> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://tally.wharflab.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Docker CLI plugin

> Run tally as docker lint from the Docker CLI.

The Docker CLI plugin lets you run `tally lint` as `docker lint`. It is a client-side Docker CLI plugin, not a Docker Engine plugin, so it does not
install anything into the Docker daemon.

`docker lint` maps to the lint command only. Use `tally lsp --stdio` for editor integrations and `tally version` for full standalone version details.

## Install

Install tally globally, make sure `docker info` works, then ask tally to register the `docker-lint` plugin with Docker.

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash Homebrew theme={null}
  brew trust --formula wharflab/tap/tally
  brew install --require-sha wharflab/tap/tally
  tally register-docker-plugin
  ```

  ```bash mise theme={null}
  mise use -g github:wharflab/tally@latest
  tally register-docker-plugin
  ```

  ```powershell WinGet theme={null}
  winget install --id Wharflab.Tally
  tally register-docker-plugin
  ```

  ```bash npm theme={null}
  npm install -g tally-cli
  tally register-docker-plugin
  ```

  ```bash Bun theme={null}
  bun add -g tally-cli
  tally register-docker-plugin
  ```

  ```bash uv theme={null}
  uv tool install tally-cli
  tally register-docker-plugin
  ```
</CodeGroup>

The command refuses project-local or temporary launches such as `node_modules`, `bunx`, an active Python virtual environment, and `go run`. Use a
global install before running it.

During registration, tally runs `docker info --format json`, checks the Docker CLI version, inspects existing Docker CLI plugins, and verifies the
registration after writing `docker-lint`. If Docker already has a non-tally `lint` plugin, tally stops instead of shadowing it. If an older tally
plugin is present, tally reports the upgrade. If a newer tally plugin is already registered, tally does not overwrite it unless you pass `--force`.

```text theme={null}
Found Docker CLI version 29.4.1
Upgrading tally lint plugin from version 0.5.6 to 0.7.19
```

Verify the plugin:

```bash theme={null}
docker lint --help
```

Use `--dry-run` to inspect the Docker CLI version, source, target path, and existing plugin decision before making changes:

```bash theme={null}
tally register-docker-plugin --dry-run
```

## Manual fallback

If you cannot use `tally register-docker-plugin`, register the same binary as `docker-lint`.

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash macOS/Linux theme={null}
  mkdir -p ~/.docker/cli-plugins
  ln -sf "$(command -v tally)" ~/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-lint
  docker lint --help
  ```

  ```powershell Windows theme={null}
  New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force "$env:USERPROFILE\.docker\cli-plugins"
  Copy-Item (Get-Command tally.exe).Source "$env:USERPROFILE\.docker\cli-plugins\docker-lint.exe" -Force
  docker lint --help
  ```
</CodeGroup>

On Windows, repeat the copy after upgrading tally unless your installer manages the plugin file for you.

Homebrew also installs a `docker-lint` symlink under its own Docker plugin directory. If you prefer to use that Homebrew-managed file, add Homebrew's
plugin directory to `~/.docker/config.json`:

```json theme={null}
{
  "cliPluginsExtraDirs": [
    "/opt/homebrew/lib/docker/cli-plugins"
  ]
}
```

Use `/usr/local/lib/docker/cli-plugins` on Intel macOS, or the matching Linuxbrew prefix on Linux.

## Usage

Use `docker lint` the same way you use `tally lint`:

```bash theme={null}
docker lint Dockerfile
docker lint .
docker lint --format json Dockerfile
docker lint --fix Dockerfile
docker lint docker-bake.hcl --target web
docker lint compose.yaml --service api
```

Docker global flags go before `lint`. tally flags go after `lint`:

```bash theme={null}
docker --context production lint Dockerfile
docker lint --context . Dockerfile
```

The first command selects Docker's current context. The second command passes tally's build context option.

## Troubleshooting

### `docker: 'lint' is not a docker command`

Docker did not find `docker-lint`. Check that the file exists in one of Docker's CLI plugin directories or in a directory listed by
`cliPluginsExtraDirs`.

```bash theme={null}
ls ~/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-lint
```

Run `tally register-docker-plugin --dry-run` to confirm where tally will register `docker-lint`.

### Invalid plugin metadata

Run the metadata command directly:

```bash theme={null}
~/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-lint docker-cli-plugin-metadata
```

The output should be JSON with `"SchemaVersion": "0.1.0"` and `"Vendor": "Wharflab"`. If it prints normal tally help instead, the file is not named
`docker-lint`.

### Wrong architecture binary

Use a tally binary that matches your operating system and CPU architecture. This matters when copying binaries manually between machines or between
Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.

### Missing execute bit on macOS/Linux

Make the plugin executable:

```bash theme={null}
chmod +x ~/.docker/cli-plugins/docker-lint
```

### Command name conflict

`lint` is a generic plugin command name. If another `docker-lint` exists earlier in Docker's plugin search path, Docker may run that plugin instead.
Remove the conflicting file or adjust `cliPluginsExtraDirs`.

## Limitations

`docker lint` exposes linting only. It does not expose `tally lsp` or `tally version` as Docker subcommands.

WinGet exposes the `tally` command only. Run `tally register-docker-plugin` after installing or upgrading tally through WinGet.