Containerization technology has transformed software development and deployment. Containers are packages of software that contain all the necessary elements to run in any environment. Containerization allows developers to deploy apps to production just after development. It enables applications to run across different computing environments. Containers allow applications to be more rapidly deployed, patched, or scaled.
What is Docker?
Docker is the best and most popular container tool designed to help developers build, run, and share container applications. It has gained popularity for simplifying application packaging and deployment. Docker enables developers to separate their applications from the underlying infrastructure.
Docker provides the ability to package and run an application in a loosely isolated environment called a container. You can share containers while you work and be sure that everyone you share with gets the same container that works in the same way. The Docker platform offers tools for handling container lifecycles. With Docker, applications and their components can be developed inside containers.
Top Docker Alternatives to Consider in 2024
Docker remains a popular choice for most container projects and applications, but it may not be always the right choice for every use case. Docker has gone through some changes, including Docker Desktop licensing.
Exploring and having alternatives is always a good idea. Here are the Top alternatives to Docker which offers great flexibility and security.
Best Docker Alternatives:
Containerd
Containerd is a high-level container runtime with many use cases. Its recognition by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) has boosted its popularity among developers, offering a reliable container runtime for their projects. Containerd simplifies container management by taking care of the entire life cycle. This includes image transfer, storage, execution, supervision, and low-level storage.
By using runtimes such as runc (a lower-level container runtime), containerd ensures standardization and interoperability in containerized environments. Containerd provides interoperability and smooth integration with other tools. It also offers a Docker-like CLI experience, simplifying the transition for Docker users.
Kubernetes
Kubernetes is an open-source container orchestration platform for automating the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications. It automates tasks like scaling, load balancing, and self-healing. Kubernetes is known for its high flexibility as it can deliver complex applications consistently. It offers features like management of containers, security networking, and storage services.
Kubernetes also checks the health of nodes and the container itself. It comes with a powerful API and command line tool, called kubectl, which handles a bulk of heavy lifting that goes into container management by allowing you to automate your operations. Kubernetes reduces network overload and increases resource usage efficiency.
Podman
A great alternative to Docker, Podman is a daemonless, open source, Linux native tool designed to make it easy to find, run, build, share, and deploy applications using Open Containers Initiative (OCI) Containers and Container Images. Podman provides a command line interface (CLI) familiar to anyone who has used the Docker Container Engine.
Containers under the control of Podman can either be run by root or by a non-privileged user. Podman manages the entire container ecosystem which includes pods, containers, container images, and container volumes using the libpod library. It allows you to create, run, and maintain those containers and container images in a production environment.
runC
It is a lightweight, portable, and low-level container runtime build for spawning and running containers on Linux systems. runC follows the Open Container Initiative (OCI) runtime standards. It serves as a building block for many high-level technologies. runC is appropriate for developers who want control over container execution.
It is suitable for running isolated applications within multiple containers and is compatible with Kubernetes or Docker.
LXC
Linux Containers (LXC) is a well-known and heavily tested low-level Linux container runtime. It is a powerful tool for managing Container directly through Linux kernel. It offers a high degree of flexibility for container creation and configuration. You can customize resource allocation, network settings, and even root filesystem contents to tailor each container to its specific needs.
It manages resource allocation using cgroups which ensure that each container has access to the resources it needs without impacting efficient and stable performance. LXC is more suitable for users who need a lightweight alternative and want more control over the operating system and hardware.
Red Hat OpenShift
Another excellent alternative to Docker, Red Hat OpenShift, is a containerization tool developed by Red Hat. It offers a powerful platform that combines container orchestration, developer tools, and a robust ecosystem. OpenShift offers a built-in image registry for storing and sharing Docker images. This allows users to deploy applications from their source code repository.
Red Hat OpenShift offers comprehensive security features, making it a go-to option for managing applications and services in the cloud. It also offers Red Hat extensions such as RedHat OpenShift Pipelines, RedHat Insights, Ansible Automation Platform, etc. It helps you develop, deploy, and manage container-based applications. OpenShift enables faster development and release cycles.
Buildah
Buildah, another great alternative to Docker, is an Open-source, Linux-based, Command line tool used for creating Open Container Initiative (OCI) container images and a working container from the image. Developers can build images from scratch, from a container pulled from a registry, or by a Dockerfile.
Buildah is commonly used in developer’s environments and the resulting containers are then uploaded to a registry for use on any device. In Buildah images can be built in either the OCI image format or the traditional upstream docker image format. It also gives the user definite control of images and image layers.
Rancher Desktop
Again, an excellent alternative to Docker, Rancher Desktop, is an Open-source and desktop-based platform for working with containers. It offers an easy-to-use interface and robust features for handling Kubernetes clusters and containerized applications.
Rancher Desktop provides the ability to build, push, and pull container images along with the ability to run the containers. It also offers image building with a built-in tool nerdctl for generating and maintaining container images.
Conclusion
Containerization technology is continuously growing. While Docker remains a popular choice for building and running container applications, licensing changes in Docker have forced many developers and teams to look for other flexible and cost-effective alternatives.
These alternative tools and platforms can meet the needs of containerization and development needs. Whether it’s Podman, Kubernetes, Rancher Desktop, or any other alternative discussed above, each one offers great flexibility and security.
Try these alternatives to Docker and find the best that can satisfy your development needs and requirements.
