How to install and set up Contajners with Docker?

Add the Contajners dependency to your project.clj or deps.edn file, then follow the getting started guide in the documentation to initialize the client with Docker's socket or TCP connection. Ensure Docker is running and permissions are configured.

Contajners vs clj-docker-client: which is better?

Contajners is positioned as an improvement over clj-docker-client, offering a more idiomatic Clojure API, better REPL integration, and multi-engine support. If you're building new Clojure projects or refactoring old ones, Contajners is generally recommended for its modern design.

Can Contajners work with Kubernetes?

Contajners is focused on OCI-compliant container engines like Docker and Podman, not Kubernetes directly. You might need additional libraries or APIs to interact with Kubernetes, but Contajners can manage containers that are part of K8s clusters if the engine is supported.

How to list running containers using Contajners?

Use the `containers/list` operation from the API, which returns a data structure of running containers. In Clojure code, you can call this function and process the result with standard Clojure data manipulation functions for filtering or display.

Is Contajners suitable for production use?

While some teams use Contajners in production, its manual update cycle and community-driven nature mean you should assess stability based on your needs. It's best for teams comfortable with Clojure and willing to handle updates or contribute to the project.

How does Contajners handle errors from the container engine?

Contajners follows Clojure idioms by using exceptions or data-driven error handling, depending on the operation. Check the API documentation for specific error responses, which are typically returned as Clojure maps that can be easily inspected and managed in code.

Open-Awesome

contajners

MITClojure1.0.8

An idiomatic, data-driven, REPL-friendly Clojure client for OCI-compliant container engines like Docker and Podman.

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148 stars8 forks0 contributors

What is contajners?

Contajners is an idiomatic Clojure client for OCI-compliant container engines like Docker and Podman. It provides a data-driven, REPL-friendly API that allows developers to manage containers, images, and other resources programmatically from Clojure code. The library solves the problem of interacting with container engines in a way that feels native to Clojure, avoiding external tooling or cumbersome wrappers.

Target Audience

Clojure developers and DevOps engineers who need to automate container management tasks, build containerized applications, or integrate Docker/Podman operations into Clojure-based tooling and pipelines.

Value Proposition

Developers choose Contajners for its idiomatic Clojure design, which offers a more seamless and expressive alternative to generic Docker clients. Its REPL-friendly approach enables interactive debugging and exploration, while support for both Docker and Podman provides flexibility across different container ecosystems.

Overview

An idiomatic, data-driven, REPL friendly clojure client for OCI container engines

Use Cases

Best For

Automating Docker/Podman operations from Clojure scripts
Building Clojure-based DevOps tools for container orchestration
Interactive container management and debugging via the REPL
Creating data-driven pipelines for container image builds
Integrating container engine APIs into Clojure web applications
Replacing clj-docker-client with a more idiomatic alternative

Not Ideal For

Projects requiring immediate access to the latest Docker Engine API features upon release
Teams working in non-Clojure environments or unfamiliar with functional programming paradigms
Enterprises that prioritize vendor-supported, stable release cycles over community-driven development

Pros & Cons

Pros

Idiomatic Clojure API

Uses data-driven, functional patterns that feel natural in Clojure, avoiding boilerplate and complexity, as emphasized in the README for a seamless integration with Clojure idioms.

Multi-Engine Support

Provides a unified interface for both Docker and Podman, allowing flexibility across popular container engines without the need to switch libraries, directly from the README's supported engines list.

REPL-Friendly Design

Built for interactive development, enabling real-time exploration and manipulation of container resources from the Clojure REPL, which enhances debugging and iterative workflows.

Babashka Compatibility

Can be used with Babashka for scripting, as indicated by the compatibility badge, making it easy to write and deploy container management scripts in Clojure.

Cons

Manual API Updates

New API specs are added manually as released, which can delay access to the latest features and require users to rely on git libraries for updates, as noted in the README.

Infrequent Official Releases

Releases to Clojars are made on request or for new features, potentially leading to version stagnation and lack of timely bug fixes, which might affect production stability.

Clojure-Centric Dependency

Requires deep knowledge of Clojure and its ecosystem, making it less accessible for teams not already invested in the language or those looking for language-agnostic solutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

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