Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Buildah VS Scoop

Compare Buildah VS Scoop and see what are their differences

Buildah logo Buildah

Buildah is a web-based OCI container tool that allows you to manage the wide range of images in your OCI container and helps you to build the image container from the scratch.

Scoop logo Scoop

A command-line installer for Windows
  • Buildah Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-05-27
  • Scoop Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-02

Buildah features and specs

  • Lightweight
    Buildah is a tool focused solely on building OCI and Docker-compatible containers, which makes it less resource-intensive compared to other container building solutions that include additional components like container runtimes.
  • Daemon-less
    Unlike Docker, Buildah does not require a running daemon, meaning it can be used in environments where a daemon is not desired or feasible, enhancing security and reducing footprint.
  • Flexibility
    Buildah provides flexibility by allowing precise control over container image creation, enabling advanced scenarios like building images from scratch, adding content at various stages, and using alternative base images.
  • Security
    Running without a daemon improves security by minimizing attack surfaces and permissions needed for building images, allowing for container creation and management by unprivileged users.
  • Integration with Podman
    Buildah integrates well with Podman, allowing users to manage containers and images without requiring additional integrations, as both are part of the same toolset for comprehensive container management.

Possible disadvantages of Buildah

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Users already familiar with Docker might find Buildah’s command-line interface and functionality to be different, necessitating a learning curve to effectively utilize its capabilities.
  • Less Mature Ecosystem
    Compared to Docker, Buildah has a smaller community and fewer integrations with third-party tools or cloud platforms, potentially limiting its use in complex or niche scenarios.
  • Lack of Windows Support
    As of now, Buildah primarily supports Linux platforms, which can be a limitation for developers using or targeting Windows environments.
  • Limited GUI Tools
    Buildah primarily operates through a command-line interface, with fewer graphical user interface options available, which might not appeal to users who prefer visual management tools.
  • Documentation Gaps
    Although improving, Buildah’s documentation can be less comprehensive and more challenging to navigate than Docker's, potentially making troubleshooting or advanced usage more difficult.

Scoop features and specs

  • Simple Installation
    Scoop allows for simple installation of software packages using easy-to-remember commands, making it accessible even to users with limited technical knowledge.
  • No Admin Rights Required
    Scoop doesn't require administrative privileges for installation, making it convenient for users in restricted environments.
  • No Path Pollution
    Packages are installed in a structured directory and don't pollute the system PATH, reducing the risk of environmental conflicts.
  • Dependencies Management
    Scoop manages dependencies automatically, ensuring that all required libraries and dependencies are installed along with the main package.
  • Portable Packages
    Many Scoop packages are portable, allowing users to install, use, and remove them without leaving traces behind on the system.
  • Customizable
    Scoop allows users to create and maintain their own buckets (collections of app manifests), facilitating the management of custom or private software.

Possible disadvantages of Scoop

  • Limited GUI Integration
    Scoop is primarily command-line based and lacks a graphical user interface, which may be a disadvantage for users who prefer visual interaction.
  • Windows-Only
    Scoop is designed specifically for Windows, limiting its applicability for users who work across multiple operating systems.
  • Smaller Repository
    Compared to package managers like Chocolatey, Scoop has a smaller repository, potentially limiting the availability of certain software through its platform.
  • Dependency on PowerShell
    Scoop relies on PowerShell, which means it cannot be used on systems where PowerShell is restricted or unavailable.
  • Learning Curve for Non-Technical Users
    While straightforward, Scoop still requires users to be comfortable with command-line operations, which might present a learning curve for non-technical users.

Analysis of Scoop

Overall verdict

  • Scoop is considered a good tool for developers and power users who are comfortable using the command line and wish to have efficient control over their software installations on Windows. It provides ease of use similar to package managers available on other operating systems, like Homebrew on macOS.

Why this product is good

  • Scoop is a command-line installer for Windows designed to simplify the process of managing software packages. It offers a simple approach to installation by downloading and unpacking software in a well-defined directory structure, which minimizes common Windows issues like dependency hell and admin access requirements. Scoop is particularly effective because it focuses on user space installation, avoiding the need for administrator rights, and it integrates easily with PowerShell and Windows Command Prompt.

Recommended for

    Scoop is highly recommended for developers, system administrators, and advanced Windows users who regularly work with a variety of software tools and require an efficient, lightweight means of managing these tools. It is particularly beneficial for users who prefer using the command line for software management and wish to automate installations and updates.

