compose_provider not working

[0zd0]

Issue Description

The page https://docs.podman.io/en/v5.1.1/markdown/podman-compose.1.html says to override compose_provider in containers.conf, I do it in ~/.config/containers/containers.conf. Result:

podman compose ps
Executing external compose provider "/usr/lib/docker/cli-plugins/docker-compose". Please see podman-compose(1) for how to disable this message

even though I prescribed:

[engine]
compose_provider = "/home/scally/.local/bin/podman-compose"

But if you specify it through the PODMAN_COMPOSE_PROVIDER variable, it works. And the setting compose_warning_logs = false just works in containers.conf

Steps to reproduce the issue

1. Try using compose_provider in containers.conf

Describe the results you received

remains docker compose, despite the override

Describe the results you expected

podman compose works instead of docker compose

podman info output

host:
  arch: amd64
  buildahVersion: 1.38.0
  cgroupControllers:
  - cpu
  - memory
  - pids
  cgroupManager: systemd
  cgroupVersion: v2
  conmon:
    package: conmon-1:2.1.12-1
    path: /usr/bin/conmon
    version: 'conmon version 2.1.12, commit: e8896631295ccb0bfdda4284f1751be19b483264'
  cpuUtilization:
    idlePercent: 61.46
    systemPercent: 4.43
    userPercent: 34.11
  cpus: 8
  databaseBackend: sqlite
  distribution:
    distribution: arch
    version: unknown
  eventLogger: journald
  freeLocks: 2048
  hostname: pc
  idMappings:
    gidmap:
    - container_id: 0
      host_id: 1000
      size: 1
    - container_id: 1
      host_id: 100000
      size: 65536
    uidmap:
    - container_id: 0
      host_id: 1000
      size: 1
    - container_id: 1
      host_id: 100000
      size: 65536
  kernel: 6.11.8-arch1-2
  linkmode: dynamic
  logDriver: journald
  memFree: 6931243008
  memTotal: 33610612736
  networkBackend: netavark
  networkBackendInfo:
    backend: netavark
    dns:
      package: aardvark-dns-1.13.1-1
      path: /usr/lib/podman/aardvark-dns
      version: aardvark-dns 1.13.1
    package: netavark-1.13.1-1
    path: /usr/lib/podman/netavark
    version: netavark 1.13.1
  ociRuntime:
    name: runc
    package: runc-1.2.2-1
    path: /usr/bin/runc
    version: |-
      runc version 1.2.2
      spec: 1.2.0
      go: go1.23.3
      libseccomp: 2.5.5
  os: linux
  pasta:
    executable: /usr/bin/pasta
    package: passt-2024_12_11.09478d5-1
    version: |
      pasta 2024_12_11.09478d5
      Copyright Red Hat
      GNU General Public License, version 2 or later
        <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0.html>
      This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
      There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.
  remoteSocket:
    exists: true
    path: /run/user/1000/podman/podman.sock
  rootlessNetworkCmd: pasta
  security:
    apparmorEnabled: false
    capabilities: CAP_CHOWN,CAP_DAC_OVERRIDE,CAP_FOWNER,CAP_FSETID,CAP_KILL,CAP_NET_BIND_SERVICE,CAP_SETFCAP,CAP_SETGID,CAP_SETPCAP,CAP_SETUID,CAP_SYS_CHROOT
    rootless: true
    seccompEnabled: true
    seccompProfilePath: /etc/containers/seccomp.json
    selinuxEnabled: false
  serviceIsRemote: false
  slirp4netns:
    executable: /usr/bin/slirp4netns
    package: slirp4netns-1.3.1-1
    version: |-
      slirp4netns version 1.3.1
      commit: e5e368c4f5db6ae75c2fce786e31eef9da6bf236
      libslirp: 4.8.0
      SLIRP_CONFIG_VERSION_MAX: 5
      libseccomp: 2.5.5
  swapFree: 33762832384
  swapTotal: 34359734272
  uptime: 17h 0m 30.00s (Approximately 0.71 days)
  variant: ""
plugins:
  authorization: null
  log:
  - k8s-file
  - none
  - passthrough
  - journald
  network:
  - bridge
  - macvlan
  - ipvlan
  volume:
  - local
registries: {}
store:
  configFile: /home/scally/.config/containers/storage.conf
  containerStore:
    number: 0
    paused: 0
    running: 0
    stopped: 0
  graphDriverName: overlay
  graphOptions: {}
  graphRoot: /home/scally/.local/share/containers/storage
  graphRootAllocated: 972102053888
  graphRootUsed: 424063287296
  graphStatus:
    Backing Filesystem: extfs
    Native Overlay Diff: "true"
    Supports d_type: "true"
    Supports shifting: "false"
    Supports volatile: "true"
    Using metacopy: "false"
  imageCopyTmpDir: /var/tmp
  imageStore:
    number: 0
  runRoot: /run/user/1000/containers
  transientStore: false
  volumePath: /home/scally/.local/share/containers/storage/volumes
version:
  APIVersion: 5.3.1
  Built: 1732225906
  BuiltTime: Fri Nov 22 00:51:46 2024
  GitCommit: 4cbdfde5d862dcdbe450c0f1d76ad75360f67a3c
  GoVersion: go1.23.3
  Os: linux
  OsArch: linux/amd64
  Version: 5.3.1

Podman in a container

No

Privileged Or Rootless

Rootless

Upstream Latest Release

Yes

Additional environment details

No response

Additional information

No response

[0zd0]

Anyway I don't care, for two days now I've been solving problems one after another with this podman and podman compose, benefits 0 instead of docker

[vrothberg]

Thanks for reaching out! The config needs to look as follows:

[engine]
compose_providers = ["/home/scally/.local/bin/podman-compose"]

The containers.conf man page displays it correctly but I see how the statement for podman compose is misleading. I'll update the docs to highlight that.

Which other issues did you see? We're here to help.