unable to build grpc v1.28.1 inside a container - build

Question

I am getting c++: fatal errors when trying to build grpc inside a container. Tried it with GNU CC 7, and 10, on three different machines, all running Docker Desktop for Windows.
the basic Dockerfile is mimicing the grpc building docs:
FROM gcc:10.1.0
RUN apt-get update && apt-get upgrade -y && \
apt-get install -y build-essential autoconf libtool pkg-config git curl cmake
RUN cd /tmp && \
git clone -b $(curl -L https://grpc.io/release) https://github.com/grpc/grpc && \
cd grpc && \
git submodule update --init && \
mkdir -p cmake/build && \
mkdir -p /opt/grpc && \
cd cmake/build && \
cmake -DgRPC_INSTALL=ON -DgRPC_BUILD_TESTS=OFF -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/opt/grpc ../.. && \
make -j && \
make install
but can't get to a successful build as on all systems, I get this:
c++: fatal error: Killed signal terminated program cc1plus
compilation terminated.
make[2]: *** [CMakeFiles/grpc.dir/build.make:2130: CMakeFiles/grpc.dir/src/core/ext/transport/chttp2/server/secure/server_secure_chttp2.cc.o] Error 1
make[2]: *** Waiting for unfinished jobs....
c++: fatal error: Killed signal terminated program cc1plus
compilation terminated.
make[2]: *** [CMakeFiles/grpc_cronet.dir/build.make:2182: CMakeFiles/grpc_cronet.dir/src/core/ext/transport/chttp2/client/secure/secure_channel_create.cc.o] Error 1
c++: fatal error: Killed signal terminated program cc1plus
compilation terminated.
c++: fatal error: Killed signal terminated program cc1plus
compilation terminated.
make[2]: *** Waiting for unfinished jobs....
c++: fatal error: Killed signal terminated program cc1plus
compilation terminated.
make[2]: *** [CMakeFiles/grpc.dir/build.make:2182: CMakeFiles/grpc.dir/src/core/ext/transport/chttp2/transport/chttp2_transport.cc.o] Error 1
make[2]: *** [CMakeFiles/grpc_cronet.dir/build.make:2598: CMakeFiles/grpc_cronet.dir/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/client_channel.cc.o] Error 1
c++: fatal error: Killed signal terminated program cc1plus
compilation terminated.
make[2]: *** [CMakeFiles/grpc_unsecure.dir/build.make:2208: CMakeFiles/grpc_unsecure.dir/src/core/ext/transport/chttp2/transport/chttp2_transport.cc.o] Error 1
make[2]: *** Waiting for unfinished jobs....
make[2]: *** [CMakeFiles/grpc_cronet.dir/build.make:2819: CMakeFiles/grpc_cronet.dir/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/resolving_lb_policy.cc.o] Error 1
c++: fatal error: Killed signal terminated program cc1plus
compilation terminated.
make[2]: *** [CMakeFiles/grpc.dir/build.make:2520: CMakeFiles/grpc.dir/src/core/lib/security/context/security_context.cc.o] Error 1
c++: fatal error: Killed signal terminated program cc1plus
compilation terminated.
[ 89%] Building C object CMakeFiles/grpc.dir/src/core/ext/upb-generated/envoy/api/v2/cluster.upb.c.o
make[2]: *** [CMakeFiles/grpc.dir/build.make:2546: CMakeFiles/grpc.dir/src/core/lib/security/credentials/composite/composite_credentials.cc.o] Error 1
c++: fatal error: Killed signal terminated program cc1plus
compilation terminated.
c++: fatal error: Killed signal terminated program cc1plus
compilation terminated.
make[2]: *** [CMakeFiles/grpc_unsecure.dir/build.make:2858: CMakeFiles/grpc_unsecure.dir/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/resolving_lb_policy.cc.o] Error 1
make[2]: *** [CMakeFiles/grpc_cronet.dir/build.make:2234: CMakeFiles/grpc_cronet.dir/src/core/ext/transport/chttp2/transport/chttp2_transport.cc.o] Error 1
...
The terminations happen at different stages in the build. Any ideas what is terminating the compiler?

Answer 1

Aha, the failures were caused by memory constraints; the make -j without arguments is too aggressive for Windows. Constraining it to a given value solves the problem.