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[GH-ISSUE #5946] Why is there no documentation on using act under MacOS? #1294

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opened 2026-03-01 21:50:12 +03:00 by kerem · 2 comments

kerem commented

2026-03-01 21:50:12 +03:00

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Originally created by @iloving on GitHub (Oct 8, 2025).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/nektos/act/issues/5946

Bug report info

act version:            0.2.82
GOOS:                   darwin
GOARCH:                 arm64
NumCPU:                 10
Docker host:            DOCKER_HOST environment variable is not set
Sockets found:
	/var/run/docker.sock
	$HOME/.docker/run/docker.sock
Config files:
	/Users/myuser/Library/Application Support/act/actrc:
		-P ubuntu-latest=catthehacker/ubuntu:act-latest
		-P ubuntu-22.04=catthehacker/ubuntu:act-22.04
		-P ubuntu-20.04=catthehacker/ubuntu:act-20.04
		-P ubuntu-18.04=catthehacker/ubuntu:act-18.04
Build info:
	Go version:            go1.25.1
	Module path:           command-line-arguments
	Main version:
	Main path:
	Main checksum:
	Build settings:
		-buildmode:           exe
		-compiler:            gc
		-ldflags:             -X main.version=0.2.82
		DefaultGODEBUG:       containermaxprocs=0,decoratemappings=0,tlssha1=1,updatemaxprocs=0,x509sha256skid=0
		CGO_ENABLED:          1
		CGO_CFLAGS:
		CGO_CPPFLAGS:
		CGO_CXXFLAGS:
		CGO_LDFLAGS:
		GOARCH:               arm64
		GOOS:                 darwin
		GOARM64:              v8.0

Error: Cannot connect to the Docker daemon at unix:///var/run/docker.sock. Is the docker daemon running?

Command used with act

doesn't matter

Describe issue

Act is made available on Mac, but there is zero documentation on how to actually use it. I'm also using Rancher Desktop rather than Docker Desktop. Between the two, I am completely unable to use act whatsoever.

It detects what sockets are available, and still manages to ignore them unless I set DOCKER_HOST. When I set DOCKER_HOST, it still can't connect. I created a symlink to /var/run/docker.sock. It still can't connect. Sudo? Nope.

I was finally able to somehow make it work using VS Code, with the github local actions extension. But to do it, I had to:

Set the 'Act Command' setting to act --container-architecture linux/amd64 -P linux=-self-hosted
run VS Code from the command line, setting DOCKER_HOST. DOCKER_HOST=$(docker context inspect --format '{{.Endpoints.docker.Host}}') code

It is completely unreasonable to force people to have to struggle through just basic usage, and have to spend hours or days googling, trying to find the choice tidbit of information they need to make it work.

Link to GitHub repository

No response

Workflow content

n/a

Relevant log output

n/a

Additional information

After much trial and error, I got VS Code Github Local Actions extension executing by configuring the Act Command setting to 'act --container-architecture linux/amd64 -P linux=-self-hosted' but I still can't get past the docker socket problem.

Originally created by @iloving on GitHub (Oct 8, 2025). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/nektos/act/issues/5946 ### Bug report info ```plain text act version: 0.2.82 GOOS: darwin GOARCH: arm64 NumCPU: 10 Docker host: DOCKER_HOST environment variable is not set Sockets found: /var/run/docker.sock $HOME/.docker/run/docker.sock Config files: /Users/myuser/Library/Application Support/act/actrc: -P ubuntu-latest=catthehacker/ubuntu:act-latest -P ubuntu-22.04=catthehacker/ubuntu:act-22.04 -P ubuntu-20.04=catthehacker/ubuntu:act-20.04 -P ubuntu-18.04=catthehacker/ubuntu:act-18.04 Build info: Go version: go1.25.1 Module path: command-line-arguments Main version: Main path: Main checksum: Build settings: -buildmode: exe -compiler: gc -ldflags: -X main.version=0.2.82 DefaultGODEBUG: containermaxprocs=0,decoratemappings=0,tlssha1=1,updatemaxprocs=0,x509sha256skid=0 CGO_ENABLED: 1 CGO_CFLAGS: CGO_CPPFLAGS: CGO_CXXFLAGS: CGO_LDFLAGS: GOARCH: arm64 GOOS: darwin GOARM64: v8.0 Error: Cannot connect to the Docker daemon at unix:///var/run/docker.sock. Is the docker daemon running? ``` ### Command used with act ```sh doesn't matter ``` ### Describe issue Act is made available on Mac, but there is zero documentation on how to actually _use it_. I'm also using Rancher Desktop rather than Docker Desktop. Between the two, I am completely unable to use act whatsoever. It detects what sockets are available, and still manages to ignore them unless I set DOCKER_HOST. When I set DOCKER_HOST, it still can't connect. I created a symlink to /var/run/docker.sock. It still can't connect. Sudo? Nope. I was finally able to somehow make it work using VS Code, with the github local actions extension. But to do it, I had to: - Set the 'Act Command' setting to `act --container-architecture linux/amd64 -P linux=-self-hosted` - run VS Code from the command line, setting DOCKER_HOST. `DOCKER_HOST=$(docker context inspect --format '{{.Endpoints.docker.Host}}') code` It is completely unreasonable to force people to have to struggle through just basic usage, and have to spend hours or days googling, trying to find the choice tidbit of information they need to make it work. ### Link to GitHub repository _No response_ ### Workflow content ```yml n/a ``` ### Relevant log output ```sh n/a ``` ### Additional information After much trial and error, I got VS Code Github Local Actions extension executing by configuring the Act Command setting to 'act --container-architecture linux/amd64 -P linux=-self-hosted' but I still can't get past the docker socket problem.

kerem added the

kind/bug

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2026-03-01 21:50:12 +03:00

kerem commented

2026-03-01 21:50:13 +03:00

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@panekj commented on GitHub (Oct 8, 2025):

https://nektosact.com/missing_functionality/docker_context.html

@panekj commented on GitHub (Oct 8, 2025): https://nektosact.com/missing_functionality/docker_context.html

kerem commented

2026-03-01 21:50:13 +03:00

Author

Owner

@ChristopherHX commented on GitHub (Oct 8, 2025):

Literally for me

Install Podman Desktop
You are asked to enable docker compatibility
act now works out of box

YMMV

It is completely unreasonable to force people to have to struggle through just basic usage, and have to spend hours or days googling, trying to find the choice tidbit of information they need to make it work.

In my opinion, this is common in open source projects. People do not get paid for such improvements.

@ChristopherHX commented on GitHub (Oct 8, 2025): Literally for me - Install Podman Desktop - You are asked to enable docker compatibility - act now works out of box YMMV > It is completely unreasonable to force people to have to struggle through just basic usage, and have to spend hours or days googling, trying to find the choice tidbit of information they need to make it work. In my opinion, this is common in open source projects. People do not get paid for such improvements.

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