docs(cli): recommend OrbStack as primary Docker alternative on macOS (#51101)

## Problem

The documentation currently lists Docker Desktop as the preferred option
for all platforms, but OrbStack is a superior alternative on macOS that
offers better performance (faster startup, lower CPU/memory/disk usage).
Users on macOS should be guided toward OrbStack first.

## Solution

Reordered and updated the container runtime recommendations to:
1. Highlight OrbStack as the recommended option specifically for macOS
2. Position Docker Desktop as the recommended option for Windows and
Linux
3. Moved OrbStack higher in the list to reflect its priority on macOS
4. Added a dedicated paragraph in the CLI getting started guide
explaining OrbStack's benefits and why it's recommended over Docker
Desktop on macOS

The changes improve the developer experience by directing macOS users
toward the more performant option while maintaining clear guidance for
other platforms.

## Review instructions

1. Open the preview links for the modified documentation pages
2. Verify that OrbStack is now listed first and marked as "recommended
on macOS"
3. Verify that Docker Desktop is now marked as "recommended on Windows
and Linux"
4. Check the CLI getting started guide to confirm the new paragraph
about OrbStack's benefits is clear and helpful
5. Ensure the information is consistent across both modified files

## Checklist

- [x] I have read
[CONTRIBUTING.md](https://github.com/supabase/supabase/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md)
- [x] Documentation changes follow the docs style guide

https://claude.ai/code/session_01Nbp9LwhMkqxEvQJzEVUbwt

<!-- This is an auto-generated comment: release notes by coderabbit.ai
-->
## Summary by CodeRabbit

* **Documentation**
* Updated local development guidance to recommend OrbStack for macOS and
Docker Desktop for Windows and Linux.
* Clarified that OrbStack supports extended file attributes on mounted
volumes and container networking, and added startup and resource-use
comparisons with Docker Desktop.
* Listed Rancher Desktop and Podman as alternatives; the CLI guide also
lists Colima.
<!-- end of auto-generated comment: release notes by coderabbit.ai -->

---------

Co-authored-by: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
This commit is contained in:
Andrew ValleteauandClaude authored and GitHub committed 2026-09-30 17:04:49 +00:00
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@@ -9,10 +9,10 @@ To develop your applications using the locally running Supabase stack, you'll ne
A container manager compatible with Docker APIs is a prerequisite:
- [Docker Desktop](https://docs.docker.com/desktop/) (macOS, Windows, Linux) - preferred option
- [OrbStack](https://orbstack.dev/) (macOS) - recommended on macOS
- [Docker Desktop](https://docs.docker.com/desktop/) (macOS, Windows, Linux) - recommended on Windows and Linux
- [Rancher Desktop](https://rancherdesktop.io/) (macOS, Windows, Linux)
- [Podman](https://podman.io/) (macOS, Windows, Linux)
- [OrbStack](https://orbstack.dev/) (macOS)
</Admonition>
@@ -247,13 +247,14 @@ supabase stop --no-backup
## Running a local Supabase project
The most common thing you'll do with the CLI is run the full Supabase stack (Postgres, Auth, Storage, and the rest) on your own machine. That stack runs in Docker containers, so you need a container runtime installed first. Follow the official guide to install and configure [Docker Desktop](https://docs.docker.com/desktop) on your machine.
The most common thing you'll do with the CLI is run the full Supabase stack (Postgres, Auth, Storage, and the rest) on your own machine. That stack runs in Docker containers, so you need a container runtime installed first. On Windows and Linux, follow the official guide to install and configure [Docker Desktop](https://docs.docker.com/desktop).
On macOS, we recommend [OrbStack](https://orbstack.dev/) instead of Docker Desktop. It's a drop-in replacement that handles extended file attributes (xattrs) on mounted volumes and container networking more reliably than Docker Desktop. It also starts faster and uses less CPU, memory, and disk, which makes a noticeable difference when running the full Supabase stack.
Alternately, you can use a different container tool that offers Docker compatible APIs.
- [Rancher Desktop](https://rancherdesktop.io/) (macOS, Windows, Linux)
- [Podman](https://podman.io/) (macOS, Windows, Linux)
- [OrbStack](https://orbstack.dev/) (macOS)
- [colima](https://github.com/abiosoft/colima) (macOS)
With a container runtime running, go to the folder where you want to create your project and initialize it: