ContainerBar

A lightweight macOS menu bar application for Docker and Podman container monitoring and management.

Status: Beta preview. ContainerBar is actively developed and not yet positioned as production-grade.

Overview

ContainerBar provides instant access to Docker and Podman container status directly from your macOS menu bar. Monitor running containers, view real-time CPU and memory metrics, and perform quick management actions—all without opening a browser or terminal.

Works seamlessly with Docker Desktop or Podman on your local machine, or connects to remote Docker/Podman hosts via SSH.

Why ContainerBar?

This project was inspired by Peter Steinberger's excellent CodexBar application. After seeing CodexBar in action, I thought: what if I could do something similar for my Docker containers on my homelab server? Instead of constantly opening Portainer or SSH-ing into my server just to check container status, I wanted that information right in my menu bar — one click away.

Features

• Menu Bar Access: View container status at a glance from your menu bar
• Docker & Podman: Full support for both container runtimes with automatic defaults
• Real-time Metrics: Monitor CPU, memory usage across all containers
• Service Icons: Visual icons identifying container types (databases, web servers, caches, etc.)
• Quick Actions: Start, stop, restart, view logs, and remove containers with one click
• Multiple Hosts: Connect to local Docker Desktop/Podman or remote hosts via SSH
• Host Picker: Quickly switch between hosts directly from the dashboard
• Container Details: View image, ports, network, and resource usage per container
• Auto-Updates: Built-in update checking via Sparkle
• Native Experience: Built with Swift and SwiftUI for a true macOS-native feel

Requirements

• macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later
• Docker Desktop or Podman (for local containers), or a remote Docker/Podman host accessible via SSH

Installation

Homebrew (Recommended)

brew tap michaeltookes/tap
brew install --cask containerbar

Direct Download

Download the latest release from the Releases page, open the DMG, and drag ContainerBar to your Applications folder.

From Source

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/michaeltookes/ContainerBar.git
cd ContainerBar

# Build the release
./scripts/build-release.sh

# The app will be at dist/ContainerBar.app

Getting Started

For a complete walkthrough with screenshots, see the Getting Started Guide.

Quick Start

1. Launch ContainerBar — the icon appears in your menu bar
2. If Docker Desktop or Podman is running, ContainerBar connects automatically
3. Click the menu bar icon to see your containers

Adding a Remote Host

1. Click the ContainerBar icon in your menu bar
2. Hover over Hosts → click Add Host...
3. Select the runtime (Docker or Podman)
4. Enter a name, hostname/IP, and SSH user
5. Click Add

Note: SSH key-based authentication must be configured for remote connections. The correct remote socket path is set automatically based on the selected runtime.

Development

Prerequisites

• Xcode 15.0+ (for Swift 6.0)
• Swift 6.0+

Building

# Development build
swift build

# Release build
swift build -c release

# Run tests
swift test

Project Structure

ContainerBar/
├── Package.swift                       # Swift Package Manager configuration
├── Sources/      
│   ├── ContainerBar/                   # macOS application
│   │   ├── ContainerBarApp.swift       # App entry point
│   │   ├── AppDelegate.swift           # Application delegate
│   │   ├── StatusItemController.swift  # Menu bar management
│   │   ├── Stores/                     # State management
│   │   └── Views/                      # SwiftUI views
│   └── ContainerBarCore/               # Business logic library
│       ├── Models/                     # Data structures
│       ├── API/                        # Docker API client
│       └── Services/                   # Connection services
├── Tests/                              # Unit tests
├── Distribution/                       # Release assets (icons, entitlements)
├── scripts/                            # Build and release scripts
├── docs/
│   ├── GETTING_STARTED.md              # User guide
│   └── images/                         # Documentation screenshots
└── .claude/agents/                     # Claude Code agent documentation
    ├── DESIGN_DOCUMENT.md              # Technical specification
    └── PROJECT_ORCHESTRATION.md        # Project orchestration guide

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please read the design document at .claude/agents/DESIGN_DOCUMENT.md before submitting changes.

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Run tests (swift test)
5. Submit a pull request

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.

Acknowledgments

• Inspired by CodexBar by Peter Steinberger
• Vibe coded with Claude Opus 4.5 by Anthropic
• Built with Swift 6 and modern Apple frameworks
• Uses KeyboardShortcuts for global hotkey support
• Uses Sparkle for automatic updates