While container-related technologies existed before 2013, Docker revolutionized the field and brought it into the mainstream. Docker allowed developers to automatically create containers from application source code, share libraries, and reuse containers, significantly simplifying the development process.

With Docker, you can easily track container image versions, roll back to earlier iterations, and identify who built a specific version. Additionally, Docker enables you to upload only the differences (deltas) between two versions, optimizing storage and bandwidth usage.

Docker containers are designed to run seamlessly across various environments—whether on a desktop, in the cloud, or in a data center—without requiring modifications. They just work.

What Is Docker?

Docker is an open platform for developing, deploying, and managing containers. It allows developers to isolate their applications from the underlying infrastructure, significantly reducing the time between coding and deploying to production, thereby streamlining the development process.

The Docker platform provides tools for managing the entire container lifecycle. Applications and their components can be developed within containers, which serve as the primary means of distributing and testing software. Once ready, these containers can be deployed in production environments.

Docker is also integral to continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) processes. Developers can write code locally, package it in Docker containers, and then distribute these containers for automated and manual testing in test environments. Any detected errors can be corrected in the development phase and re-tested before moving to production.

Is Docker Still Relevant?

Docker continues to be highly relevant for most container projects, applications, and developers due to its modern tools, broad compatibility, large community, and ease of use. However, Docker Inc. has undergone changes recently, including updates to Docker Desktop licensing, and there may be more changes ahead. If you’re concerned about Docker’s future, especially with the rise of Kubernetes, you might want to explore Docker alternatives.

Can You Use Containers Without Docker?

Yes, you can use containers without Docker. In some cases, it may even be preferable, depending on your project’s requirements and constraints. While Docker is one of the most popular platforms for container management and deployment, it’s not the only option. Other alternatives offer features and integrations that maintain the flexibility and utility of containerization.

What Are the Best Docker Alternatives in 2024?

Several standalone alternatives to Docker exist, some of which provide virtualization technologies and cross-platform support. There are also Open Container Initiative (OCI) tools that can either complement Docker, replace certain Docker components, or integrate with other Docker alternatives to form robust competitors.

Top Docker Alternatives

Ready to explore your containerization options? Here are 10 tools you can consider, though this list is by no means exhaustive. I’ve chosen alternatives that cater to a wide range of use cases and features, ensuring there’s something for every type of project.

1. Podman

Podman is a Linux-native container engine that uses the libpod library to manage container lifecycles. It excels at executing commands and tasks that update and modify Open Container Initiative (OCI) images, including pulling and tagging. Podman also facilitates the creation, running, and maintenance of containers from these images. While primarily designed for Linux, Podman can also be used on Windows and Mac systems via a Podman-managed virtual machine.

It’s important to note that Podman and Buildah, another tool in the containerization ecosystem, have different approaches to containers. Podman is designed for creating and managing long-lived containers, while Buildah focuses on building and modifying container images.

To illustrate, the buildah run command functions similarly to the RUN command in a Dockerfile, whereas the podman run command parallels the docker run command. Due to differences in their underlying storage systems, containers created with Buildah are not visible in Podman, and vice versa.

2. Vagrant

Vagrant is a powerful tool for replicating multiple conditioned virtual environments across various operating systems and virtual machines (VMs). It allows you to set up a virtual environment that can be duplicated across different networks, VMs, and OSs, enhancing interoperability. This capability is especially useful for creating consistent environments for staging, developing, and deploying applications.

Vagrant also makes it easy to create and share VM images across different platforms, allowing virtual environments to share libraries, compilers, and other resources. Unlike Docker, which may revert to an older image after a restart, Vagrant provides more persistent and flexible environments. Additionally, Vagrant offers greater flexibility by allowing the use of different tools and capabilities together, whereas Docker provides user-level isolation.

Vagrant is compatible with most virtualization software, including VMware and VirtualBox, making it a versatile choice for managing virtual environments.

3. Buildah

If you need to build OCI container images without installing a standalone container runtime or daemon, Buildah is an excellent choice. Buildah is specifically designed for creating OCI images, replicating the commands found in a Dockerfile. This means you can create images with or without Dockerfiles, all without requiring root privileges. The images produced by Buildah are compatible with both Docker and Kubernetes.

Buildah’s primary goal is to provide a low-level coreutils interface for building container images. By not requiring Dockerfiles, Buildah allows you to integrate various scripting languages into your build process, offering greater flexibility. Unlike Docker, which runs as a daemon, Buildah uses a lightweight fork-exec model, making it more efficient and reducing overhead.

Moreover, Buildah can be integrated with other tools like Podman, Skopeo, and Dive, further enhancing its utility in different containerization workflows.

4. BuildKit

BuildKit is a powerful image-building engine developed by the Moby Project. It is integrated into Docker Build (starting from Docker version 18.09) and is also available as a standalone tool under Moby.

