continuedev/continue · error · Error

Failed to install Docker model

Error message

Failed to install Docker model ${targetModel}: ${errorMessage}

What it means

Thrown by Docker.installModel when the underlying `docker model install/pull` CLI command fails; the command's stderr is embedded via errorMessage. The static modelsBeingInstalled entry is cleaned up in finally, so the same install can be retried afterwards.

Solutions

1. Run the failing command manually (e.g. docker model install <name>) and read the stderr in the message
2. Ensure the Docker daemon is running and the user has socket permissions (docker ps works)
3. Upgrade to a Docker Desktop/engine version that supports the model CLI command
4. Free disk space / fix registry auth / proxy config as indicated by the embedded stderr

const { stdout } = await exec('docker model ls').catch(() => ({ stdout: '' }));
const installed = stdout.split('\n').some(l => l.includes(modelName));
if (!installed) await docker.installModel(modelName);

function isDockerInstallError(e: unknown): boolean {
  return e instanceof Error && e.message.startsWith('Failed to install Docker model');
}

try { await docker.installModel(model); }
catch (e) {
  if (isDockerInstallError(e)) {
    logger.error(e.message); // includes docker stderr
    return fallbackEmbedder.embed(text); // offline fallback
  }
  throw e;
}

When it happens

Trigger: Docker daemon not running or unreachable, docker CLI missing from PATH, insufficient disk space, image/model not found in the registry, auth required to pull, or Docker Desktop version lacking the `docker model` subcommand.

Common situations: CI containers without a mounted Docker socket, old Docker Desktop without model support, corporate proxies blocking registry pulls, or out-of-disk build agents.

Related errors

• Model ' ' is already being installed.
• Model ' ' is already being installed.
• ' ' not found in the Ollama registry!

AI-assisted analysis of continuedev/continue@5522c6f44c (2026-08-27). Data as JSON: /api/errors/39121c1d90a78129. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at core/llm/llms/Docker.ts:204

      const { stdout, stderr } = await this.executeDockerCommand(
        ["model", "pull", targetModel],
        signal,
      );

      // Report completion
      progressReporter?.(
        `Docker model ${targetModel} installed successfully`,
        100,
        100,
      );

      return { success: true, stdout, stderr };
    } catch (error) {
      console.error(`Failed to install Docker model ${targetModel}:`, error);
      // Fix: Type check the error before accessing message property
      const errorMessage =
        error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
      throw new Error(
        `Failed to install Docker model ${targetModel}: ${errorMessage}`,
      );
    } finally {
      const release = await Docker.modelsBeingInstalledMutex.acquire();
      try {
        Docker.modelsBeingInstalled.delete(modelName);
      } finally {
        release();
      }
    }
  }

  public async isInstallingModel(modelName: string): Promise<boolean> {
    const release = await Docker.modelsBeingInstalledMutex.acquire();
    try {
      return Docker.modelsBeingInstalled.has(modelName);
    } finally {
      release();

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