docs(docs/tutorials/quickstart.md): recommend free container runtimes besides Docker Desktop#26106
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… besides Docker Desktop Replace the 'Install Docker' step with a runtime-agnostic 'Install a container runtime' step. Add a callout above the OS tabs naming Colima, Rancher Desktop, Podman, and Docker Desktop as valid runtimes. Switch the per-platform defaults to free, lightweight options: Docker Engine on Linux, Colima on macOS, Podman Desktop on Windows. Update the troubleshooting subsections to match the new defaults. Linear: DEVREL-22 This commit was generated by a Coder agent on behalf of Nick Vigilante.
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bpmct
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Jun 5, 2026
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Approving given this has been tested! |
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@bpmct I'm going to set up and boot up my gaming PC running Windows this afternoon and check. Doing macOS now. I won't merge until I have confirmed it works on all operating systems. |
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Replaces the quickstart's "Install Docker" step with a runtime-agnostic
"Install a container runtime" step, and switches the per-platform defaults
to free, lightweight options that avoid Docker Desktop's cost and overhead.
A callout above the OS tabs names Colima, Rancher Desktop, Podman, and
Docker Desktop as valid runtimes and tells readers to skip ahead if they
already have one running. The default install path per platform is now:
The "Cannot connect to the Docker daemon" troubleshooting subsections are
updated to match the new defaults.
Closes DEVREL-22.
A follow-up Linear issue will track a deeper "Docker runtime alternatives"
reference page covering OrbStack (with its commercial-license caveat),
Rancher Desktop, and CLI Podman.
Implementation proposal and pre-mortem
DEVREL-22 proposal: Replace "Install Docker" with "Install a container runtime"
Linear: DEVREL-22
Repo:
coder/coderBranch:
vigilante/devrel-22-recommend-orbstackcolimarancher-desktoppodman-as-dockerPrimary file:
docs/tutorials/quickstart.mdSummary
Rename Step 1 of the quickstart from "Install Docker and set up permissions" to "Install a container runtime", add a callout that any Docker-compatible runtime works, and switch the per-platform default to the lightest free path on each OS. Keep Docker Desktop, OrbStack, and Rancher Desktop as documented alternatives, but not as the primary recommendation. The deeper "alternatives" reference page is a follow-up.
Why
Per-platform defaults
curl -sSL https://get.docker.com | shbrew install colima docker,colima start), free for commercial use, exposes/var/run/docker.sockso the Coder template needs zero env vars.podman machinesetup through the GUI, sets up Docker socket compatibility. Lighter than Docker Desktop, simpler than CLI Podman +DOCKER_HOST.Pre-mortem
/var/run/docker.sock. Colima symlinks it on macOS. Podman Desktop on Windows enables Docker socket compatibility by default, so the template's Docker provider should reach the daemon withoutDOCKER_HOSTgymnastics.quickstart#step-1-install-docker-and-set-up-permissions. A grep ofdocs/andsite/found no internal references to the old anchor. Blog posts or external links may land at the top of the page after the rename; acceptable for this scope.brew install colima dockerassumes Homebrew. The callout links to brew.sh so users without it can install Homebrew first.Out of scope (follow-up issues)
docs/install/docker.mdupdates. That page is about installing Coder server in a Docker container, which is a separate concern.coder/skillssetupskill if its install steps drift from the new quickstart.coder/registryif it links to the renamed section.This pull request was generated by a Coder agent on behalf of @nickvigilante.