metaflow-dev up strictly requires the docker CLI by Docker (rather than alternatives such as Orbstack)

[seanturner026]

The metaflow local documentation notes that docker is a requirement. In theory this is the ability to run docker containers; however, a Make Target checks that docker by Docker is available and fails if not. This blocks anyone not using docker by Docker (e.g. Orbstack) from running metaflow-dev up.

https://docs.metaflow.org/getting-started/devstack

https://github.com/Netflix/metaflow/blob/master/devtools/Makefile#L76-L80

uv init metaflow-test
uv add metaflow
uv run metaflow-dev up
🔍 Checking Docker daemon...
Unable to find application named 'Docker'
❌ Please start Docker Desktop
make: *** [check-docker] Error 1
# docker is running
docker info
Client:
 Version:    28.3.3
 Context:    orbstack

# omitted for brevity
Server:
 Containers: 4
  Running: 2
  Paused: 0
  Stopped: 2
 Images: 35

I was able to circumvent this issue by cloning metaflow and commenting the check-docker Target and running make up

diff

diff --git i/devtools/Makefile w/devtools/Makefile
index 0a85237c..f72dfa75 100644
--- i/devtools/Makefile
+++ w/devtools/Makefile
@@ -67,18 +67,18 @@ install-helm:
                echo "✅ Helm is already installed at $$(command -v helm)"; \
        fi

-check-docker:
-       @if ! command -v docker >/dev/null 2>&1; then \
-               echo "❌ Docker is not installed. Please install Docker first: https://docs.docker.com/get-docker/"; \
-               exit 1; \
-       fi
-       @echo "🔍 Checking Docker daemon..."
-       @if [ "$(shell uname)" = "Darwin" ]; then \
-               open -a Docker || (echo "❌ Please start Docker Desktop" && exit 1); \
-       else \
-                docker info >/dev/null 2>&1 || (echo "❌ Docker daemon is not running." && exit 1); \
-       fi
-       @echo "✅ Docker is running"
+# check-docker:
+#      @if ! command -v docker >/dev/null 2>&1; then \
+#              echo "❌ Docker is not installed. Please install Docker first: https://docs.docker.com/get-docker/"; \
+#              exit 1; \
+#      fi
+#      @echo "🔍 Checking Docker daemon..."
+#      @if [ "$(shell uname)" = "Darwin" ]; then \
+#              open -a Docker || (echo "❌ Please start Docker Desktop" && exit 1); \
+#      else \
+#                 docker info >/dev/null 2>&1 || (echo "❌ Docker daemon is not running." && exit 1); \
+#      fi
+#      @echo "✅ Docker is running"

 install-brew:
        @if [ "$(shell uname)" = "Darwin" ] && ! command -v brew >/dev/null 2>&1; then \
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ dashboard:
        @$(MINIKUBE) dashboard

 # make shell is symlinked to metaflow-dev shell by metaflow
-up: install-brew check-docker install-curl install-gum setup-minikube install-helm setup-tilt
+up: install-brew install-curl install-gum setup-minikube install-helm setup-tilt
        @echo "🚀 Starting up (may require sudo access)..."
        @mkdir -p $(DEVTOOLS_DIR)
        @echo '#!/bin/bash' > $(DEVTOOLS_DIR)/start.sh

[savingoyal]

happy to take a PR

[rooday-doordash]

@savingoyal made a small PR here to simplify the check: #2773

Alternatively we could just get rid of check-docker entirely like @seanturner026's diff, if you're fine with metaflow-dev just failing later if it's not up.