Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.
Currently, Nookat relies on Docker Engine API via bollard crate. On macOS and Windows, this typically requires Docker Desktop to install Docker Engine.
With Apple’s recent introduction of their native Containerization framework, users on macOS (especially Apple Silicon) now have a new, lightweight and secure way to run Linux containers.
Describe the solution you'd like
I’d like to see native support for Apple’s Containerization framework integrated into Nookat, allowing users on macOS 15+ to manage their Apple containers alongside (or instead of) Docker-based containers. This could involve:
- Detecting whether the Apple Containerization APIs are available.
- Adding a backend plugin or runtime abstraction layer to interface with the Swift-based Containerization APIs or CLI (
container).
- Displaying Apple containers, images, and VM instances in Nookat’s UI with appropriate labels (e.g., "Apple Container").
- Allowing start/stop/remove/pull/push/run operations using the new runtime.
- Possibly enabling users to select their preferred container backend: Docker, OrbStack, Apple, or other.
Describe alternatives you've considered
- Relying solely on Docker Engine: this limits support for newer macOS-native containerization, which is faster and more secure on Apple Silicon.
- Forking a separate macOS-only version of Nookat: this would lead to codebase fragmentation and increased maintenance overhead.
Additional context
Apple Containerization is built on top of Virtualization.framework and provides sub-second startup, per-container isolation, and better privacy enforcement. Source code and documentation: https://github.com/apple/containerization
This feature would make Nookat a more attractive cross-platform container management solution and position it as one of the first tools to support Apple’s new approach natively.
Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.
Currently, Nookat relies on Docker Engine API via bollard crate. On macOS and Windows, this typically requires Docker Desktop to install Docker Engine.
With Apple’s recent introduction of their native Containerization framework, users on macOS (especially Apple Silicon) now have a new, lightweight and secure way to run Linux containers.
Describe the solution you'd like
I’d like to see native support for Apple’s Containerization framework integrated into Nookat, allowing users on macOS 15+ to manage their Apple containers alongside (or instead of) Docker-based containers. This could involve:
container).Describe alternatives you've considered
Additional context
Apple Containerization is built on top of Virtualization.framework and provides sub-second startup, per-container isolation, and better privacy enforcement. Source code and documentation: https://github.com/apple/containerization
This feature would make Nookat a more attractive cross-platform container management solution and position it as one of the first tools to support Apple’s new approach natively.