Nexus Repository Manager 2 does not support Docker as a format. Nexus Repository Manager 3 does, and Docker support is a part of our OSS solution, meaning you can use Docker completely free. There is a professional version coming with 3.1 that will start to have features such as high availability, expanded enterprise support, as well as just regular support of the product.

As for the Docker images, Nexus 3 now has the ability to operate as OSS or Pro from the same bundle so you'll likely only see tags for Releases, not OSS and Pro.

Answer from DarthHater on Stack Overflow
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GitHub
github.com › rht-labs › ubiquitous-journey › issues › 174
[SSO] Nexus SSO in OCP · Issue #174 · rht-labs/ubiquitous-journey
July 10, 2020 - So, Nexus 3.22 OSS (latest OSS version) do not support SAML or OIDC, but the Pro version does [1], [2]. On the other hand, Nexus OSS supports LDAP [3]. Also, there is a Keycloak plugin for it [4], [5], which apparently supports: Supports...
Author   rht-labs
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Sonatype
sonatype.com › products › repository-oss-vs-pro-features
Download Nexus Repository Community Edition | Sonatype
March 9, 2020 - Based on the valuable data Sonatype provides us, we are able to make decisions on whether to allow the build to continue... Read Full Review ... We use Sonatype's Nexus Platform to manage repositories, artifacts like Docker images and libraries, and to distribute artifacts amongst different teams. Integrates well with GitLab / GitHub repositories making it a good choice as repository manager...
Discussions

nexus3 - Nexus 2 OSS vs. Nexus 3 - Stack Overflow
I operate some Docker services. Some of them are selfmade with Dockerfiles. I now want to store them into a Sonatype Nexus private repository to publish them to another server in my network. My re... More on stackoverflow.com
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maven - How to migrate from Nexus Professional to Nexus OSS - Stack Overflow
I want to "downgrade" an installation of Nexus Professional 2.x to Nexus OSS 2.x. Is it possible? What do I have to do? More on stackoverflow.com
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What is your thoughts on nexus sonatype
Alternatives? I'm all ear, but afaik there is no free/open source alternative comparable to Nexus. More on reddit.com
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8
January 7, 2026
Have you used Sonatype Nexus?
I don't see any similarities between Nexus (artifact manager) and Github/Gitlab. Nexus does its job well - storing development lifecycle artifacts like jars, distribution specific packages. The only rival for Nexus I can consider is JFrog Artifactory. More on reddit.com
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GitHub
gist.github.com › carlspring › 6992708
Upgrading Sonatype Nexus from OSS to Pro · GitHub
Upgrading Sonatype Nexus from OSS to Pro. GitHub Gist: instantly share code, notes, and snippets.
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Sonatype
sonatype.com › hubfs › conversion focused lp › SON_Top_Reasons_Repo_Pro_jan10.pdf pdf
Nexus Repository OSS vs. Pro
Generally speaking, Nexus Repository OSS is for those investigating binary artifact · repository management, small teams, or those with simple repository management · requirements. Most organizations find that Nexus Repository Pro delivers the additional
Top answer
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Yes, it is not a complicated task.

Install Nexus OSS on the same server. Do change the following so that the new Nexus OSS has the same configuration as the existing Nexus Professional runtime.

Configuration

  • port is set in [runtime]/conf/nexus.properties
  • sonatype-work directory location is set in [runtime]/conf/nexus.properties
  • the java command is set in [runtime]/bin/jsw/conf/wrapper.conf
  • the log directory location is set in [runtime]/conf/nexus.properties

Process

  • Stop the Professional
  • Make sure to backup the sonatype-work/nexus/conf directory
  • Remove the professional plugins from sonatype-work/nexus/plugin-repository
  • Add the p2 plugins for OSS to the sonatype-work/nexus/plugin-repository sonatype-work/nexus/conf/nexus.xml
  • Remove procurement repositories references from nexus.xml
  • Remove Scheduled task that use the professional plugins or features from from nexus.xml Note: Those two tasks could have been done from the Nexus Professional UI before stopping it.
  • Remove User-Token-Realm from the sonatype-work/nexus/conf/security-configuration.xml

Start the Nexus OSS

  • start preferably with nexus console instead of nexus start, so it shows more information
  • check the [runtime]/logs/wrapper.log
  • check the sonatype-work-nexus/logs/nexus.log
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As a note: If your license to Nexus 3 Pro has expired, when you log in to the UI, you cannot access anything in the admin UI. You are only redirected back to the License screen with a stern warning message that you don't have a valid license.

I tried removing all Pro plugins etc as in the earlier answer. Tried finding where the Pro licenser was stored on file - but could not find any documentation from Sonatype of this. I assumed it was stored somewhere in the database.

In my case I worked with an evaluation server, so I removed the whole sonatype-work/nexus3 directory and restarted the nexus server. Even without data, it still claimed to be a Nexus Pro installation.

Finally I found the setting stored in the users home directory, in ~/.java/.userPrefs/com/sonatype of all places.

When that directory was removed/renamed I could start Nexus as a regular OSS.

