https://github.com/tdeverx/contained-app
A native macOS app for Apple's Container CLI
https://github.com/tdeverx/contained-app
apple-container apple-silicon containers devtools docker-alternative liquid-glass macos sparkle swift swiftpm swiftui
Last synced: 11 days ago
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A native macOS app for Apple's Container CLI
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/tdeverx/contained-app
- Owner: tdeverx
- License: other
- Created: 2026-06-25T22:02:07.000Z (12 days ago)
- Default Branch: nightly
- Last Pushed: 2026-06-26T00:08:35.000Z (12 days ago)
- Last Synced: 2026-06-26T00:10:46.140Z (12 days ago)
- Topics: apple-container, apple-silicon, containers, devtools, docker-alternative, liquid-glass, macos, sparkle, swift, swiftpm, swiftui
- Language: Swift
- Homepage: https://github.com/tdeverx/contained-app/wiki
- Size: 3.99 MB
- Stars: 0
- Watchers: 0
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- Contributing: .github/CONTRIBUTING.md
- License: LICENSE
- Notice: NOTICE
Awesome Lists containing this project
- awesome-swift-macos-apps - Contained - app?style=flat&label=" /> <img align="bottom" height="13" src="https://img.shields.io/github/last-commit/tdeverx/contained-app?style=flat&label=" /> - Native SwiftUI control surface for Apple's container CLI to run and manage Linux containers. (Virtual Machines / Text)
README
Contained
A native, SwiftUI-first macOS app for Apple's [`container`](https://github.com/apple/container) CLI — a Liquid Glass control surface for running, customizing, and inspecting Linux containers on Apple silicon. It covers the everyday Docker-Desktop workflow plus the broader `container` command surface, without leaving the Mac-native look and feel.
Work in progress — the UI and features are still evolving.
> **Status:** feature-complete, polishing toward 1.0. Every section below is implemented; see the [1.0 Polish Checklist](#10-polish-checklist) for the per-screen pass that remains before tagging a stable release.
## Highlights
- **Grid of glass cards** — each container is a clear Liquid Glass card with a customizable tint, gradient, icon, nickname, an app-managed health badge, and a selectable live sparkline (CPU / memory / network / disk).
- **Full lifecycle + 7 detail tabs** — start/stop/restart, plus Overview, Logs, Terminal (SwiftTerm), Stats, History, Files, and Inspect for each container.
- **Images, Build, Volumes, Networks, Registries, System** — pull (with Docker Hub search), build (streamed BuildKit log), tag/push/save/load, filesystem export, volume/network CRUD, registry login, service control, `df`, a Prune Center, and guarded kernel/DNS management.
- **Templates & Stacks** — a library of saved run recipes plus built-in starters, and `compose.yaml` import with app-managed start-order and health-gated launch.
- **One Edit form** — progressive-disclosure mapping of the `container run` flags with host-bounded CPU/RAM controls and a live "reveal the CLI" preview.
- **Persistent history** — SwiftData-backed events and metrics power a per-container History tab and a system-wide Activity view (Swift Charts), with configurable retention.
- **App-managed restart & healthchecks** — `container` has no native `--restart` or healthcheck, so Contained runs both itself.
- **Mac-native throughout** — `NavigationSplitView`, the system search field, a section-aware Liquid Glass toolbar, a command palette (⌘K), a menu-bar extra, full keyboard shortcuts, and accessibility (Reduce Transparency / Reduce Motion / VoiceOver). AppKit bridges are used only where SwiftUI has no equivalent, and are flagged in the source.
## Install & updates
Download the latest `.dmg` from [Releases](https://github.com/tdeverx/contained-app/releases). Updates are delivered in-app via [Sparkle](https://sparkle-project.org) across three channels, selectable in Settings → Updates:
- **Stable** — finished releases.
- **Beta** — pre-release builds, ahead of stable.
- **Nightly** — the latest build from every commit (CI), bleeding edge.
Channels are cumulative (Nightly still receives Beta and Stable). See the [Release runbook](https://github.com/tdeverx/contained-app/wiki/Release) for the maintainer signing/notarization flow.
