In today’s development world, containers have become essential. Whether you’re building microservices, deploying scalable apps, or testing environments quickly, containers let you do it all with speed and efficiency.
And when it comes to containers on Linux, two tools stand at the top: Docker and Podman.
So what exactly are they? How do they differ? And which one should you be using?
Let’s break it down.
What Are Containers, Anyway?
Think of a container as a lightweight, portable mini-computer. It contains everything an application needs to run:
- Code
- Dependencies
- Runtime
- System libraries
But unlike virtual machines, containers share the host OS kernel, making them fast, resource-efficient, and ideal for development, testing, and deployment.
Docker: The OG of Containers
Docker is the most widely used container platform—and for good reason. It’s easy to use, well-documented, and has a massive ecosystem of tools and images.
🔧 Key Features:
- Simple CLI (
docker run,docker build, etc.) - Docker Hub (huge public image repository)
- Docker Compose for multi-container apps
- Cross-platform support (Linux, macOS, Windows)
🟢 Pros:
- Easy to learn and widely adopted
- Huge community and ecosystem
- Seamless integration with CI/CD tools
🔴 Cons:
- Requires a background daemon (
dockerd) - Historically tied to root privileges (though rootless options exist)
- Docker Desktop now requires a license for commercial use (on macOS/Windows)
Podman: The Modern, Daemonless Alternative
Podman (short for Pod Manager) is a newer, drop-in replacement for Docker—developed with security and modularity in mind.
🔧 Key Features:
- No daemon – Podman runs each container as a regular process
- Rootless containers – Run containers without root access
- Compatible with Docker CLI and images (
alias docker=podman) - Supports pods (like Kubernetes pods)
🟢 Pros:
- More secure out-of-the-box (especially for rootless setups)
- Fully compatible with Docker commands
- Developed by Red Hat (used in Fedora, CentOS, RHEL)
🔴 Cons:
- Smaller ecosystem (but growing fast)
- Some Docker Compose setups may need tweaking
- Slightly steeper learning curve for advanced features
Docker vs Podman: Head-to-Head
| Feature | Docker | Podman |
|---|---|---|
| Daemon required | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Rootless support | 🟡 Optional/Configurable | ✅ Built-in |
| Dockerfile support | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Compose support | ✅ Native (docker-compose) | 🟡 External tool (podman-compose) |
| Kubernetes pods | 🟡 Limited | ✅ Native “pods” support |
| Security | 🟡 Needs hardening | ✅ More secure defaults |
| Systemd integration | 🟡 Extra setup | ✅ Built-in |
Getting Started: Docker vs Podman
🔹 Install Docker (Ubuntu)
sudo apt update
sudo apt install docker.io
sudo systemctl enable docker
sudo systemctl start docker
Test:
docker run hello-world
🔹 Install Podman (Ubuntu/Debian)
sudo apt update
sudo apt install podman
Test:
podman run hello-world
You can alias docker to use Podman:
alias docker=podman
Example: Run an Nginx Container
Docker:
docker run -d -p 8080:80 nginx
Podman:
podman run -d -p 8080:80 nginx
It’s literally the same command.
Bonus: Podman Pods
Podman supports pods natively, just like Kubernetes.
podman pod create –name mypod -p 8080:80
podman run -dt –pod=mypod nginx
This is great for simulating production environments that will eventually run in Kubernetes.
Which One Should You Use?
Use Docker if:
- You want a beginner-friendly tool with huge support
- You’re using Windows/macOS with Docker Desktop
- Your existing team/project already uses Docker
Use Podman if:
- You’re on Linux and value security and rootless features
- You want something more modular and daemonless
- You’re preparing for Kubernetes-based deployments
Both Docker and Podman are powerful tools—and the good news is, you don’t have to choose just one. Podman was designed to be Docker-compatible, so switching between them is easier than ever.
Start with Docker if you’re new, and try out Podman if you’re ready to go deeper into container tech and system security.
