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garyfeng/Docker desktop alternative for Mac.md

Created April 27, 2023 19:53
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Getting a docker desktop alternative working on my Intel Mac
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Docker desktop alternative for Mac.md

Docker Desktop has been not free since 2021, and I have been looking for/procrastinating on an alternative. My requirements:

  1. Free and open source, no vaperware
  2. I need docker not other container technologies
  3. docker-compose is a must
  4. Easy and clean installation. No messing around.
  5. For local testing only. I don't need a cluster or performance.
  6. GPU support is nice but CPU is fine.

Much blog surfing later, I decided on https://rancherdesktop.io/, among minikube, podman and other highly recommended alternatives.

Installation

I have an Intel Mac from 2019.

  1. Download the Rancher Desktop app from https://github.com/rancher-sandbox/rancher-desktop/releases/download/v1.8.1/Rancher.Desktop-1.8.1.x86_64.dmg
  2. Install -- moving it to the Application folder
  3. Run -- no issues. Then select from taskbar to open the settings page
  4. Use dockerd, enable k8s (do I actually need it)?
  5. Done.

Running

In OSX terminal, docker ps command worked like a charm. I see a bunch of containers related to Rancher.

Instead of docker-compose, you do docker compose, and the rest just worked for my project. 'Nough said.

Performance and stability

No difference from using Docker Desktop. You just don't notice it. No huge CPU or memory drag. Nothing crashed so far.

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