## Documentation
Full docs live in the **[wiki](https://github.com/tdeverx/contained-app/wiki)** — [Features](https://github.com/tdeverx/contained-app/wiki/Features) · [Keyboard Shortcuts](https://github.com/tdeverx/contained-app/wiki/Keyboard-Shortcuts) · [Installation](https://github.com/tdeverx/contained-app/wiki/Installation) · [Troubleshooting](https://github.com/tdeverx/contained-app/wiki/Troubleshooting) · [Architecture](https://github.com/tdeverx/contained-app/wiki/Architecture) · [Contributing](https://github.com/tdeverx/contained-app/wiki/Contributing).
## Requirements
- macOS 26 or later (Apple silicon)
- Xcode 26 / Swift 6.2+
- Apple's `container` CLI **1.0.0** installed and on `PATH` ([install](https://github.com/apple/container))
## Build & run
This is a Swift Package — open it directly in Xcode (there is no `.xcodeproj`):
```sh
open Package.swift # opens the package as a project in Xcode
```
Or from the command line:
```sh
swift build # compile
swift test # run the unit tests
./scripts/bundle.sh # assemble a runnable Contained.app
open Contained.app # launch it
```
## Architecture
The package splits into two targets so all logic is testable without a UI:
- **`ContainedCore`** (library) — models, the `container` CLI wrapper (`--format json`), lenient decoders grounded against captured real CLI output, and command builders. No UI.
- **`Contained`** (executable) — the SwiftUI app: design system, stores (`@Observable` + `@MainActor`), feature views, and the SwiftData history store.
Integration is by **shelling out** to the `container` CLI and decoding its JSON, rather than linking a private framework — robust across CLI updates and easy to verify. Personalization (tint, icon, nickname, background) is stored **locally** (image-keyed defaults + per-container overrides) and never written back as container labels, keeping the CLI clean. Full design notes in the [Architecture](https://github.com/tdeverx/contained-app/wiki/Architecture) wiki page.
```
Sources/
ContainedCore/ Models, Services (CLI wrapper), decoding
Contained/ App, DesignSystem, Features, Navigation, Stores, History, Support
Tests/
ContainedCoreTests/ Decoding + command-builder tests against real CLI fixtures
ContainedAppTests/ RunSpec argv + compose-mapping golden tests
scripts/
bundle.sh Build + assemble Contained.app
release.sh Sign + notarize + DMG (maintainers)
appcast.sh Generate this branch's Sparkle appcast
appcast.xml Per-branch Sparkle feed (nightly/beta/main each own one; human docs live in the wiki)
```
## 1.0 Polish Checklist
Every screen gets the same pass before tagging 1.0. Criteria per page: **G** Liquid Glass consistency · **S** empty / loading / error states · **A** keyboard + VoiceOver accessibility · **C** Reveal-CLI on privileged actions · **L** copy / labels / info-popovers · **R** responsive layout.
| Screen | G | S | A | C | L | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Containers (grid) | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Container Detail · Overview | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Container Detail · Logs | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Container Detail · Terminal | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Container Detail · Stats | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Container Detail · History | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Container Detail · Files | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Container Detail · Inspect | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Images | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Build | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Volumes | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Networks | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Registries | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| System | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| System · Activity | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Templates | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Stacks | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Edit / Run form | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Customize sheet | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Settings | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Onboarding / Bootstrap | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Command Palette | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Menu-bar extra | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
## Contributing
Forks, issues, and pull requests are welcome — see [Contributing](https://github.com/tdeverx/contained-app/wiki/Contributing). The project is built for collaboration; the only thing off the table is commercial use (see License).
## License
**Source-available, free for non-commercial use.** Contained is licensed under the [PolyForm Noncommercial License 1.0.0](LICENSE) — use, modify, fork, and share it freely for any noncommercial purpose; commercial use of any kind is not permitted. This is intentionally *not* the OSI "Open Source" label (that definition forbids restricting commercial use), but in plain terms the code is open, free, and collaborative. The "Contained" name and branding are reserved — see [NOTICE](NOTICE).