Docker

The Docker module runs Docker Engine as a system service in the VM. It adds the Docker CLI, the Compose plugin and Lazydocker, and lets your VM user run Docker without sudo.

Enable Docker

Add lmx:docker to the modules in limanix.toml:

limanix.toml

[nixos]
modules = ["lmx:docker"]

Apply the change from your Mac. The update restarts the VM; see Changing a VM.

Mac

limanix update --config limanix.toml

Run containers

Check that Docker Engine runs:

VM

docker ps

The command lists running containers. An empty list is normal before you start any.

Run lazydocker for a terminal interface to containers, logs, images and volumes. lmx help docker lists the module's commands and common tasks.

Run a Compose project

Share the project's directory with the VM. Then run this in the VM, from the directory that contains the Compose file:

VM

docker compose up -d

Reach a container from your Mac

docker run -p 8080:80 IMAGE publishes the container's port 80 on port 8080 of the VM. From your Mac, connect to the VM's address and that port. Network shows how to find the address.

Docker manages the firewall rules for published ports itself:

• A published port is reachable without adding it to network.ports in limanix.toml.
• Removing a port from network.ports does not close a published port.
• To keep a port inside the VM, publish it on the loopback address: docker run -p 127.0.0.1:8080:80 IMAGE.

Compose ports: entries behave the same way. A container started with --network host uses the VM's network directly, and network.ports applies to it as to any other service in the VM. Docker's guides cover port publishing and firewall rules.

Permissions

The module adds your VM user to the docker group. Docker commands then work without sudo.

WARNING

Membership in the docker group is equivalent to root access in the VM.

Versions

Selector	Docker Engine and CLI	Notes
lmx:docker, lmx:docker-29	29.x	Default
lmx:docker-28	28.5.2	End of life

Lines marked .x come from the catalog's NixOS package set and get its patch releases with each catalog release. Support status follows Moby's branch maintenance table. The end-of-life line prints a warning when the VM builds: Docker Engine 28.5.2 no longer receives upstream security updates.

Select one line per VM. Two lines stop the build with docker: select one line. Both lines keep containers, images and volumes in the same storage; switching lines does not create a separate Docker environment.

Data and settings

What	Where
Images, containers and volumes	/var/lib/docker on the guest disk
Service	docker.service
Settings	Standard virtualisation.docker.* NixOS options, in your own module

The module has no settings of its own. Deleting the VM deletes the guest disk and the Docker volumes on it; see Files and storage.