It's not easy to find this in Sonatypes documentation, but they mention it in some places like: https://support.sonatype.com/hc/en-us/articles/213465018-Every-time-Nexus-is-restarted-it-asks-for-the-license-to-be-installed-

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Sonatype
sonatype.com › blog › 2010 › 01 › nexus-open-source-or-professional-which-one-is-right-for-you
Nexus OSS vs Pro: Which Repository Manager to Choose?
February 23, 2026 - If you find that you need support or enterprise features, it is easy enough to upgrade from OSS to Pro." If you are new to repository management, the easiest way to introduce yourself to the benefits is to download Nexus Open Source, and experiment with Hosted and Proxy repositories.
Find elsewhere
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Udemy
udemy.com › it & software
Nexus Repository Manager OSS by Sonatype
June 21, 2026 - Evaluate whether upgrading to Nexus Pro improves performance and reliability through high availability, multi-node setups, enhanced blobstores, external PostgreSQL, and controlled artifact promotion and security features. ... Celebrate completing the course and keep practicing with Nexus Repository Manager OSS by setting up, testing, and experimenting to master the system. Github Repository - scripts, commands and templates0:02
Rating: 4.4 ​ - ​ 34 votes
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Sonatype
sonatype.github.io › nexus-presentations › nexus-oss-advantages.pdf pdf
Making the Most of Your Component Manager i
• Proxy and manage access to public repositories · • Store components that are not in public repositories ... Component Usage Growth. . . ... Data from access logs to Central Repository. ... Let’s have a look.. ... Detailed instructions for different tools are in the Nexus book.
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GitHub
github.com › a-langer › nexus-sso
GitHub - a-langer/nexus-sso: Single Sign-On patch for Nexus OSS · GitHub
Patch for Nexus OSS with authorization via SSO and tokens. By default this features available only in PRO version (see comparison), but this patch provides them an alternative implementation without violating the license.
Starred by 116 users
Forked by 23 users
Languages   Java 92.5% | JavaScript 3.7% | Dockerfile 2.0% | Shell 1.8%
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Nitor Infotech
nitorinfotech.com › blog › nexus-an-open-source-repository
Nexus: An Open source Repository
November 11, 2022 - Nexus is a Sonatype Artifactory repository manager [OSS]. It allows you to store, distribute, and retrieve build artifacts whenever it’s required. Using Nexus, developers can easily access and deploy build artifacts in an organization from a single location. What’s more, they can be easily distributed. It is mostly used for hosting Apache Maven, and currently supports formats like Docker, Maven, npm, NuGet, Ruby Gems, Yum proxy/host, Apt*, R*, Raw, P2* and more.
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CloudRepo
cloudrepo.io › articles › sonatype-nexus-repository-pricing-guide
Sonatype Nexus Pricing Guide 2026 | CloudRepo
January 7, 2026 - Their sales motion pushes customers ... than Repository alone. Let’s address the elephant in the room: Nexus Repository OSS is genuinely free software....
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Eficode
eficode.com › blog › artifactory-nexus-proget
Artifactory vs Nexus vs ProGet
3 weeks ago - Artifactory vs. Nexus vs. ProGet: A comprehensive comparison of the top artifact repositories to help you find the best tool for your DevOps pipeline.
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Sonatype
help.sonatype.com › en › nexus-repository-feature-matrix.html
Self-Hosted Nexus Repository Feature Matrix
June 2, 2026 - This matrix outlines the Nexus Repository features available in Community Edition versus a Professional (PRO) license. The matrix is updated as new features are released.
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Medium
medium.com › @rusekd › setting-up-nexus-and-contributing-to-github-my-devops-learning-curve-a182f18de40d
Setting Up Nexus and Contributing to GitHub: My DevOps Learning Curve | by Damian Rusek | Medium
May 29, 2025 - Here’s how I tackled the entire process in two focused days. Until recently, I had only heard of artifact repositories in theory. I knew that tools like Nexus were used to store things like build files, dependencies, and Docker images. But I had never actually worked with one. So, I began by downloading and installing Sonatype Nexus Repository OSS...
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GitHub
github.com › sonatype › nexus-oss
GitHub - sonatype/nexus-oss: Sonatype Nexus OSS · GitHub
November 19, 2020 - Merged into https://github.com/sonatype/nexus-public · Downloadable bundles here: https://www.sonatype.com/download-oss-sonatype
Author   sonatype
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/devops › can nexus repository manager compete with popular git platforms that handle artifacts
r/devops on Reddit: Can Nexus repository manager compete with popular git platforms that handle artifacts
July 28, 2022 -

I started a job at a company that relies on Nexus Repository Manager. From what I saw and researched its primary use-case is storing and distributing artifacts of various kinds coming from CI frameworks such as jenkins (also part of the companies stack).

In the past I made heavy use of gitlab, azure (I'm not the biggest fan of azure but it is used at that company as well) and github which all (if I'm not mistaken) come with ways to handle artifacts. I'm wondering if there are reasons to still support that stack (azure, jenkins, nexus) or to transition fully to azure as this should be able to handle all these requirements but in a single place.