Buildah videos

How to Build a Container Image Using Buildah

Scoop videos

5 Ice Cream Scoops Compared!

More videos:

  • Review - Hamilton Beach Coffee Maker "The Scoop" Exclusive Review
  • Review - The Scoop: Lateral trainer review
  • Review - SCOOP Review
  • Review - Game Scoop! 698: Spoiler-Free God of War Ragnarok Opinions

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Buildah and Scoop)
Cloud Computing
100 100%
0% 0
Windows Tools
0 0%
100% 100
OS & Utilities
36 36%
64% 64
Package Manager
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Buildah and Scoop

Buildah Reviews

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Scoop Reviews

5 Best Windows package manager to use via command line
Furthermore, we don’t need admin rights to use Scoop, I mean no evaluated Powershell or Command prompt to install packages as we do in Chocolatey. However, when it comes to the range of packages available in its repository it couldn’t compete with Choco, moreover, the gist of using Scoop is different. Most of the users use it to get mostly command-line tools such as MongoDB,...
6 Best Windows Package Manager to Auto-Update Apps (2020)
The problem with package management is that the cmdlets are complex. This brings Scoop in the picture. Scoop is a small open-source utility for PowerShell. You need to have a minimum of version 3.0. So, the commands to install software is as simple as scoop install firefox. To install Scoop, you just need to type the following in the Powershell.
Source: techwiser.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Scoop seems to be a lot more popular than Buildah. While we know about 162 links to Scoop, we've tracked only 13 mentions of Buildah. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Buildah mentions (13)

  • Dockerfmt: A Dockerfile Formatter
    I suspect that the GP was really asking "why not use a different tool", like buildah , buildpacks , nix ,. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago
  • Top 8 Docker Alternatives to Consider in 2025
    Buildah specializes in building OCI-compliant container images, offering a more granular and secure approach to image creation compared to traditional Dockerfile builds. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • How to Create a CI/CD Pipeline with Docker
    Lockdown your Dockerized build environments --- Because privileged mode is insecure, you should restrict your CI/CD environments to known users and projects. If this isn't feasible, then instead of using Docker, you could try using a standalone image builder like Buildah to eliminate the risk. Alternatively, configuring rootless Docker-in-Docker can mitigate some --- but not all --- of the security concerns... - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Ko: Easy Go Containers
    In my experience, not using docker to build docker images is a good idea. E.g. buildah[0] with chroot isolation can build images in a GitLab pipeline, where docker would fail. It can still use the same Dockerfile though. If you want to get rid of your Dockerfiles anyway, nix can also build docker images[1] with all the added benefits of nix (reproducibility, efficient building and caching, automatic layering,... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Understanding Docker Architecture: A Beginner's Guide to How Docker Works
    Buildah: This lightweight, open-source command-line tool for building and managing container images. It is an efficient alternative to Docker. With Buildah, you can build images in various ways, including using a Dockerfile, a podmanfile or by running commands in a container. Buildah is a flexible, secure and powerful tool for building container images. - Source: dev.to / almost 2 years ago
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Scoop mentions (162)

  • Is Using Linux for Web Development Actually Necessary? Short answer: No.
    Package managers – With tools like Scoop or Chocolatey, installing dev tools on Windows feels almost like using apt or brew. - Source: dev.to / 9 days ago
  • Configuring LazyVim and Python on Windows with WSL
    You can use Scoop package manager to install various packages. If you want to skip this step, you can install WezTerm manually. Open a PowerShell terminal and type. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • Microsoft to force Windows 11 24H2 on Home and Pro users
    I don’t know about winget, but you may be able to install the portable build of Terminal via scoop: https://scoop.sh/#/apps?q=Terminal&id=269082ead77af63e0e77c98c80bef9429504ac23. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Create Your Custom WSL from any Linux Distribution (Part-1)
    While the ArchWSL and Fedora WSL at MS Store may seem great at first before installing, these distros have often showed compatibility issues and sometimes very weird bugs; even conflicts with scoop or chocolatey apps. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Git Bash Is My Preferred Windows Shell
    My favourite shell environment for windows thus far is combining Git For Windows with scoop[1]. A simple "scoop install git" will get the environment installed, and give you a bash shell and full access to all sorts of windows-native utilities from scoop. Some would say I'd be better off with msys2 or cygwin, but the former is meant more as a development environment and lacks misc utilities, and the latter has... - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Buildah and Scoop, you can also consider the following products

Podman - Simple debugging tool for pods and images

Chocolatey - The sane way to manage software on Windows.

containerd - An industry-standard container runtime with an emphasis on simplicity, robustness and portability

Ninite - Ninite is the easiest way to install software.

Crane - Crane is a docker image builder to approach light-weight ML users who want to expand a container image with custom apt/conda/pip packages without writing any Dockerfile.

Just Install - just-install - The stupid package installer for Windows.