("Container runtime is not running or is unhealthy", exception.Message);
+
+        // Verify CheckIfRunningAsync was called in the upfront check
+        Assert.Equal(1, fakeContainerRuntime.CheckIfRunningCallCount);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task BuildImageAsync_DockerfileResource_RequiresContainerRuntime()
+    {
+        using var builder = TestDistributedApplicationBuilder.Create(output);
+
+        builder.Services.AddLogging(logging =>
+        {
+            logging.AddFakeLogging();
+            logging.AddXunit(output);
+        });
+
+        // Use FakeContainerRuntime that simulates Docker not running
+        var fakeContainerRuntime = new FakeContainerRuntime(shouldFail: false, isRunning: false);
+        builder.Services.AddKeyedSingleton<IContainerRuntime>("docker", fakeContainerRuntime);
+
+        var (tempContextPath, tempDockerfilePath) = await DockerfileUtils.CreateTemporaryDockerfileAsync();
+        var container = builder.AddDockerfile("container", tempContextPath, tempDockerfilePath);
+
+        using var app = builder.Build();
+
+        using var cts = new CancellationTokenSource(TestConstants.LongTimeoutTimeSpan);
+        var imageManager = app.Services.GetRequiredService<IResourceContainerImageManager>();
+
+        // Should throw because Dockerfile builds always require Docker
+        var exception = await Assert.ThrowsAsync<InvalidOperationException>(
+            () => imageManager.BuildImageAsync(container.Resource, cts.Token));
+
+        Assert.Contains("Container runtime is not running or is unhealthy", exception.Message);
+
+        // Verify CheckIfRunningAsync was called in BuildImageAsync
+        Assert.Equal(1, fakeContainerRuntime.CheckIfRunningCallCount);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task BuildImagesAsync_MixedDestinations_ChecksRuntimeWhenAnyResourceNeedsIt()
+    {
+        using var builder = TestDistributedApplicationBuilder.Create(output);
+
+        builder.Services.AddLogging(logging =>
+        {
+            logging.AddFakeLogging();
+            logging.AddXunit(output);
+        });
+
+        // Use FakeContainerRuntime that simulates Docker not running
+        var fakeContainerRuntime = new FakeContainerRuntime(shouldFail: false, isRunning: false);
+        builder.Services.AddKeyedSingleton<IContainerRuntime>("docker", fakeContainerRuntime);
+
+        using var tempDir = new TestTempDirectory();
+
+        // Add two projects: one with Archive destination, one without
+        var servicea = builder.AddProject<Projects.ServiceA>("servicea")
+            .WithContainerBuildOptions(ctx =>
+            {
+                ctx.Destination = ContainerImageDestination.Archive;
+                ctx.OutputPath = Path.Combine(tempDir.Path, "archives");
+                ctx.ImageFormat = ContainerImageFormat.Oci;
+            });
+
+        var serviceb = builder.AddProject<Projects.ServiceB>("serviceb");
+
+        using var app = builder.Build();
+
+        using var cts = new CancellationTokenSource(TestConstants.DefaultTimeoutTimeSpan);
+        var imageManager = app.Services.GetRequiredService<IResourceContainerImageManager>();
+
+        // Should throw because serviceb requires Docker and it's not running
+        var exception = await Assert.ThrowsAsync<InvalidOperationException>(
+            () => imageManager.BuildImagesAsync([servicea.Resource, serviceb.Resource], cts.Token));
+
+        Assert.Contains("Container runtime is not running or is unhealthy", exception.Message);
+
+        // Verify CheckIfRunningAsync was called once for the entire batch
+        Assert.Equal(1, fakeContainerRuntime.CheckIfRunningCallCount);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task BuildImagesAsync_NoDestinationSet_ChecksContainerRuntime()
+    {
+        using var builder = TestDistributedApplicationBuilder.Create(output);
+
+        builder.Services.AddLogging(logging =>
+        {
+            logging.AddFakeLogging();
+            logging.AddXunit(output);
+        });
+
+        // Use FakeContainerRuntime that simulates Docker not running
+        var fakeContainerRuntime = new FakeContainerRuntime(shouldFail: false, isRunning: false);
+        builder.Services.AddKeyedSingleton<IContainerRuntime>("docker", fakeContainerRuntime);
+
+        // Project without any destination set should default to requiring Docker
+        var servicea = builder.AddProject<Projects.ServiceA>("servicea");
+
+        using var app = builder.Build();
+
+        using var cts = new CancellationTokenSource(TestConstants.DefaultTimeoutTimeSpan);
+        var imageManager = app.Services.GetRequiredService<IResourceContainerImageManager>();
+
+        // Should throw because container runtime is not running and no Archive destination is set
+        var exception = await Assert.ThrowsAsync<InvalidOperationException>(
+            () => imageManager.BuildImagesAsync([servicea.Resource], cts.Token));
+
+        Assert.Contains("Container runtime is not running or is unhealthy", exception.Message);
+
+        // Verify CheckIfRunningAsync was called
+        Assert.Equal(1, fakeContainerRuntime.CheckIfRunningCallCount);
+    }
 }