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Supported Platforms

Supported Operating Systems & Hardware

ComposeForge is designed to run anywhere that supports Docker Engine and the Docker Compose plugin. That said, it is built and tested with a specific set of systems in mind.

ComposeForge works best on Linux systems, especially Debian-based distributions, including:

  • Ubuntu (LTS releases recommended)
  • Linux Mint
  • Debian

These platforms: - Have excellent Docker support - Match the environments ComposeForge is actively developed and tested on - Require little to no modification to generated Compose files

If you are running one of these, you are in the “happy path.”

Raspberry Pi & ARM-Based Systems

ComposeForge can work on ARM-based systems such as:

  • Raspberry Pi OS (Raspbian)
  • Other ARM64 Linux distributions

However, there are important considerations:

  • Docker and Docker Compose do work on Raspberry Pi OS
  • Most ComposeForge-generated files will run without modification
  • Some applications may not provide ARM-compatible images
  • Performance depends heavily on:
  • Available RAM
  • Storage speed (SD card vs SSD)
  • CPU generation (Pi 4 / Pi 5 recommended)

For Raspberry Pi users: - Expect to run a subset of available apps - Check image architecture support (amd64 vs arm64) - Prefer Pi 4 (4GB+) or newer for a smoother experience

ComposeForge does not block ARM usage — but it also does not guarantee that every app will work on every ARM device.

Other Linux Distributions

ComposeForge may also work on: - Fedora - Arch - openSUSE - Other modern Linux distributions

As long as Docker and Docker Compose are supported, most bundles should function correctly. These platforms are considered community-supported rather than primary targets.

macOS & Windows

ComposeForge can be used to generate files on any OS, including macOS and Windows.

Running the generated stacks requires: - Docker Desktop - Additional virtualization layers

This works well for testing and learning, but Linux is strongly recommended for long-term or production use.

Hardware Guidelines (General)

ComposeForge does not impose strict hardware requirements, but practical minimums are:

  • CPU: 64-bit processor (x86_64 or ARM64)
  • Memory: 4 GB RAM minimum (8 GB+ recommended for multiple services)
  • Storage: SSD strongly recommended
  • Network: Reliable local networking for reverse proxy and service access

Lightweight setups are encouraged — ComposeForge is intentionally designed to work well on modest hardware.

A Note on Expectations

ComposeForge aims to: - Generate portable, standards-based Docker Compose files - Avoid unnecessary assumptions about your environment

It does not: - Abstract away hardware limitations - Hide architecture differences - Guarantee every app runs everywhere

If something doesn’t work on your system, that’s usually a property of the underlying software — not ComposeForge itself.

If you’re unsure whether your setup is a good fit, start small. You can always regenerate and adjust as you learn.