16 Aug 2026

MacFullStack and DDEV: different jobs

Docker-first DDEV vs Native-first MacFullStack — when to pick which on Mac.

DDEV is a great Docker-first tool for Drupal/Laravel with a recipe culture. MacFullStack is a desktop stack manager with Native as the default.

Choose DDEV if

  • Your team lives in ddev start / compose and CI equals Docker.
  • You need recipes for Drupal/Typo3.
  • Cross-platform (Linux/Win) beats macOS-native UX.

Choose MacFullStack if

  • You work on Apple Silicon Mac and want a fast Native daily driver.
  • You run many Bitrix/WordPress/Laravel client sites, import archives, FTP to shared hosting.
  • You want Native ↔ Docker in one app without losing the service catalog.
  • You need Clients, FTP Manager, Share tunnel, and MCP for Cursor in one UI.

Both?

Yes: DDEV for one legacy project, MacFullStack for the rest of www/. Avoid port clashes on 8088/3306 — see /help/gatekeeper-ports.

Compare with other stacks.

MacFullStack

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