Molecule "driver docker is not found" / docker plugin missing in CI

By Kaveh Alemi·Latchkey

Since Molecule 5, the docker, podman, and other drivers moved out of core into the molecule-plugins package. If only molecule is installed, the driver named in molecule.yml cannot be resolved.

What this error means

Molecule fails during config load with "driver docker is not found. Please install the driver" or "Backend for provider 'docker' not found", before any container is created.

CRITICAL Driver docker is not found. Please install the driver, e.g.
'pip install molecule-plugins[docker]'

Common causes

The driver plugin is not installed

Molecule core no longer bundles the docker driver. Installing molecule alone leaves the driver named in molecule.yml unavailable.

The wrong extra was installed

Installing molecule-plugins without the [docker] extra (or installing the [podman] extra while molecule.yml names docker) leaves the requested driver missing.

How to fix it

Install the matching driver plugin

Install the molecule-plugins extra that matches the driver in your molecule.yml.

pip install "molecule-plugins[docker]"
# for podman scenarios instead:
# pip install "molecule-plugins[podman]"

Confirm the driver name in molecule.yml

The driver.name value must match an installed plugin driver.

driver:
  name: docker
platforms:
  - name: instance
    image: quay.io/centos/centos:stream9

How to prevent it

• Pin molecule-plugins[docker] alongside molecule in test requirements.
• Keep the driver extra in sync with driver.name in molecule.yml.
• Run molecule --version to confirm plugins load before testing.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

References

• Terraform documentation
• GitHub Actions documentation