v1.0 — free while in beta

Claude Code, meet Docker.

DockerBuddy plugs Docker into Claude Code. Optionally pair a second machine and Claude can drive Docker on either one.

Intel Mac · Windows arm64 · Linux · requires Docker Desktop and Claude Code
DockerBuddy
LocalMacBook Pro
CPU12%
Memory9.1 / 24 GB
Containers3 running
PairedHomeLab
CPU47%
Memory11.4 / 32 GB
Containers5 running
Latency
Local Docker34ms
HomeLab11.2s

Command flow

live
14:22:11execHomeLab · dev-runnerok
14:22:08pslocalok
14:21:54run_cachedHomeLab · dev-runnerok
14:21:39logslocal · postgresok

Docker as a first-class tool in Claude Code

Claude can list containers, stream logs, exec into shells, and drive Compose — all through a typed MCP server that DockerBuddy installs and registers for you.

Pair a second machine (optional)

Got a homelab box or a beefy desktop? Pair it and DockerBuddy wires up a docker context over SSH — so you can have Claude run containers on it, not just your laptop.

See every container call as it happens

Live Command Flow shows every Docker action Claude takes. Spot loops, retries, and slow calls without tailing logs by hand.

How it works

One binary. Two roles. Zero config drift.

DockerBuddy ships as a single app. On the machine running Claude Code it's the controller. Drop a paired.jsonon any other machine — Mac, Windows, or Linux — and the same binary flips into a paired host that mirrors the dashboard and accepts work from the controller. Controller and paired host can be any combination of platforms.

Controller

Wherever Claude Code lives

  • Hosts the dock MCP server Claude Code calls
  • Runs the setup wizard, manages contexts
  • Streams live metrics + Command flow

Paired host (optional)

Any other machine on your network

  • Reachable as a Docker context Claude can target
  • Mirrors the controller dashboard over LAN
  • Bring your own containers — DockerBuddy is the pipe

Role is decided by one file. Drop a paired.json on a machine and it boots as a paired host. Delete it and it's a controller again.

Built for

The people Docker keeps yelling at.

The dev with a basement PC

You've got a beefy desktop sitting idle. Pair it once and you can ask Claude to run the build over there instead of cooking your laptop.

The fan-noise refugee

Your laptop's been on max RPM since Tuesday. Move the dev server to a paired box and your machine goes quiet.

The Compose orchestrator

You've got six containers across three contexts. DockerBuddy gives Claude a single, typed interface to all of them.

Questions worth answering.

Do I need Docker installed?

Yes — DockerBuddy drives Docker, it doesn't replace it. The setup wizard will offer to install Docker Desktop if it's missing.

Does it work without Claude Code?

The dashboard and paired-host features work standalone. The MCP integration only lights up if you have Claude Code installed.

Mac only?

DockerBuddy ships for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Any combination of those can be controller or paired host.

Is it open source?

Yes. The full source — installer, dashboard, and the dock MCP server — is on GitHub.

How does the pairing actually work?

The controller generates an SSH keypair and a setup script. Run the script on the other machine. From then on, DockerBuddy uses docker context over SSH; everything else flows over a token-authenticated HTTP channel on your LAN.

What about updates?

DockerBuddy checks for new releases on launch and downloads them in the background. You get a prompt to restart when one's ready.

Stop melting your laptop.

Install DockerBuddy in two minutes. Pair a second machine in five.

Download for MacDownload for Windows