[xylophile]

Docker daemon runs as root, and runs continuously.

If you're running rootless Podman containers then the Podman API is only running with user privileges. And, because Podman uses socket activation, it only runs when something is actively talking to it.

[eriksjolund]

Sometimes it's possible to not use the Podman API at all. Convert the compose file to quadlet files with the command-line tool podlet and start the container with "systemctl --user start myapp.service". Due to the fork/exec architecture of podman, the container can then be started without using the Podman API.

[bonzini]

Yes, either quadlet or handwritten podman CLI in .service files is the way to go. I don't like using generate-systemd because it hides the actual configuration of the container, I see no point in being stateful...