Comparison
Stacksmith vs docker-compose
docker-compose orchestrates containers. Stacksmith orchestrates the native processes you would otherwise start by hand in terminals. Different jobs, some overlap.
docker-compose is the standard way to run containerised services together, and if your team ships containers or you need an isolated, reproducible environment, it is the right tool. It brings images, volumes, networks, and a whole ecosystem with it.
Stacksmith runs your processes directly on your Mac, the same way you would by hand: cargo run, npm run dev, a Postgres you installed with Homebrew, an ngrok tunnel. There is no image build step and no virtualization overhead; your ports, file paths, debuggers, and tooling are the local ones. Dependency conditions, health checks, one-shot jobs, and diagnosis still apply, so you keep orchestration without adopting containers.
Plenty of teams use both: docker-compose for the databases and infrastructure, and Stacksmith to run and observe the application processes that talk to them. Anything you can start from a shell command, Stacksmith can run, including docker compose up itself as a component.
Choose docker-compose if…
- Your services are already containerised
- You need environment isolation or exact reproducibility
- The same definition must run in CI and production-like setups
- You depend on images, volumes, and container networking
Choose Stacksmith if…
- You run native processes and want them orchestrated, not containerised
- You want instant starts with local paths, ports, and debuggers
- You want readiness, diagnosis, logs, and controls in a native window
- You want tunnels, Keychain secrets, and MCP for AI assistants
| Capability | Stacksmith | docker-compose |
|---|---|---|
| Dependency-aware startup with readiness conditions | Yes | Yes |
| HTTP and command health checks | Yes | Yes |
| Runs processes natively, no containers | Yes | — |
| Native macOS GUI and menu bar control | Yes | Docker Desktop |
| Role-aware failure diagnosis with next actions | Yes | — |
| On-device AI incident briefs | Yes | — |
| Tunnels with public URLs as components | Yes | — |
| macOS Keychain secret injection | Yes | — |
| MCP server for AI agents | Yes | — |
| Free and open source | paid, 7-day trial | Yes |
| Cross-platform and CI-friendly | macOS only | Yes |
Both lists are genuine recommendations: if the free tool fits your workflow, use it. If you want readiness, dependencies, diagnosis, and a native control surface in one place, try Stacksmith free for 7 days or read the docs first. More questions are answered in the FAQ.
Free 7-day trial. Buy any time to keep using it, your work is never locked away.
Requires macOS 26 · Apple silicon · Notarized