docker/compose · error

error checking available models: %w

Error message

error checking available models: %w

What it means

To validate model references in a compose file, compose executes `<plugin> ls --json` to enumerate available models. If the subprocess exits non-zero, the failure is wrapped with this message — the plugin ran but could not list models.

Source

Thrown at pkg/compose/model.go:262

	Config  struct {
		Format       string `json:"format"`
		Quantization string `json:"quantization"`
		Parameters   string `json:"parameters"`
		Architecture string `json:"architecture"`
		Size         string `json:"size"`
	} `json:"config"`
}

func (m *modelAPI) ListModels(ctx context.Context) ([]string, error) {
	cmd := exec.CommandContext(ctx, m.path, "ls", "--json")
	err := m.prepare(ctx, cmd)
	if err != nil {
		return nil, err
	}

	output, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
	if err != nil {
		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error checking available models: %w", err)
	}

	type AvailableModel struct {
		Id      string   `json:"id"`
		Tags    []string `json:"tags"`
		Created int      `json:"created"`
	}

	models := []AvailableModel{}
	err = json.Unmarshal(output, &models)
	if err != nil {
		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error unmarshalling available models: %w", err)
	}
	var availableModels []string
	for _, model := range models {
		availableModels = append(availableModels, model.Tags...)
	}
	return availableModels, nil

View on GitHub (pinned to ddc4b044b6)

Solutions

1. Run docker model ls --json manually to see the underlying error
2. Start/verify the Docker model backend (docker desktop / engine restart if applicable)
3. Check network access for the model catalog; retry once online
4. Update the model plugin if the output indicates an unsupported flag

if _, err := exec.Command("docker", "model", "ls", "--json").Output(); err != nil {
    return errors.New("model catalog unavailable; check plugin/backend before running compose")
}

if err := listModels(ctx); err != nil && strings.Contains(err.Error(), "error checking available models") {
    // transient catalog failures: back off and retry once
}

When it happens

Trigger: docker model ls --json exiting non-zero during compose commands that touch models (up with a models section, model validation): backend down, plugin internal error, no model catalog reachable.

Common situations: Offline machines where the catalog fetch fails; model backend not started; plugin/auth misconfiguration after environment changes.

Related errors

• error checking docker-model status: %w
• 'models' support requires Docker Model plugin
• failed to load Docker Model plugin: %w
• error unmarshalling available models: %w
• process still running

AI-assisted analysis of docker/compose@ddc4b044b6 (2026-08-15). Data as JSON: /api/errors/d4b8c7d57f157e32. Report an issue: GitHub.