why is podman shwing different outputs outside vscode?

[Mr-M1M3]

I wrote a Containerfile in my project directory. I built an image and ran the container for this image. If from my project directory inside vscode , I run:

podman container ls -a
podman image ls -a

I get the images and containers I created.
However, if I open another window (outside vscode) on my terminal and run the exact commands as the exact user, it shows no image or containers at all. It is worth mentioning that, I also see no images or containers on my podman desktop.

What did I do wrong? How do I fix it? Is there anything else I need to watch for?

SYSTEM INFO:

• OS: 6.6.122-1-MANJARO
• Podman version: 5.7.1
• I'm running rootless podman.

I also posted the exact same question on unix stackexchange

[nalind]

Comparing the output of podman info in both environments might provide a clue. Can you paste them?

[Mr-M1M3]

@nalind

On my project directory:

host:
  arch: amd64
  buildahVersion: 1.42.2
  cgroupControllers:
  - memory
  - pids
  cgroupManager: systemd
  cgroupVersion: v2
  conmon:
    package: conmon-1:2.2.0-1
    path: /usr/bin/conmon
    version: 'conmon version 2.2.0, commit: ff908cce92cf89167b6b97ed240e91a6b147acc1'
  cpuUtilization:
    idlePercent: 91.94
    systemPercent: 1.79
    userPercent: 6.27
  cpus: 12
  databaseBackend: sqlite
  distribution:
    distribution: manjaro
    version: unknown
  eventLogger: journald
  freeLocks: 2047
  hostname: greninja
  idMappings:
    gidmap:
    - container_id: 0
      host_id: 1000
      size: 1
    - container_id: 1
      host_id: 100000
      size: 65536
    uidmap:
    - container_id: 0
      host_id: 1000
      size: 1
    - container_id: 1
      host_id: 100000
      size: 65536
  kernel: 6.6.122-1-MANJARO
  linkmode: dynamic
  logDriver: journald
  memFree: 8035536896
  memTotal: 16524292096
  networkBackend: netavark
  networkBackendInfo:
    backend: netavark
    dns:
      package: aardvark-dns-1.17.0-1
      path: /usr/lib/podman/aardvark-dns
      version: aardvark-dns 1.17.0
    package: netavark-1.17.1-1
    path: /usr/lib/podman/netavark
    version: netavark 1.17.1
  ociRuntime:
    name: runc
    package: runc-1.4.0-1
    path: /usr/bin/runc
    version: |-
      runc version 1.4.0
      spec: 1.3.0
      go: go1.25.4 X:nodwarf5
      libseccomp: 2.6.0
  os: linux
  pasta:
    executable: /usr/bin/pasta
    package: passt-2026_01_20.386b5f5-1
    version: |
      pasta 2026_01_20.386b5f5
      Copyright Red Hat
      GNU General Public License, version 2 or later
        <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0.html>
      This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
      There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.
  remoteSocket:
    exists: true
    path: /run/user/1000/podman/podman.sock
  rootlessNetworkCmd: pasta
  security:
    apparmorEnabled: false
    capabilities: CAP_CHOWN,CAP_DAC_OVERRIDE,CAP_FOWNER,CAP_FSETID,CAP_KILL,CAP_NET_BIND_SERVICE,CAP_SETFCAP,CAP_SETGID,CAP_SETPCAP,CAP_SETUID,CAP_SYS_CHROOT
    rootless: true
    seccompEnabled: true
    seccompProfilePath: /etc/containers/seccomp.json
    selinuxEnabled: false
  serviceIsRemote: false
  slirp4netns:
    executable: ""
    package: ""
    version: ""
  swapFree: 2147479552
  swapTotal: 2147479552
  uptime: 0h 2m 30.00s
  variant: ""
plugins:
  authorization: null
  log:
  - k8s-file
  - none
  - passthrough
  - journald
  network:
  - bridge
  - macvlan
  - ipvlan
  volume:
  - local
registries: {}
store:
  configFile: /home/<my-user-name>/.config/containers/storage.conf
  containerStore:
    number: 1
    paused: 0
    running: 0
    stopped: 1
  graphDriverName: overlay
  graphOptions: {}
  graphRoot: /home/<my-user-name>/snap/code/220/.local/share/containers/storage
  graphRootAllocated: 68719476736
  graphRootUsed: 38797221888
  graphStatus:
    Backing Filesystem: btrfs
    Native Overlay Diff: "true"
    Supports d_type: "true"
    Supports shifting: "false"
    Supports volatile: "true"
    Using metacopy: "false"
  imageCopyTmpDir: /var/tmp
  imageStore:
    number: 30
  runRoot: /run/user/1000/containers
  transientStore: false
  volumePath: /home/<my-user-name>/snap/code/220/.local/share/containers/storage/volumes
version:
  APIVersion: 5.7.1
  Built: 1765447754
  BuiltTime: Thu Dec 11 16:09:14 2025
  GitCommit: f845d14e941889ba4c071f35233d09b29d363c75
  GoVersion: go1.25.5 X:nodwarf5
  Os: linux
  OsArch: linux/amd64
  Version: 5.7.1

On another terminal session:

host:
  arch: amd64
  buildahVersion: 1.42.2
  cgroupControllers:
  - memory
  - pids
  cgroupManager: systemd
  cgroupVersion: v2
  conmon:
    package: conmon-1:2.2.0-1
    path: /usr/bin/conmon
    version: 'conmon version 2.2.0, commit: ff908cce92cf89167b6b97ed240e91a6b147acc1'
  cpuUtilization:
    idlePercent: 93.88
    systemPercent: 1.26
    userPercent: 4.86
  cpus: 12
  databaseBackend: sqlite
  distribution:
    distribution: manjaro
    version: unknown
  eventLogger: journald
  freeLocks: 2047
  hostname: greninja
  idMappings:
    gidmap:
    - container_id: 0
      host_id: 1000
      size: 1
    - container_id: 1
      host_id: 100000
      size: 65536
    uidmap:
    - container_id: 0
      host_id: 1000
      size: 1
    - container_id: 1
      host_id: 100000
      size: 65536
  kernel: 6.6.122-1-MANJARO
  linkmode: dynamic
  logDriver: journald
  memFree: 8079982592
  memTotal: 16524292096
  networkBackend: netavark
  networkBackendInfo:
    backend: netavark
    dns:
      package: aardvark-dns-1.17.0-1
      path: /usr/lib/podman/aardvark-dns
      version: aardvark-dns 1.17.0
    package: netavark-1.17.1-1
    path: /usr/lib/podman/netavark
    version: netavark 1.17.1
  ociRuntime:
    name: runc
    package: runc-1.4.0-1
    path: /usr/bin/runc
    version: |-
      runc version 1.4.0
      spec: 1.3.0
      go: go1.25.4 X:nodwarf5
      libseccomp: 2.6.0
  os: linux
  pasta:
    executable: /usr/bin/pasta
    package: passt-2026_01_20.386b5f5-1
    version: |
      pasta 2026_01_20.386b5f5
      Copyright Red Hat
      GNU General Public License, version 2 or later
        <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0.html>
      This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
      There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.
  remoteSocket:
    exists: true
    path: /run/user/1000/podman/podman.sock
  rootlessNetworkCmd: pasta
  security:
    apparmorEnabled: false
    capabilities: CAP_CHOWN,CAP_DAC_OVERRIDE,CAP_FOWNER,CAP_FSETID,CAP_KILL,CAP_NET_BIND_SERVICE,CAP_SETFCAP,CAP_SETGID,CAP_SETPCAP,CAP_SETUID,CAP_SYS_CHROOT
    rootless: true
    seccompEnabled: true
    seccompProfilePath: /etc/containers/seccomp.json
    selinuxEnabled: false
  serviceIsRemote: false
  slirp4netns:
    executable: ""
    package: ""
    version: ""
  swapFree: 2147479552
  swapTotal: 2147479552
  uptime: 0h 4m 27.00s
  variant: ""
plugins:
  authorization: null
  log:
  - k8s-file
  - none
  - passthrough
  - journald
  network:
  - bridge
  - macvlan
  - ipvlan
  volume:
  - local
registries: {}
store:
  configFile: /home/<my-user-name>/.config/containers/storage.conf
  containerStore:
    number: 0
    paused: 0
    running: 0
    stopped: 0
  graphDriverName: overlay
  graphOptions: {}
  graphRoot: /home/<my-user-name>/.local/share/containers/storage
  graphRootAllocated: 68719476736
  graphRootUsed: 38825156608
  graphStatus:
    Backing Filesystem: btrfs
    Native Overlay Diff: "true"
    Supports d_type: "true"
    Supports shifting: "false"
    Supports volatile: "true"
    Using metacopy: "false"
  imageCopyTmpDir: /var/tmp
  imageStore:
    number: 0
  runRoot: /run/user/1000/containers
  transientStore: false
  volumePath: /home/<my-user-name>/.local/share/containers/storage/volumes
version:
  APIVersion: 5.7.1
  Built: 1765447754
  BuiltTime: Thu Dec 11 16:09:14 2025
  GitCommit: f845d14e941889ba4c071f35233d09b29d363c75
  GoVersion: go1.25.5 X:nodwarf5
  Os: linux
  OsArch: linux/amd64
  Version: 5.7.1

