Docker Desktop for Mac Updated With Apple Silicon Support

[zidarko]

Use cases for Docker on Mac:
- proper Linux-based Latex support
- running Linux applications without having to deal with the intricacies of Apple's Xcode libraries (lack of Open MP and weird linker errors)
- running Python/Conda without breaking your zsh shell

Just the three relevant to me.

 

[amartinez1660]

It is used for single purpose VMs. For example: many web platforms have 3 parts: a database, php engine, and web server. With Docker, you can create 3 pseudo-VMs for those tasks and have them all running. It cannot replace something like Parallels or VMWare Fusion.

Ah, finally some layman explanation for it. So basically, locally on my computer, if I wanted to simulate a database, a php engine and a web server without having to truly deploy online (i.e while developing and testing), I just locally launch 3 docker mini-pseudo-VM containers and simulate my future-to-be full online service.

I understand that “Google it, it’s all there” approach, but man, sometimes I tell ya... for example, I got sent to the “fastlane, the super easy autobuild from repo pushes and distribute iOS ipa’s tool” docs and I just got lost in there, will definitely need a second run.

 

[duanepatrick]

This may be a little late but good job!

 

[medee88]

Great job Docker team!

As someone who is a developer that uses Docker, seeing Apple talk about Apple Silicon during their keynote and saying that Docker was working confused me as Docker put up a statement pretty quickly saying "Sorry it's not working", so I wonder who dropped the ball there. I wish Apple had collaborated more with the Docker team to prevent that mixup.

I have been using Docker, but it took a bit to get it to the point where you wouldn't hate yourself for jumping on the M1 bandwagon, but it progressed very fast!

These days, Docker pretty much just works, unless you need an x86 package then you have to add some extra flags along with a few drawbacks performance wise. I've been using it largely without issue over the past month or two. I certainly don't miss the fan and it's pretty nice I can do all my work on a MacBook Air now with great battery life!

For those of you developers that use Docker looking at this and wondering: Is it time to get one, I have a few thoughts. With potential hardware around the corner, It's probably good to wait a few months if you can, but if not, just know you will still have to tinker with a few things (running Homebrew in x86 mode if you want everything to more just work and not have random build issues) but most things are very workable and many people have documented the process to go through it all.

 

[jdb8167]

Now that CentOS is on its way to oblivion, does anyone know what a good lightweight Linux to use with Docker? The ability of CentOS to start almost immediately in cross-platform x86-64 was a good feature even if the actual runtime was pretty slow. I'm no expert on Docker and I have no idea what comes next for a Linux engine.

 

[jeremiah256]

Now that CentOS is on its way to oblivion, does anyone know what a good lightweight Linux to use with Docker? The ability of CentOS to start almost immediately in cross-platform x86-64 was a good feature even if the actual runtime was pretty slow. I'm no expert on Docker and I have no idea what comes next for a Linux engine.

Not deep in the development game anymore by any means, but BusyBox may be what you're looking for.

 

[jdb8167]

Not deep in the development game anymore by any means, but BusyBox may be what you're looking for.

Maybe. I don't know what level of compatibility you get with BusyBox. I know you can install some command line tools but I have no idea to what extent. I'll look into it. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[kage207]

Not really. Intel MacBook Pros get extremely hot 🥵 running demanding virtualization environments such as Docker.




Not likely. Docker is indeed a memory hog 🐷. 32 GB of RAM is a recommended minimum for a system running Docker unless you are working with very small containers. Unfortunately with M1 we are currently stuck with 8 or 16 GB.

I’ll have to disagree, respectfully. I do development on 16GB machines and have run docker. It really depends on your use case.

On my last project, we used it for our Postgres database. It allowed us to use a small database to do integration testing. But we also used that same database when we were doing development work locally.

Then, on our small Jenkins nodes, we had 8GB of memory. We’d run our integration test on each pull request.

I agree, some people tend to overload Docker but I think it has a relatively good / small use cases. Other than that, yeah... know your tools and the networking behind them and run them natively on your machine.

It is just how I think about the use case of Docker. Feel free to disagree with me.

On a final note, this makes me happy because it means I should be able to consider an Apple Silicon Mac on my next personal upgrade. But really wish the iPad could be my personal small little web development machine. Give me 16GB, a docking station, with dual monitors and lastly, an M series chip.

 

[Freeangel1]

The MacBook Pro that I use for work, disagrees! Others also have the same complaint - fans starting seemingly unnecessarily and excess heat.

Thats because all Mac laptops were designed too thin with improper cooling.

