Table of Contents

1. Purpose of the article
2. What containers are and why they make sense with IRIS
    2.1 Containers and images in a nutshell
    2.2 Why containers are useful for developers
    2.3 Why IRIS works well with Docker
3. Prerequisites
4. Installing the InterSystems IRIS image
    4.1 Using Docker Hub
    4.2 Pulling the image
5. Running the InterSystems IRIS image
    5.1 Starting an IRIS container
    5.2 Checking container status
    5.3 Executing code in the container terminal
    5.4 Accessing the IRIS Management Portal
    5.5 Connecting the container to VS Code
    5.6 Stopping or removing the container
    5.7 Setting a specific password with a bind mount
    5.8 Using durable %SYS volumes
     5.8.1 What gets stored with durable %SYS
     5.8.2 How to enable durable %SYS
6. Using Docker Compose
    6.1 Docker Compose example
    6.2 Running Docker Compose
7. Using a Dockerfile to run custom source code
    7.1 Dockerfile example
    7.2 Docker Compose example
    7.3 Understanding layers, image tagging and build vs. run time
    7.4 Source code and init script
    7.5 Building the image with Dockerfile
    7.6 Running instructions in the containerized IRIS terminal
8. Conclusion and what’s next

Hi Team,

Can I please check if anyone has built a simple web interface for maintaining custom SQL lookup class.

We have a simple persistent class in HealthShare which is used for storing Pathology test codes. Test codes in this lookup class is used for message filtering and applying additional logic when processing pathology results/orders.

A step by step implementation path to a cross regional stretched IrisCluster with Mirroring using the Intersystems Kubernetes Operator (IKO), Google Cloud Platform, and Tailscale.

I am giving this distraction the code name "Compliment Sandwich" for a reason yet to be realized, but I'd rather the community go right for the jugular shooting holes in a solution that implements wireguard based connectivity for our workloads in general, as I would like to refine it as a fall project leading up to KubeCon in Atlanta and if I miss the mark, Ill get it done before Amsterdam.

It’s time to bring some spotlight to the authors and participants of our September Article Bounty! A big thank-you to everyone who took part💙

Special shout-out to those who took the time to write brand-new articles and share their expertise (each received 5,000 points 🎉):

@Robert Cemper >> "IRIS in Docker for beginners"
@sween >> "IKO Plus: Stretched Cross Regional IrisCluster with Tailscale on Google Cloud Platform"
@Ariel Glikman >> "High Availability IAM"
@Pietro Di Leo >> "Running InterSystems IRIS with Docker: A Step-by-Step Guide - Part 1: From the Basics to Custom Dockerfile"
@Guilherme Tonelotti >> "Create a JDBC connection with Mysql Cache"
@Vachan C Rannore >> "From "Oops" to "Aha!" - Avoiding Beginner Mistakes in ObjectScript"

And also to those who joined the challenge and helped us in the search for interesting articles (each received 30 points 🙌):

Hi Community,

I’m trying to execute a directory query in InterSystems IRIS using %SQL.Statement, but encountering an unexpected error.

Details:
The following command confirms that the directory exists:

Set dirPath="\\MYNETWORK_DRIVE\DFS-Shared_Product\GXM"
Write ##class(%File).DirectoryExists(dirPath)

It returns 1, meaning the path is valid and accessible.

However, when I try to execute this SQL query:

Every thriving community has members whose energy, creativity, and commitment help shape it into something extraordinary. In the InterSystems Developer Community, one such member is @Henry Pereira — a developer, open-source contributor, contest winner, and true believer in the power of collaboration.

👏 Let’s take a closer look at Henry’s remarkable journey and his continuing legacy in the InterSystems ecosystem.

Hi developers!

How do you debug implementation code in .impl classes of REST.API in InterSystems IRIS?

Especially if you don't have access to globals, so no things like:

Set ^AAA="here we are"

not possible in this case.

Suppose I have the following signature of the REST.API method called as POST and containing JSON. :

While working with external languages for IRIS (such as Python and Node.js), one of the first things you must accomplish is making a connection to an IRIS instance.

For instance, to make a connection in python (from https://pypi.org/project/intersystems-irispython/):

If you thought native Go support for IRIS was exciting, wait until you see what happens when GORM enters the mix.

Just recently, we welcomed native GoLang support for InterSystems IRIS with the release of go-irisnative. That was just the beginning. Now, we’re kicking things up a notch with the launch of gorm-iris — a GORM driver designed to bring the power of Object Relational Mapping (ORM) to your IRIS + Go stack.

Why GORM?

GORM is one of the most popular ORM libraries in the Go ecosystem. It makes it easy to interact with databases using Go structs instead of writing raw SQL. With features like auto migrations, associations, and query building, GORM simplifies backend development significantly.

So naturally, the next step after enabling Go to talk natively with IRIS was to make GORM work seamlessly with it. That’s exactly what gorm-iris does.

Introduction

The InterSystems IRIS Data Platform has long been known for its performance, interoperability, and flexibility across programming languages. For years, developers could use IRIS with Python, Java, JavaScript, and .NET — but Go (or Golang) developers were left waiting.

That wait is finally over.

The new go-irisnative driver brings GoLang support to InterSystems IRIS, implementing the standard database/sql API. This means Go developers can now use familiar database tooling, connection pooling, and query interfaces to build applications powered by IRIS.

Why GoLang Support Matters

GoLang is a language designed for simplicity, concurrency, and performance — ideal for cloud-native and microservices-based architectures. It powers some of the world’s most scalable systems, including Kubernetes, Docker, and Terraform.

Bringing IRIS into the Go ecosystem enables:

• Lightweight, high-performance services using IRIS as the backend.
• Native concurrency for parallel query execution or background processing.
• Seamless integration with containerized and distributed systems.
• Idiomatic database access through Go’s database/sql interface.

This integration makes IRIS a perfect fit for modern, cloud-ready Go applications.

This year, our InterSystems Developer Community turns 10 years old — and we’re inviting YOU to take part in the celebration!

We’re creating a special community video filled with greetings and memories from members worldwide. Want to join in? It’s simple:

▶️ Record a short clip (1-2 mins) where you:

• Share a favorite highlight or memorable moment from your time in the Developer Community
• Send your congratulations on the 10th anniversary 🎊

We’ll combine the contributions into one big celebratory video for everyone to enjoy! 🎬✨

👉 Click here to record your video

Hi,

%SYS.LDAP - InterSystems IRIS Data Platform 2025.2 - including private class members states that

"abstract class %SYS.LDAP

Requires %syLDAP.INC to be included in your COS routine for some macro definitions."

How can I include %syLDAP.INC for the compilation of my code which uses %SYS.LDAP ? I need the definitions for the $$$LADPxxxx macros (such as $$$LDAPSUCCESS).

Thank you.

W.

InterSystems ObjectScript extension for VS Code, version 3.0.1

Am also asking this question on the extension's GitHub page: Request textDocument/documentSymbol failed. Error: name must not be falsy · intersystems-community/vscode-objectscript · Discussion #1530 - but suspect more eyes will see it here, which might help gather additional information.

Hi Developers,

We are happy to announce the new InterSystems online programming contest:

🏆 InterSystems .Net, Java, Python, and JavaScript Contest 🏆

Duration: September 22 - October 12, 2025

Prize pool: $12,000