[Mr-M1M3]

@nalind
Hey, I noticed something. I only get to see the containers and images if I run the relevant commands from inside vscode. If I run the same commands outside vscode, I don't see any images or containers listed. I'm updating the question.

[nalind]

Using multiple graph root locations directly results in multiple sets of images and containers, since that's where their contents and the bookkeeping information are kept.

[BitWise-0x]

This is almost certainly because the two terminals are using different Podman storage locations or connections. There are a few common causes on Manjaro:

1. Check how VSCode is installed

If VSCode was installed as a Flatpak or Snap (common on Manjaro), its integrated terminal runs inside a sandbox with a potentially different $HOME or filesystem view. Rootless Podman stores everything under $HOME/.local/share/containers/storage, so if the sandbox remaps $HOME, you get two completely separate image/container stores.

Check:

which code
flatpak list | grep -i code
snap list | grep -i code

If it's a Flatpak/Snap, the simplest fix is to install VSCode natively from AUR:

yay -S visual-studio-code-bin

2. Compare environment variables

Run this in both terminals and compare the output:

env | grep -iE 'CONTAINER_HOST|DOCKER_HOST|XDG_RUNTIME_DIR|HOME'

Any difference in HOME, XDG_RUNTIME_DIR, CONTAINER_HOST, or DOCKER_HOST means the two environments are talking to different Podman instances.

3. Compare podman info (as nalind suggested)

Specifically compare these fields from podman info in both terminals:

• store.graphRoot — where images/containers are stored
• store.runRoot — runtime directory
• host.remoteSocket.path — which socket Podman is using

If graphRoot differs, that's your answer — the two terminals are using entirely separate storage.

4. Check Podman connections

podman system connection list

Run in both terminals. If the default connection differs (e.g., one points to a rootful socket and the other to rootless), they'll show completely different containers/images.

5. VSCode extensions overriding things

Extensions like "Docker" (ms-azuretools.vscode-docker) can inject DOCKER_HOST or CONTAINER_HOST into the integrated terminal. Check your VSCode settings for terminal.integrated.env.linux and any container-related extension settings.

---

The key takeaway: rootless Podman's storage is tied to $HOME and $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR. Any discrepancy between the two terminal environments means they're looking at completely separate container/image inventories. The podman info comparison will tell you exactly where the mismatch is.