# Using nanovms instead of docker on home server type setup

**URL:** <https://forums.nanovms.com/t/using-nanovms-instead-of-docker-on-home-server-type-setup/81>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Created:** [July 1, 2025, 12:47pm UTC](https://forums.nanovms.com/t/using-nanovms-instead-of-docker-on-home-server-type-setup/81 "2025-07-01T12:47:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![crzymat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecae2f/32.png) [@crzymat](https://forums.nanovms.com/u/crzymat)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 12:47pm UTC](https://forums.nanovms.com/t/using-nanovms-instead-of-docker-on-home-server-type-setup/81/1 "2025-07-01T12:47:55Z")

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Hi,

I’ve been meaning to look at unikernals for a while, finally got around to it.  
I thought it might be interesting to fit them into how I tend to use oci containers with podman compose. For example I might use claude to pop up the starting point of a project along with the docker(compose) files and test and run it like that - and then move it to a little minisforum box I have at home.

I also have apps like Plex running in containers with the media lib running on a network drive.

My questions..

1. Am I right in thinking there’s a ‘compose’ type structure you can use like docker-compose files? Haven’t found it in the docs, but could be looking in the wrong place!

2. For more complex apps like Plex, is a unikernal the right thing? Is it possible? I tries the docker-to-pkg functionality but that didn’t work (which I was expecting 🙂 )  
If it is possible what’s the right way of packaging an app like that?

Thanks 🙂

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**Author:** ![eyberg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ea666f/32.png) [@eyberg](https://forums.nanovms.com/u/eyberg)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 1:57pm UTC](https://forums.nanovms.com/t/using-nanovms-instead-of-docker-on-home-server-type-setup/81/2 "2025-07-01T13:57:30Z")

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Yes Ops does have basic compose support. [Compose | Ops](https://docs.ops.city/ops/hypervisors/compose) You can also fiind examples at [GitHub - nanovms/compose-examples: compose examples](https://github.com/nanovms/compose-examples) .

I don’t know about plex - I’d need to look. If it’s a collection of random binaries that all run on the same instance than there might be work involved in breaking them apart but if it’s a single binary it should be straight-forward or if there are a number of services that can be pulled out into their own service than that would be an option too.

I saw some references to QT so if it’s being used as a desktop application that’s not a great fit for what we’re doing - nanos is really built for server-side applications.

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**Author:** ![crzymat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecae2f/32.png) [@crzymat](https://forums.nanovms.com/u/crzymat)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2025, 2:25pm UTC](https://forums.nanovms.com/t/using-nanovms-instead-of-docker-on-home-server-type-setup/81/3 "2025-07-01T14:25:13Z")

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Cool - i’ll have a play with the compose stuff - thanks for that.

Plex is a server based app and as far as I know it’s just a single binary but i’ll get some experience under my belt first, and then maybe give it a go.

I’ll post back when I get anywhere 🙂