20260726 - iPlayground 2026 - Contributing to Apple Container Without Writing Swift: A Cloud Native Engineer's Open Source Journey

Transcript

1. 位雲端原 程師的開源實戰 工 ChengHao Yang @ iPlayground 2026 生 一 不寫 Swift 也能貢獻 Apple Container
2. I don't write Swift. But there are several of my PRs in Apple Container. 2
3. $ whoami ChengHao Yang (tico88612) • CNCF Ambassador • Co-organizer @ CNTUG • Lead organizer @ KCD Taipei 2025 • Maintainer @ Kubespray • Release Team @ Kubernetes v1.32~v1.37 • Contributor @ Kubernetes • Contributor @ Container 􀣺 3
4. Agenda In Session Not In Session • Introduction Apple Container • Comparison of all container tools • How to nd the issue • Why Apple Container chose Kata • Building an open source mindset Containers • How to use Metal in Apple Container fi 4
5. I. What Is Apple Container? 5
6. Try to Imagine a development scenario 6
7. 􀟞􀪬 Backend Dependencies Develop iOS Application / Frontend Application iOS Developer / Frontend Developer Depend Depend Develop Backend Developer Backend Application 7
8. fl ff How to setup your develop environment Know the packages you need Try to setup dependencies in your host And you're stuck Every project needs di erent versions Version con icts everywhere And you give up 8
9. But how do you set up dependencies simply? 9
11. 􀁣 􀁣􀀳 Virtual Machine 11
12. Source: https://forums.docker.com/t/docker-for-mac-is-very-very-slow/18661 12
13. OrbStack 13
14. Source: https://www.paolomainardi.com/posts/docker-performance-macos-2025/ 14
15. Apple Container • A native way to run Linux containers on macOS • Developed by Apple • First seen at WWDC 2025 • Version 1.0.0 released at WWDC 2026 • Open Source: Apache-2.0 License 15
18. II. How I Got Here 18
19. How I Got Here? Learning Container Tools • The existing Docker-like tools are all pretty mature. • A brand-new tool is a chance to relearn container fundamentals. 19
20. How I Got Here? Actively Developing • Apple Container is a brand-new project — rough edges everywhere. • Missing features aren't a problem. They're opportunities. • I get to work on an Apple project? Sounds good! 20
21. How I Got Here? Contributing For Myself & Help Everyone • If I'm having a problem… • It means someone else is probably dealing with the same thing. • If I can solve it myself… • I can also help others solve it along the way. 21
22. III. Start, Improve, Create 22
23. Setup Swift Development Environment Compile Run Test Find the Issue to Resolve 23 fl 􀄫􀄫􀄫 Work ow
25. Con rmed the CI is failing fi Source: https://github.com/apple/container/commit/9b435536f087 25
26. Level 1: Start with a Failing Test Source: https://github.com/apple/container/pull/897 26
27. Level 1: Start with a Failing Test fi Source: https://github.com/apple/container/pull/897/ les 27
28. Level 1: Start with a Failing Test • Want to try contributing but don't know how? • Just look at the documentation and follow it from the beginning. • Do we need to start from a Good First Issue? • Not mandatory, just getting familiar with the project and the contribution process. • Not every Good First Issue is labeled. 28
29. Source: https://github.com/apple/container/issues/1073 29
30. 􀄫 􀄫 􀄫 􀄫􀄫 􀄫 􀄫 􀄫 Level 2: Improve the Feature Delete All Network UX Improve - Original Yes Input Network Name All is set All Network Always include the default network No Filter the Network Name Network name include default Yes Print Error Message No Continue…… 30
31. 􀄫 􀄫 􀄫 􀄫􀄫 􀄫 􀄫 􀄫 Level 2: Improve the Feature Delete All Network UX Improve - Fixed Input Network Name Yes Network name include default Print Error Message No Yes All is set All Network Exclude the Default network No Filter the Network Name Continue…… 31
32. Level 2: Improve the Feature Source: https://github.com/apple/container/pull/1083#pullrequestreview-3699250958 32
33. Level 2: Improve the Feature • Most PRs can start with xing bugs. • If a maintainer opens an issue, they want it xed. • Your PR is almost always welcome. fi fi 33
34. Source: https://github.com/apple/container/issues/1088 34
35. Source: https://github.com/apple/container/issues/1088 35
36. Level 3: Create What's Missing Source: https://github.com/apple/container/pull/1119 36
37. Level 3: Create What's Missing Container Registry List • Once you've built up a basic level of trust, you can start trying to implement new features. • There's a chance to collaborate with other contributors to get it done. 37
38. That's it? It's that simple? 38
39. IV. Contribution Isn't Always Smooth 39
42. Scenario 1: The issue I wanted to work on got snatched up • Easy issues usually get snatched up pretty quickly. • You can start by nding 2-3 issues to build some basic trust. • I don't recommend spending too much time looking for easy ones. fi 42
43. Source: https://github.com/kubearmor/KubeArmor/issues/1720 43
44. Source: https://github.com/kubearmor/KubeArmor/pull/1731 44
45. Scenario 2: Someone claimed the issue but ended up ghosting • This happens a lot. • Politely check if they are still doing it. • If you're really short on time, just go ahead and release whatever you've got done so far. 45
46. Source: https://github.com/apple/container/issues/938 46
47. Source: https://github.com/apple/container/pull/1417 47
48. Scenario 3: No one reviews my PR • Is this change actually on the project's roadmap? • Is the di small enough for reviewers to digest? • Did CI run and pass? If it hasn't even run, it might be time to ping a maintainer. ff 48
49. V. Your Turn 49
50. Takeaway • Apple Container is an open source project, which is a native way to run Linux containers on macOS. • You don't need to nd an issue — you can just start. • You don't need to speak the language — the code speaks for you. • You don't need to be an insider — the door is open. fi 50
51. Thank You! Please feel free to contact me! • Website: https://tico.tw • Facebook: @tico88612 • Instagram: @__tico88612__ • GitHub: @tico88612 • LinkedIn: in/tico88612 Blog LinkedIn GitHub • Telegram: @tico88612 51