An Intel Mac Pro wont have this problem.

I have a Lenovo P71 with an Intel Xeon processor. it runs cool. because it was designed right with proper cooling.

 

[alien3dx]

I'm just an ordinary user. I get the Docker is something useful for developers. But does it have any use for "regular" people? Is it comparable in any way to a virtual machine? Can a Mac user run apps built for other operating systems?

not userfull for me, i test directly on the server . Not sure comparable but let said , software movement so fast whatever term i don't really care as long it work.

 

[thedocbwarren]

Thats because all Mac laptops were designed too thin with improper cooling.

An Intel Mac Pro wont have this problem.

I have a Lenovo P71 with an Intel Xeon processor. it runs cool. because it was designed right with proper cooling.

fixed it for you:

"An Apple Silicon Mac Pro wont have this problem."

 

[alien3dx]

** hope somebody not will complain ssd write thing again here..

 

[thedocbwarren]

** hope somebody not will complain ssd write thing again here..

haha, no kidding!

@Freeangel1: I was kidding around btw.

 

[ulyssesric]

All explanations starting with virtual machines are completely wrong and steer people in the wrong direction.

You're talking about the basic concept of Container, but in practice Docker is still built with Linux in mind. When you're deploying Docker on Windows or Mac, most Docker images are still running inside a VM and can only access kernel of that VM, instead of the Host OS.

Docker Mac port used to run image inside VirtualBox VM; few years ago they moved to xhvye, which is built based on Apple's native hypervisor framework and running a minimized Linux and the performance is much better, but it's still running inside a VM of a type-2 hypervisor.

P.S. I'm talking about Docker for X86 Mac. I've no idea which hypervisor they're using in the M1 version.

 

[jdb8167]

Docker Mac port used to run image inside VirtualBox VM; few years ago they moved to xhvye, which is built based on Apple's native hypervisor framework and running a minimized Linux and the performance is much better, but it's still running inside a VM of a type-2 hypervisor.

P.S. I'm talking about Docker for X86 Mac. I've no idea which hypervisor they're using in the M1 version.

It's Apple's hypervisor that is part of Big Sur. Apple put some effort into making virtualization possible and relatively easy with Apple Silicon and many projects are using it. UTM and QEMu all work now (well UTM is using QEmu) but other projects are written from scratch and they work too (vftool comes to mind).

 

[bklement]

Use Docker a lot and have no idea what podman is. Docker is huge if you use unraid or other nas platforms.

Consider yourself lucky.

 

[bklement]

Had Docker on my MBP for a few hours recently, looking at Kinsta's WordPress dev environment.
Just to start, Docker used an insane amount of RAM – is that possibly different on M1?

No.

 

[bklement]

Stupid logo from a failing company. I agree.

Funny comment considering podman comes from... IBM.

 

[sdz]

Not really. Intel MacBook Pros get extremely hot 🥵 running demanding virtualization environments such as Docker.

First mistake: using docker on macos.

Not likely. Docker is indeed a memory hog 🐷. 32 GB of RAM is a recommended minimum for a system running Docker unless you are working with very small containers. Unfortunately with M1 we are currently stuck with 8 or 16 GB.

Overgeneralisation does not help. Depends on use case.

 

[sdz]

Funny comment considering podman comes from... IBM.

Redhat

 

[sdz]

Something tells me that Docker very much is a thing and that you're just trying to push some alternative nobody has heard of.

So Kubernetes is also new to you. I wonder why people bother with containers on local dev environments. Because the are too stupid or too lazy to understand the services they are trying to use.

 

[alien3dx]

So Kubernetes is also new to you. I wonder why people bother with containers on local dev environments. Because the are too stupid or too lazy to understand the services they are trying to use.

i'm to old like other developer instead spin whatever hispter is , we just slide new server and charge customer. We not in business thinking but making money.

 

[sdz]

i'm to old like other developer instead spin whatever hispter is , we just slide new server and charge customer. We not in business thinking but making money.

The IT industry is becoming a travesty show.

Apple even wants kids to "develop" software. When was the last time a kid was tasked with designing a highway bridge?

 

[Tanax]

Hint: Levi’s also makes Dockers.

It's not him, it's them.

Thanks! Never heard of it.

 

[alien3dx]

The IT industry is becoming a travesty show.

Apple even wants kids to "develop" software. When was the last time a kid was tasked with designing a highway bridge?

i rather teach kiddo excel macro/ lego robotic instead. simple and powerful . Teach swift background , errk . Me my self struggle objective c compare other normal language.