docs: add DOCKER_HOST guidance for non-default Docker socket paths - #26807
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nickvigilante merged 3 commits intoJul 8, 2026
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…ooting When the Docker daemon exposes its socket at a non-default path (common with Colima and other Docker Desktop alternatives on macOS), the Coder server cannot connect until DOCKER_HOST points at the right socket. Add this guidance to the "Cannot connect to the Docker daemon" section of the Docker install guide, and add a concise cross-referenced entry in the template troubleshooting guide. Refs: DOCS-466 Filed via Coder Agents on Nick's behalf.
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Address review feedback on the DOCKER_HOST troubleshooting guidance: - Frame the non-default socket case as cross-platform (rootless Docker on Linux, plus Colima, Podman, or Rancher Desktop on macOS) instead of "Docker Desktop alternatives on macOS". - Present Colima as one example and add a caveat that tools use different default socket paths, with a rootless Docker sample alongside Colima. - Make persistence shell-agnostic: give the export command, then point at the reader's shell startup file instead of assuming Bash or Zsh. - Correct the Colima socket path to ~/.colima/default/docker.sock. Filed via Coder Agents on Nick's behalf. Refs: DOCS-466
Apply docs/.style/style-guide conventions to the DOCKER_HOST troubleshooting content added in this branch: - One sentence per line (formatting.md) in both the install guide and the template-troubleshooting sections. - Use "refer to" instead of "see" for the cross-reference in troubleshooting.md (word-choice.md). - Reword the example caveat to state that default socket paths vary by tool and the reader should consult their tool's documentation. Filed via Coder Agents on Nick's behalf. Refs: DOCS-466
nickvigilante
marked this pull request as ready for review
June 29, 2026 14:51
bpmct
approved these changes
Jul 8, 2026
nickvigilante
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July 8, 2026 15:33
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What
Add
DOCKER_HOSTguidance for non-default Docker socket paths to two pages:docs/install/docker.md: expands the Cannot connect to the Docker daemontroubleshooting section with the
DOCKER_HOSTfix and how to persist it toyour shell startup file.
docs/admin/templates/troubleshooting.md: adds a concise Cannot connect tothe Docker daemon entry that cross-references the install guide for the full
steps.
Why
install/docker.mdpreviously documented only the default socket path(
/var/run/docker.sock). When Docker runs through a tool that uses a per-usersocket, such as rootless Docker on Linux, or Colima, Podman, or Rancher Desktop
on macOS, the daemon exposes its socket at a non-default path, so the Coder
server cannot connect until
DOCKER_HOSTis set. The guidance frames Colima asone example, notes that default socket paths vary by tool, and persists the
setting in a shell-agnostic way.
Generated by Coder Agents on behalf of @nickvigilante.