Similar to Docker, BuildKit operates on a daemon, but it stands out by leveraging parallel build processing, which significantly enhances build performance by enabling faster image creation. Unlike Docker, which builds each image layer sequentially, BuildKit can build multiple layers simultaneously.

BuildKit’s advanced caching mechanism ensures that you don’t have to repeatedly rebuild each layer, saving time and resources. It also supports features like skipping unused stages, rootless builds, and incremental builds, further optimizing the build process. Additionally, BuildKit offers an improved plugin architecture, enhancing its extensibility. This flexibility allows developers to use BuildKit for tasks like converting functions into containers or integrating it into CI pipelines, making it a versatile tool for modern development workflows.

5. Kaniko

Kaniko is a tool that allows you to build container images directly from a Dockerfile within a Kubernetes cluster or container, without relying on a Docker daemon. Unlike traditional Docker builds, Kaniko executes each command in the Dockerfile entirely in userspace, making it ideal for environments where securely exposing a Docker daemon is challenging, such as standard Kubernetes clusters.

One of Kaniko’s key advantages is that it can be used with Google Container Builder without requiring privileged mode (root access), enhancing both security and performance. This capability allows Kaniko to build container images on any standard Kubernetes (K8s) cluster, Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), and other environments where a Docker daemon is unavailable or does not have root access. This flexibility makes Kaniko an excellent choice for securely building images in cloud-native environments.

6. Linux Daemon (LXD)

Linux Daemon (LXD) is a powerful tool for managing virtual machines (VMs) and system containers on Linux systems. It is image-based, fast, secure, and highly scalable, making it an excellent choice for complex workloads. LXD can be deployed in a cluster management environment, allowing you to manage VMs, containers, or both across multiple machines.

LXD is essentially a REST API that interfaces with the Linux Containers (LXC) library, libxlc, but it offers several significant advantages over LXC. One of its key benefits is direct hardware access, which reduces operational costs while enhancing efficiency and system density. LXD also provides advanced snapshot features, including automatic expiry and scheduling, giving you greater control over your container and VM management.

These features make LXD an ideal solution for those looking to scale and optimize their Linux-based infrastructure, whether for simple container management or more complex virtualized environments.

7. ZeroVM

ZeroVM is a portable, lightweight, and secure tool designed for creating isolated environments to run single processes at a time. Unlike other virtualization and container technologies that provide a fully virtualized operating system and environment capable of running multiple processes, ZeroVM takes a different approach. It is based on the Chromium Native Client (NaCl) project and focuses on app-level virtualization.

ZeroVM embeds an application within an isolated environment, enabling virtualization without the need for a full operating system or kernel. This approach significantly boosts deployment speed, with startup times of under 6 milliseconds, and enhances security, especially for processes or applications that run unverified code across various virtual environments.

This makes ZeroVM an excellent choice for scenarios where rapid, secure execution of isolated processes is required, without the overhead of traditional OS-level virtualization.

8. Rancher Desktop

Rancher Desktop is a platform designed to simplify the management of containers and Kubernetes on desktops. It offers an intuitive interface and powerful features for deploying and managing Kubernetes clusters and containerized applications.

With Rancher Desktop, developers have access to a visual interface that makes it easy to build, operate, and oversee containers. The platform supports both Docker and Containerd runtimes, providing flexibility in container management. This makes Rancher Desktop an ideal choice for developers who seek a straightforward, Docker-like experience while working with Kubernetes on their local machines.

9. OrbStack

OrbStack is a macOS-exclusive replacement for Docker Desktop, designed to be faster and more lightweight than Docker’s solution. Tailored specifically for macOS, OrbStack integrates seamlessly with the platform and supports all essential containerization features, including volume bind mounts, networking subsystems, and x86 Rosetta emulation.

Ideal for macOS users who frequently work with containers, OrbStack replicates Docker Desktop workflows with full support for Docker Compose and Kubernetes. It offers a robust CLI in addition to the desktop app, and includes features for file sharing and remote SSH development. While OrbStack is a proprietary commercial product, it is available for free for personal use.

10. Red Hat OpenShift

Red Hat OpenShift is a comprehensive Kubernetes platform designed to enhance functionality through integration with DevOps tools. It offers robust features such as automated updates, built-in CI/CD tools, and advanced security protocols, making it a powerful choice for managing containerized applications.

One of OpenShift’s key features is its built-in image registry, which facilitates the storage and sharing of Docker images. This integration allows users to deploy applications directly from their source code repositories, adhering to DevOps best practices.

Additionally, OpenShift seamlessly integrates with Red Hat’s broader ecosystem, ensuring smooth deployment, management, and scaling of applications across hybrid or multi-cloud environments. This integration helps streamline workflows and optimize application performance across diverse infrastructure setups.