Switch between docker platforms (macOS)

Introduction

Docker Engine … Client-server application

Docker CLI <--[ Unix domain socket ]--> Docker daemon
  (docker)      (Docker REST API)       (dockerd)

Docker Desktop / OrbStack … Superset of Docker Engine

                                              |   Linux VM    |
    Docker CLI <--|                           |---------------|
                  |--[ Unix domain socket ]-->| Docker daemon |
Docker Desktop <--|                           |---------------|
or OrbStack GUI

Motivation
If you have installed multiple Docker platforms (Docker Desktop, OrbStack) on your macOS, you most likely want to switch between them.

---

Switch the Docker CLI

Scenario
You are using the console to interact with docker. To switch the Docker CLI, you have to switch the symlink.

Bash script

#!/bin/bash

DOCKER_SYMLINK="/usr/local/bin/docker"
ORBSTACK="/Applications/OrbStack.app/Contents/MacOS/xbin/docker"
DOCKER_DESKTOP="/Applications/Docker.app/Contents/Resources/bin/docker"

function usage() {
    echo "Usage: $0 [orbstack|desktop|status]"
    exit 1
}

function switch_to_orbstack() {
    sudo ln -sf "$ORBSTACK" "$DOCKER_SYMLINK"
    echo "Switched Docker CLI to OrbStack."
}

function switch_to_desktop() {
    sudo ln -sf "$DOCKER_DESKTOP" "$DOCKER_SYMLINK"
    echo "Switched Docker CLI to Docker Desktop."
}

function show_status() {
    TARGET=$(readlink "$DOCKER_SYMLINK")
    echo "Current symlink: $DOCKER_SYMLINK -> $TARGET"
    if [[ "$TARGET" == "$ORBSTACK" ]]; then
        echo "Currently using: OrbStack."
    elif [[ "$TARGET" == "$DOCKER_DESKTOP" ]]; then
        echo "Currently using: Docker Desktop."
    else
        echo "Currently using: Unknown target."
    fi
}

case "$1" in
    orbstack)
        switch_to_orbstack
        ;;
    desktop)
        switch_to_desktop
        ;;
    status)
        show_status
        ;;
    *)
        usage
        ;;
esac

---

Switch the Unix domain socket

Scenario
You are using a Docker toolchain with an IDE like CLion (JetBrains). To switch the used Unix domain socket, you have to change the toolchain settings.

Sockets

Docker Desktop: /Users/{user}/.docker/run/docker.sock
OrbStack: /Users/{user}/.orbstack/run/docker.sock

For CLion

1. "Settings" --> "Build, Execution, Deployment" --> "Toolchains"
2. Change "Docker for mac" in "Server" settings